The world is seeing a lot of James Spader these days. Sure, they could be watching ‘Pretty In Pink’ again or checking out reruns of ‘Boston Legal’ and ‘The Office’, but the actor recently started on a new drama on NBC called ‘The Blacklist’, so he’s everywhere promoting that show. However, the biggest news surrounding him right now is his involvement in Joss Whedon’s upcoming Marvel movie, ‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’. Naturally, while Spader is out and about with the press for his current television project, he’s been talking a bit about playing one of the greatest villains that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have ever faced in the follow up to ‘The Avengers’.
In an interview with Collider, Spader revealed that this role was years in the making. Apparently, he had spoken to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe some time ago because of his love of comics:
“Well, I had met with Kevin Feige a couple of years ago and just told him that I would love to come into that world, at some point, if the circumstances were right. It was for a lot of reasons. There was a time in my life where I used to go over to my friend Will’s house when I was kid and I never had any comic books in my house, but he had trunk loads of them. I used to go over there and bury myself in his room with his comics and devour them. And then, I put that down in my life. I have three sons and a couple of them, along the way, have shown a real keen interest in that world. So, before it was too late, I wanted to try to see if I could be part of that.”
Eventually, as Marvel began to release such critically acclaimed films and their film world started to expand, things just started to fall into place:
“One of the great luxuries, as an actor, is that you’re able to participate in projects where the process of making the thing or the world you’re entering is so foreign to you, and that foreign world, in many cases, forces you to work in an entirely different way. The challenge becomes so different, and I was intrigued by that. I’ve been doing this a long time, and it seemed like it would be great fun to do something that I have no frame of reference for. So, the right thing came along and Kevin Feige called me up and said, ‘I found the thing’. And Joss Whedon gave me a call and said he really wasn’t thinking about anybody else for it and he thought it would be great fun to do. So, here we go.”
Finally, while speaking to The Inquirer, he added that he’s already begun working towards becoming the angry AI (rumored to be) created by Tony Stark:
“Actually, just this weekend I went in for them to take very extensive photographs, head scans, body scans, and all kinds of things in preparation for figuring out how the hell I’m gonna fit in this Ultron character!”
With shooting supposedly to begin in January, it’s good to hear that these extensive preparations needed to bring one of the most iconic Avengers villains to life are well under way. But how do you think James Spader’s Ultron will turn out? Are you pleased to hear his deep connection and desire to finally be a part of a Marvel movie? Share your thoughts in the comments.
‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’ assembles in theaters on May 1, 2015.
