Comic
Book Casting For 5/20/2005!
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Does this
man want to eat Spider-Man's brain?
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It's a good week for comics fandom when almost
every day brings something new to catch our interest in the
movie world. Of course, everything seems to have come to a
standstill for Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, but
the studios are still hard at work looking for the right combination
of talent to make next summer's blockbusters.
Let's work backwards, shall we?
Today Variety reports that Topher Grace, late of That
70's Show, has signed to be a villain in Spider-Man
3. This follows on an announcement over a month ago
that Oscar nominee Thomas Hayden Church would be playing
a villain. Neither actor has been connected with a specific
character.
If you add it up, you could come up with the terrifying
prospect of two villains in one movie, something Director
Sam Raimi seemed to be dead against. From what little information
has leaked about the production, the smart money has been
on Church playing the Sandman, and Grace certainly would
not be the physical type for that role anyway. For that
matter, few Spider-Man villains are anywhere close to Grace's
age.
Some internet sites have ventured the possibility of Venom.
Again, Grace is too young to play Eddie Brock as he has
been in the comics; on the flip side, James Franco was too
cool to play Harry Osborne as he had been in the comics,
so that's not a terrible theory. However, as Raimi has already
planted seeds and hints in the first two films that could
keep the series going, why not do it again with a higher
profile actor? Perhaps Grace could be playing Peter's romantic
rival for Betty Brant's affections, Ned Leeds, paving the
way for the Hobgoblin.
The longest shot? Ben Reilly. Nothing could make for a
more frightening Spider-Man film than a telling of
the infamous Clone Saga.
Or this speculation could be made even more
difficult by another rumor burning across the internet: that
Raimi will film Spider-Man 3 AND 4 back to back.
Already, he has made a specific point that Sony will not be
ending the series with the third installment, and that if
the studio still wants him and he still wants to make them,
he's in for as long as possible.
With
Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake going into wide release
this week, it's also important to note that he has cast
a high-profile television actor for his next film, a little
something called X-Men 3.
Vaughn
earlier confirmed that soccer hooligan Vinnie Jones would
take on the role of Cain Marko, aka The Juggernaut,
but this week the news slipped that Kelsey Grammer is making
a daring career move among mutants.
As unlikely as it may sound, Grammer will
play Hank McCoy, The Beast. Since the role of McCoy was
even less than a cameo in X2, audiences will easily
forget that the character appeared before.
Vocally, this may be a perfect match. Physically,
however, it seems odd. But then, people weren't quite sold
on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. If Grammer pulls this off,
it could catapult him into a great post-Frasier career.
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| "Jeepers,
Mr. Kent -- do you want a brew?" |
Speaking
of X2, Bryan Singer has quietly made a casting choice
that respects Superman's history in both television and comics.
Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olsen to George Reeves' Superman,
has a role in Superman Returns.
Though
the part may not be very large, it is a nice nod to the
last twenty years of DC Comics, as Larson plays Bibbo, the
broken down boxer cum tavern owner that worships and befriends
Superman.
This marks the second time Larsen has been
paid tribute (and cash money) in the various incarnations
of the Superman franchise. On an episode of Lois & Clark,
a mad scientist aged Jimmy Olsen, swapping young actor Justin
Whalen for Larson for a couple of scenes.
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