‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ already has an impressive cast of talented actors and iconic comic book characters, but director Marc Webb isn’t stopping the star power just yet. In addition to Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone reprising their roles as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy from the first movie, the cast list boasts Jamie Foxx as Electro, Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson, and Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, two more names have just entered into talks for the sequel: Felicity Jones and Paul Giamatti.
The article doesn’t specify who ‘Like Crazy’ star Jones is lined up to play (although Felicia Hardy/Black Cat hasn’t popped up in Webb’s Spidey-verse yet), but it reveals that Giamatti is being courted for the role of The Rhino, a role that the actor has publicly campaigned for in the past.
First appearing in ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #41, Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich got his start as a Russian thug who inherited a super suit resembling a rhino that gave him super-strength and super-speed. Since then, he’s been linked to Hulk villain The Leader, the Sinister Six, and even Spider-Man as an ally a few times until his recent death in the ‘Ends of the Earth’ storyline.
Back in 2011, Giamatti had this to say to ShowbizSpy about the villain, who was a childhood favorite of his:
Rhino from ‘Spider-Man: The Animated Series’“I thought Rhino was the greatest thing when I was a little kid. It was a guy who was basically in this rhinoceros outfit and I always thought, ‘Why don’t they have The Rhino in one of their movies,’ but maybe The Rhino wasn’t that big of a deal for anybody but me…If they ever go with The Rhino I would be ready and waiting.”
Now it appears that the award-winning actor will get his wish. And while I always hope that directors respect the comic book source material when adapting them into movies, I’m hoping that Webb takes a page from the ’90’s cartoon ‘Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ and make Rhino a dim, down on his luck muscle for hire from New York. Not that Giamatti can’t do a Russian accent or anything, but I’m just thinking of how he could fit into the universe already established. Maybe Dr. Connors, aka The Lizard, tries more experiments and the Rhino is the result of one. That way, Rhino is linked to the first movie and not just appearing out of nowhere.
Speaking of the Lizard, now that three villains (Electro, Rhino, and Lizard) associated with the Sinister Six have been introduced into this new Spider-Man storyline, maybe that’s where things are leading with the third ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ movie. Throw in Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin and two more members of Spidey’s rouges gallery and then we’ll really be cooking. Other than Venom and Doctor Octopus, who might be unlikely choices to enter Webb’s version of the story, I’m hoping for Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio, since they haven’t been featured in the films yet.
What do you think about the amazing Paul Giamatti joining ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’? Are you as excited as the actor probably is? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
With production scheduled to start next month, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ is set to hit theaters in 3D on May 2, 2014.
