Jake Gyllenhaal could be getting ready to bring some mystery to the Spider-Man franchise, as he's rumoured to be taking on the role of classic villain Mysterio.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor is in talks to play the classic Marvel villain in the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming.
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Spider-Man creators, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, introduced Mysterio in the comics in 1964. A special effects expert, Quentin Beck used his talents to create elaborate illusions to commit crimes and to fight Spider-Man.
Tom Holland starred as the Marvel hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming and recently appeared in Avengers: Infinity War.
Jon Watts is returning to direct the sequel to Homecoming, which earned $880 million(£656,216,000) worldwide. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, two of the screenwriters behind the first movie, are back as well.
You might think it's about time because Jake is one of the few people in the world of Hollywood that hasn't starred in a comic book film. But he has a closer connection than you might think.
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The Hollywood Reporter said that the original Spider-Man star, Tobey Maguire, injured his back while shooting Seabiscuit in between Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Gyllenhaal was briefly considered to take over the role if Maguire could not resume his duties.
Maguire was able to return to work, and the filmmakers put a joke about Spider-Man hurting his back into the sequel. This gave us lols.
Alright, so it might not be that close of a connection - they're not related or anything but still.
So who's this Mysterio guy for those of you that don't know. The character joined the Spider-Man universe in the Marvel Comics series over 50 years ago.
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As reported by Deadline, the bubble-headed bad guy is a master of illusion and deception. Rumours of the imminent christening of the new Spidey villain originated in the British press.
Quentin Beck doesn't possess superhuman abilities but he is an expert designer of special effects devices and stage illusions. He's also a master hypnotist and magician and an amateur chemist and roboticist. So he's been pretty busy.
His suit includes many devices to aid him. His helmet includes an air supply to protect him from his own gases. Pretty weird.
His costume contains nozzles in the boots and wrists that can release a constant stream of smoke that shields his movements.
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He can mix other chemicals, including a gas that dulls and inhibits Spider-Man's spider-sense and a gas that causes paralysis for 30 minutes. So he's a gassy kinda guy.
Sony and Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel is set for 5 July, 2019. Get it in the diary folks.
Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Sequel, Marvel, Spider-Man