When last we saw Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe... well, something horrible had happened to him. But we expect everything is going to be OK, as Spidey has a sequel that's going into production soon enough, and the cast list is starting to take shape. We're confident Tom Holland will return as the Webslinger. And now there's a report that Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to join the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel as Mysterio, the master of illusion.
THR breaks this news, but has little else to add to the casting shock, saying that the incredibly talented Jake Gyllenhaal "will play" the classic Marvel villain, with the movie aiming for a July 5, 2019 release date. Let's break this down below.
Mysterio is an old-school, iconic villain from Spider-Man's past. Real name Quentin Beck, Mysterio is a former stunt man and failed illusionist who relied on movie magic to create mind-altering distractions that hid his crimes. The villain is best known for his unusual look. He wears a dome-shaped helmet, which Spider-Man constantly reminds him looks like an upside down fish bowl. And he has a green and purple suit -- with a massive cape that would give Edna Mode fits -- that comes equipped with gadgets that advance his illusions. Mysterio's usually accompanied by a cloud of smoke, as you can see in this amazing illustration.
Mysterio went on to be a founding member of The Sinister Six, the team-up of Spidey villains that Sony wanted to get off the ground back when Andrew Garfield was still in the suit. So making Mysterio part of the MCU is a step in the direction of making that possibility a reality.
Mysterio may seem like an odd selection for Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (or whatever the sequel ends up being called), but it fits the mold that Marvel has for the time being of not wanting to use any villains that Sony already tried in previous Spider-Man movies. Michael Keaton helped Marvel bring The Vulture to the big screen for the first time, and if Sony is able to lock down Jake Gyllenhaal, then he'd get the honors of bringing Mysterio to life for the first time. This is still a smart choice, but AFTER this, I think some of the Sony villains need to be fair game again, so we can finally get an MCU-approved Doctor Octopus and, especially, a Marvel Studios Green Goblin.
Adding Jake Gyllenhaal to ANY movie, meanwhile, is highly recommended, so when you tell an obsessive Marvel Studios junkie like myself that one of our generation's most talented actors will be lending his gifts to a Spider-Man sequel, I'm literally heading to the theater to reserve my seat today, so that I don't miss a minute of footage. Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 will begin production this summer. The movie will be in theaters on July 5, 2019. I'm not sure how they'll promote it, knowing what we currently know about Spider-Man, well, not feeling so good. But we shall see.
