Your Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 Villain Might be Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio

Have you seen Avengers: Infinity War? If not, stop reading.

Still here? Great. So yes, despite the fact that Thanos killed Spider-Man (and Black Panther, and Doctor Strange, and half the universe, possibly including you), there will be a Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (only it’ll have a different title), slated for a July 5, 2019 release. Now THR has it that Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to play the villainous Mysterio in director Jon Watt’s sequel.

Yeah, that’s some big casting news. You might recall that Gyllenhaal is actually not new to the Spidey franchise—he was very close to playing Spider-Man himself (Tobey Maguire nabbed the role), so it feels right that he’ll now get the chance to play Spidey’s nemesis.

Mysterio, whose most well-known alter ego is Quentin Beck, is a stunt man and special effects expert who is a hard charger in Hollywood, hoping to make it big in the movie business. Like any proper super villain, his dreams are thwarted, and he starts to feel like all his efforts to make it big in LA are coming to naught. When he tries to become an actor, things get worse, and he starts to realize his skills as a stunt man and special effects wizard might have other uses. Cue Beck’s turn towards Mysterio, who has been one of Spidey’s most long standing antagonists, showing up in “The Amazing Spider-Man #13” in June 1964.

Gyllenhaal as the frustrated, rage filled Mysterio would be a great bit of casting. The man’s got range, and as he proved in Dan Gilroy’s bonkers Nightcrawler, he can play damaged and deranged as good as anybody. Will Sony and Watts stick Gyllenhaal’s handsome mug in Mysterio’s fishbowl, like the character wears in the comics? That would be…something.

We’re hoping this casting news gets confirmed—Gyllenhaal would be a great foil for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, especially considering Michael Keaton did such a fantastic job as Vulture in Homecoming. Like all superheroes, Spidey needs a charismatic villain to spar with, otherwise he gets all tied up in his webs for nothing.

Featured image: BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Honoree Jake Gyllenhaal accepts the Hollywood Actor Award for ‘Stronger’ onstage during the 21st Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 5, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for HFA)