Rhys Ifans was attached to the Spider-Man reboot without a character announcement, but it didn’t take long for word to get out as to who he would play.
Ifans will play Dr. Curt Connors – the one armed science teacher who becomes The Lizard!
‘Spider-Man‘ reboot director Marc Webb gave the villain guessing game away when he said “Rhys’ incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character”.
From that comment, it was only ever going to be The Lizard – Peter Parker’s science teacher and mentor who accidentally transforms his DNA into that of a hideous reptilian creature, a result of a failed experiment to grow back a missing arm he lost in ‘Nam. It’s the classic horror staple of a good man’s vanity and desire to mess with nature being the catalyst for his tragic downfall. Rhys’ casting as The Lizard has now been confirmed.
As with any Reboot, they have to keep away from rehashing old villains to avoid the obvious comparisons the film is going to get to the previous version. They toyed with Connors, but never quite got to playing that story out.
I like the idea of The Lizard, and while nerd rage across the net is defying such a choice, the character fits well.
As a common theme in the comics and in the films, Spider-Man is often faced against villains that are not pure evil and he has to struggle that he knows there is a good person behind these misguided miscreants as he battles them. It is the very thing that gives heart to the movies.
I have no doubt that Ifans will play a great Dr Connors, though if they are going to keep Peter in Highschool it is likely he will be a highschool science teacher, not his college professor. The character lost his arm serving in the military, and in an effort to use lizard DNA to encourage his human body to grow it back, the experiment backfires and makes Connors into a violent Lizard monster.
I would guess that they would CG The Lizard and Ifans will play Connors.
What do you think of the casting?
omg i cant wait to get back to the civilian world.
here in the marines i barely get a chance to watch movies or go in this website. i didnt even know this guy was casted in the spiderman reboot! but its about time lizard gets a chance to be in the spiderman movies
im so isolated, oh well. at least i shot a 50 Cal this week.
I dunno… I’m not really seeing him as Lizard. I’m sure he will do an excellent job and Rhys is a very good actor, but I think with his red hair and ginger looks he would have made a super-creepy Carnage! And in my head I still see whats-his-name from the original trilogy. I feel like he got robbed.
Hah! Called it :D
im sure if sony hadnt gotten in the way and ruined raimi’s vision for the movies then the lizard would have been a villian in the future
I hope they stay away from Venom/Carnage, especially Carnage. As it would take at least two movies to set up the story. Spidey has nearly 50 years of history and many villains or adversaries I’d rather see than Venom or Carnage.
Here’s a few in no particular order:
Tombstone
Electro
Kraven the Hunter
Vulture
Mysterio
Scorpion
Morbius
Spencer Smythe and the Spider Slayers
Like I said those are the ones I can think of. I’m sure there’s more.
I recently heard that since the age of the actor playing peter parker, i forget his name, they are thinking of setting it during his college years. Although this could just be a rumor.
“while nerd rage across the net is defying such a choice”
Who are these people, and could we send them on a lunar mission, somewhere away from planet Earth?
Why are they upset over the idea of The Lizard? A major Spidey foe. Buuilt up over the previous three films (although never gotten around to as Lizard)– I thought it would something that “the fans” would want to see.
Anyway, the best suprise of the day…is anything but.
That’s cause they all want a Venom/Carnage story, I’m really glad their going with an Ol’ School villan in this reboot. Yeah, Venom and Carnage are pretty cool but I think for a film there actually 1 note players. there the types of villans that are great in the comics but not really for film. As a longtime Spidey fan (comics,t.v.,movies,merch-etc.)I couldn’t care less to watch a Venom/Carnage film. McFarlane characters are the least of my favs.
If they really want to blow it up and make 2-3 more with this roster, I say bring on the Sinister Six!
a man can dream cant he?
1 More thing and I’ll leave you guys alone:
Keep the Lizard in the Lab coat!
I hope they go simple, and not a full blown CGI “Matthew Broderick mini godzilla” and shit!
Hopefully, Peter Parker won’t kill Doc Connors in the end, so that Ifans can continue as the Doctor in the rest of the franchise. I still would have liked another villian. Hopefully Eddie Brock will be introduced, setting the whole Venom story in motion.
Venom had his shot already, be it a watered down version, time to move on
I like the Lizard idea, but yeah the last guy was robbed. I wanted to see him get a shot. spilled milk I guess
Yeah i guess so, i just hope they introduce Eddie Brock in the first film, so that at some point during the new franchise, the Venom story could actually take place. And if that doesn’t happen, ah well.
The Peter Parker High School Years does volunteer work for the College Professor Conners. That is how I hope they work it to keep it kosher. Gwen also volunteers there.
I think poor Dylan Baker (Dr. Connors In the Raimi films) got the shaft. Would have liked to have seen him have his turn up at ‘villain’ bat.
Agreed. They kept him in the cast for three films and how many years and then never used him to the potential he was placed there for.
Peter Parker is supposed to be incredibly intelligent, so he could be a college advisor. But I do like the idea of the lizard, but I just want to know how they are going to introduce this movie. Will he get his powers in the movie, or will he already have his powers?