Well, chalk this up into the “did anyone really ask for this” column. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jaime Foxx, who has recently appeared in Project Power, is in final talks to return to play Electro in Marvel’s upcoming third Tom Holland led Spider-Man film.
While we still don’t have a title for the movie, despite it still allegedly releasing November 2021 (Covid-19 will definitely have something to say about that), news of the casting decision is likely to energize fans in a way that I’m not sure I’m entirely excited for. While I do think that Foxx is a very talented actor, I don’t think anyone was too eager to see him or anyone dig up the grave of Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Some people believed the films were a disaster. I’m more of the opinion that they were poorly executed with decent ideas nestled inside.
But it’s easy to imagine that hardcore MCU fans are going to be mulling over this news for the months to come, wondering if Sony/Marvel are trying to create some multiversal shenanigans to hype up this movie in the same way that Into the Spider-verse fueled speculation by pondering aloud if the older Peter Parker was in fact the same Peter Parker from the Sam Raimi movies. I know, I know, speculators are going to speculate, but I’m just groaning that we’re going to have to go through this whole rodeo again since it most likely has nothing to do with the Amazing series and much more about getting Foxx to officially be in the MCU and driving up ticket sales. It wouldn’t matter if Foxx played Electro or not, but having him come back to play him will almost certainly get fans more excited about the implications of it rather than anything or merit or substance.
I mean, good on Foxx for coming back to play Electro in a role that I’m sure he had a lot of fun playing and I’m sure that it’ll be fine in the same way that Keaton and Gyllenhaal were fine villains in the previous Jon Watts directed films, but I’m just bracing myself for the needless speculation.
Jon Watt’s third untitled Spider-Man movie is expected to release November 5, 2021.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
