Is Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio the Right Choice for Spider-Man?

When Spider-Man was finally made his long-awaited debut in the MCU back in Captain America Civil War, two thoughts came to the collective minds of fans all over the world. It was either “here we go again” or “it’s about time”. 

And how could we not?

The character had been launched and relaunched twice in the past to mixed results.

This time, however, something was different. Maybe it was the near perfect way in which his costume looked or that we finally had someone capable of playing and acting like a teenager on the screen but this time, it finally worked. 

Oh, and it might have helped that Civil War growers 1.153 Billion at the Global Box Office. 

Homecoming

So with a fresh and more importantly, successful version of the character back home, it was time to get to work. The movie had its star in Tom Holland and shortly thereafter made it known that the Vulture was to take to the skies as its protagonist. The question was, “Who would play him?”

News quickly broke that Michael Keaton of Batman fame was cast and the world went into a frenzy. How could they? What were they thinking? You can’t cast Batman as the Vulture. 

Alas, once again Marvel proved us all wrong because Keaton’s performance was a standout one. A studio known for creating cardboard cutout villains (not including Loki) had finally given us a villain we could relate to. No longer was it a villain who wanted to take over the world. No, instead it was a villain who wished to take care of his family and nothing more.

Spider-man Homecoming delivered in a big way by grossing 880 Million at the Global Box Office. At that moment, both Marvel and its fans knew that a sequel was imminent. 

And that’s what we are today. 

Mysterio

Marvel released the news that Jake Gyllenhaal has been cast as the new villain, Mysterio. That’s right…Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio. In case you aren’t aware of who Gyllenhaal is, know this. He is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. 

Not only has he started in the cult favorite Donnie Darko but he has also appeared in Southpaw, Nightcrawler and of course, Brokeback Mountain. His acting chops are some of the most widespread in the industry. 

Really, Mysterio?

Three words…Why not Kraven? Isn’t Kraven’s Last Hunt considered one of the most influential and loved stories in the Spider-Man lore?

I and so many others have been clamoring for Kraven the Hunter to make his debut in the MCU. So why not Kraven?

Maybe I’m wrong but isn’t Mysterio a ‘C-list’ type character? He doesn’t even crack some of the Top Spider-Man villains lists out there, including the one here at Comic Basics. 

Maybe that’s where Marvel knows something that I don’t. After all, Iron Man was much more than a ‘B-Lister’ before he got his movie. In fact, the same can be said for the aforementioned Vulture. Hell, we can throw Ant-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy in the mix too. And each of these seem to have done well.

Who is Mysterio?

Mysterio debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #13 back in 1964. Mysterio is the creation of Hollywood stuntman and movie effects genius Quentin Beck. 

Frustrated by the lack of respect and a few other things, Beck takes it upon himself to show the world what he’s made of. He takes his talents as a special effects artist and begins to create and utilize optical illusions to enter and further his criminal activities. 

Unlike many other villains in Marvel, Mysterio does not have any powers. Instead, he relies on his craft, his knowledge of hypnosis and chemistry, his literal back of tricks, and his ability to work with robotics. At times, each of these has given him an edge over his competition because more often then not, his adversaries don’t know if they are battling him or an optical illusion. 

Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio

I’m sure that I’m not alone when I ask, “How will it all come together?”

Will Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio be sporting the classic fishbowl on his head coupled with a very strange and not flattering costume? Or will Marvel do like they did with the Vulture and give us something new?

Either way, my curiosity lies in whether or not Mysterio will be a good choice or not. Or should they have done like I think they should and use Kraven?

I’ll leave you with two questions. First, is anyone excited for Mysterio? Second, is anyone excited for Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio?

Cheers,

Jeff

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