Thanks to Stephen Broome for hitting me up on Skype with this scoop! Welsh actor Rhys Ifans has been cast as the as-yet-unrevealed villain in the upcoming Spider-Man film reboot.
Here is the IGN UK writeup:
Rhys Ifans will play the villain, opposite Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, in the next installment of Spider-Man from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, it was announced today by Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures.
The film, to be directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will begin production in December and will be released in theaters nationwide in 3D on July 3, 2012.
Commenting on the announcement, Tolmach said, “We have been very fortunate to attract some of the best actors working today to play the villains in the Spider-Man movies, and it is exciting to see that trend continue with Rhys Ifans. 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 filmmakers prefer to not reveal which character Ifans will be playing in the forthcoming film.
Webb added, “What sets the Spider-Man villains apart is the complexity of their relationships with Peter Parker. Rhys’ incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character.”
Spider-Man is being overseen at the studio by Tolmach and Rachel O’Connor. Ifans is represented by United Talent Agency, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Independent Talent Group.Rhys Ifans’ breakout performance came in 1999 in Roger Michell’s Notting Hill, opposite Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, for which he received a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Prior to that, Ifans starred in Heart, Twin Town, August, and Dancing at Lughnasa, and since then, he has appeared in more than 20 films, including Vanity Fair; Rancid Aluminium, Little Nicky; The Replacements; Hannibal Rising, Enduring Love; Human Nature; Formula 51; Hotel; The Shipping News; Once Upon A Time in the Midlands, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Pirate Radio; Greenberg; and Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. He will next appear in Mr. Nice, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Passion Play, and Columbia Pictures’ Anonymous, for director Roland Emmerich.On television, he played the role of Peter Cook in Terry Johnson’s Not Only But Always, for which he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He also appeared in A Number. In the theatre, Ifans has appeared in Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Bad Finger, Volpone, Under Milk Wood, Beautiful Thing, Thyesters, and, most recently, Patrick Marber’s adaptation of Don Juan in Soho at the Donmar Warehouse.
What do you think? Any speculation on which villain he will play?
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BD, just sent you a PM…according to MSN, looks like the villain is going to be the Lizard..
Lizard. He’s going to be a science teacher that snaps one day. Like this guy! 😛
http://www.boondocksbootleg.com/profiles/blogs/video-teacher-loses-his-sht
warmth and rage : Lizard or Goblin
How about Carnage, he looks a bit kleatusy! See the crazed look in his eyes…like he just stumbled upon a freshly sheared herd of sheep!
It’s the Lizard. Or somehow Mysterio.
Film him in silhouetteand shadow – Joe Q!!
… Alistair Smythe…
I really hope it´s not the vulture. I don´t know why, but I just don´t want him in the first installment of the reboot. Electro was a minor player in the ultimate universe, which they´ll be going with. I really hope the ultimate spin will work in the movie though, cause I´m not sure yet. I´ll reserve judgement until they actually announce who he´s gonna play. Don´t want to hype it all up with speculation, and then be disappointed about it. It pisses me off that they didn´t say who he is going to play. I mean why announce him being the villain at all, if you´re not going to say who!?
Ooh, Vulture was my first thought but I think Electro would be perfect.
“What sets the Spider-Man villains apart is the complexity of their relationships with Peter Parker. Rhys’ incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character.”
That what Avi Arad said about Doc Ock, and he has nothing to do with Peter, I meanother than loving his Aunt to death
Thanks Gerard for posting this as fast as you did. I love it when I read news for the first time on my own site!. You rock.
@Donovan – But changing races is progressive. 🙂
Hypno Hustler’s a brutha.
Max Dillon Electro. I’m calling it.
I think the Spot would be cool
geldof
you heard it from me first
it’s gonna be geldof
I’m placing money that he’s Mirror Master! Waitasec…
why announce he’s in it but not who he is? How can we get excited for it! Unless he’s Kraven and they don’t want to hear the backlash…
Why Are We Going Overseas For Actors? So FAr We Got A Britsh Peter PArker And A Welsh Jackal Or Conners. The Only American Actress Is Emma Stone And She Was A Shoe-In For MJ-Watson Park-errrrrrrr… Never Mind. And Now She’s Gwen Stacy. Can’t Wait To See Who Norman Osborn is.
Hmmm with the back to school theme and the age difference I’d assume Rhys is playing a teacher gone bad. So probably Curt Conners or Miles Warren?
Nightmare? I don’t care if he’s a Strange foe, I wasn’t pointing at him to begin with
Hypno Hustler.
As long as it is confirmed not to be Venom, I’m sold