Marc Webb’s Spider-Man is shaping up quickly. Sony Pictures announced this morning that British actor Rhys Ifans, best known for his role in Notting Hill, will play the villain opposite Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Most recently, Ifans starred in Pirate Radio and Greenberg and can next be seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Roland Emmerich’s new film Anonymous, which Sony will release next September.
In fact, it was Anonymous, Emmerich’s Shakespearean thriller, that convinced the powers that be at the studio that Ifans was the guy. Says production president Matt Tolmach, “After seeing his performance in our upcoming film Anonymous, we’re in awe of his talent and think he’s the perfect choice to take on this role.” The studio is remaining mum on what character Ifans will play.
Production on Spider-Man is set to begin in December. It will be released in July 2012 in 3-D.
Sounds like the Vulture to me.
A lot of British people are named Rhys. Why is that??
Traditional Welsh name.
Marc Webb said this: “Rhys’ incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character.”
GOT TO BE ELECTRO: low self esteem, love confidence, inferiority complex. I BET YOU.
I was thinking the same thing!
h t t p://www.topnews.in/light/files/Rhys-Ifans.jpg
Seems too young for Vulture. Has the look of Carnage but that wouldn’t make sense for the first film. Maybe some obsure hero…
I doubt it’s Vulture given that Raimi wanted the Vulture for his film. Whoever he’s playing they won’t be able to keep it hidden for long.
I’m thinking the Lizard, or perhaps the Scorpion.
I find Ifans really hard to believe in an action role.
And you believe Andrew Garfield in an action role.?..why?
I don’t, but he is old news.
Terry O’Quinn for the Vulture please!
“the leg” is the villain??? he’s so lanky. perhaps he can play the symbiote suit that will later become venom.
he’s wirey!!!
oley, oley, oley!!!!
Wow, I can’t believe how happy I am that I found other people that mainly know him from “The Replacements”!
I’m not a Mick. I’m bloody Welsh!
Shane Falco… I lost a ton of money on that sugar bowl disaster of yours.. What a bloody shambles that was..
Well, the criminal One-Termer will be out of a job soon. Maybe they should cast him as a villain. We all know he already is one.
Tool.
what nobody will listen to you on a political site so you talk s**t on an entertainment site…….pathetic
You know, I was going to make a joke and say the black helicopters were coming for you, but then it occurred that might actually set you off.
Electro
Yes, Electro is one of the most iconic Spidey villains. Doc Ock, Gobby and Venom – great. Now bring on Electro and Scorpion.
LIZARD.
or Shocker.
It will be someone from the 90′s cartoons. (Target audience grew up in 90′s and are 18-30)
Mysterio
“I’m a skyhighatrist, YOU’RE a skyhighatrist!”
as a comic book geek does anyone else find it odd that most of the leads, apparently other than Emma Stone, are being cast by Brits? Spider-Man is NYC based and was born & bred in Queens…I mean not that this has ever stopped Hollywood before, but c’mon…first Garfield, now Ifans…whats next?! Casting Dame Judy Dench as Aunt May!?
@ Phil
Because we Brits as so goddamn talented!!
Only joking. You make good points. I was surprised. I think it’s because a lot of US stars do TV, in magazines constantly and do commercials. Perhaps for this film, Sony wanted English speakers who weren’t massively in the Hollywood scene. Ifans will be good though. He will bring some comedy (we don’t need all superhero films to be dark.)
Judy Dench would be an amazing cast as aunt May.
They are relatively “cheaper” to hire.
Frances Sternhagen is the ideal Aunt May.