I’m not entirely sure how I feel like the latest casting rumor for Marc Webb‘s, Amazing Spider-Man 2. First, they added Jamie Foxx as Electro. It’s quite a variation on the comic version of him, but I have faith as Foxx as an actor; so I’m just gonna roll with it. Now, we get news that actor Paul Giamatti is in negotiations for the role of The Rhino.
From the Wikipedia entry for The Rhino, a.k.a. Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich:
Described by writer Mike Conroy as “Famously one of Spider-Man’s dimmest villains”, the character debuted in ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #41 – 43 (Oct. – Dec. 1966) as a thug for hire working for an Eastern Bloc country. He volunteered to participate in an experiment that bonded a super strong polymer to his skin, thus augmenting his strength and speed, resulting in the Rhino alias.
So, the article doesn’t exactly say that The Rhino has to be a guy that’s in shape or anything; but I always had an idea that The Rhino would not look like PAUL GIAMATTI. Can’t we get The Rock, or Vin Diesel, or anyone else who doesn’t look like he lives on a diet of Happy Meals and blocks of cheese. Let me say this: I think Giamatti is an AMAZING actor. I don’t think there’s a movie of his that I don’t like. So, even though he would be a horrible choice to play The Rhino; he would be a fine choice to be acting in a Spider-Man movie.
At this point, it’s just negotiations, and therefore a rumor. Foxx being Electro was a rumor too. My bet is that he’ll be The Rhino and we have two Jobbers in a Spider-Man sequel. Unless this is leading to The Sinister Six, I’m not sure how I feel about all this.
We’ll keep you posted as more Amazing Spider-Man 2 news comes in. The film is due to be released on May 2nd, 2014. The film stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Dane DeHaan, Jamie Foxx, and Shailene Woodley.
~Chaz
