Rhys Ifans is playing The Lizard

[JonnyQuest037]

http://chud.com/articles/articles/25880/1/SPIDER-MAN-WILL-BE-FACING-DOWN-THE-LIZARD/Page1.html

Thoughts? Personally, I think it's too bad that Dylan Baker put in the time to play Curt Connors in two films and now won't get the opportunity to play his alter-ego.

I'm glad they're going with another classic 60s villain, though.

 

[Admiral_Young]

One of the villains I said he resembled. I would have like to have seen Dylan Baker play the role as well. oh well.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Maybe Dylan Baker and Billy Dee Williams can form a club or something...

 

[JacksonArcher]

Dylan Baker played Curt Connors in all three films, which makes it even more of a shame. Oh, well. I was looking forward to Raimi's version of The Lizard but I guess this version of the character will be interesting nevertheless.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Dylan Baker played Curt Connors in all three films, which makes it even more of a shame.

Nope. Only the second two. Dr. Connors was only mentioned in the first Spider-Man movie.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048414/

 

[JacksonArcher]

Ah, for some reason I thought he was in Spider-Man. I remember his appearance in Spider-Man 2 and thinking it was setting up a later appearance for The Lizard in Spider-Man 3, but apparently not.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Yeah he was introduced in "Spider-Man 2" and unless I'm mixing up my scenes helps Peter outside Columbia University and gives him a speech about missing class and getting his work done.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Yeah, they just gave the character a quick mention in the first film when Peter tells Harry Osborn that he got fired from his job working with Doc Connors. It was a fun little in-joke for comic fans that still left them plenty of flexibility to introduce the character down the road.

Do you think part of the reason they picked the Lizard (and Gwen Stacy) is because they would be at least a little familiar to the mainstream audiences from Raimi's films?

 

[Admiral_Young]

I don't think that factors into the reason at all personally but it's an interesting one. Gwen has been a pretty major character in the Ultimate universe as well as Peter's love interest in the excellent "Spectacular Spider-Man" and I have said right when the reboot was announced that I thought they would try and incorporate a younger, ultimate universe look to this film. There were early rumors that Vanderbilt had written a totally new villain for the film.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Weird casting. I just don't think he looks professor-y enough and this makes me sad that Dylan Baker never got to play the part. I think he proved in "Happiness" that he has what it takes to be a great villain in a big movie and it's a shame we won't see him get the chance to do that with Spider-Man now.

 

[Aragorn]

Maybe Dylan Baker and Billy Dee Williams can form a club or something...

A movie starring Edward Norton, Katie Holmes and Terrence Howard as superheroes and Billy Dee Williams and Dylan Baker as the villains!!!

 

[Admiral_Young]

I disagree with Boo Much Fun, think he looks scientific enough that he made me think of either Norman Osborn or Curt Connors. I'm sure Rhys will be great even though I've not seen him in anything and yes I know he was the flat mate in "Notting Hill".

 

[Captaindemotion]

Ah, for some reason I thought he was in Spider-Man. I remember his appearance in Spider-Man 2 and thinking it was setting up a later appearance for The Lizard in Spider-Man 3, but apparently not.

One of the many rumours floating about at the time of Raimi's departure from the series was that he wanted Baker to be the villain in Spidey 4 but the studio felt that he wasn't a well-enough known actor to carry it.

Yeah, not like those superstars Alfred Molina or Thomas Hayden Church, though I suppose each of them had Oscar nods to their names shortly before being cast.

 

[Greg Cox]

Maybe Dylan Baker and Billy Dee Williams can form a club or something...

A movie starring Edward Norton, Katie Holmes and Terrence Howard as superheroes and Billy Dee Williams and Dylan Baker as the villains!!!

Don't forget Sean Young!

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Maybe Dylan Baker and Billy Dee Williams can form a club or something...

A movie starring Edward Norton, Katie Holmes and Terrence Howard as superheroes and Billy Dee Williams and Dylan Baker as the villains!!!

Don't forget Sean Young!

Or she'll stalk you!

 

[Captaindemotion]

Maybe Dylan Baker and Billy Dee Williams can form a club or something...

A movie starring Edward Norton, Katie Holmes and Terrence Howard as superheroes and Billy Dee Williams and Dylan Baker as the villains!!!

Don't forget Sean Young!

She doesn't quite make the club because her Vicki Vale was never seen onscreen and replaced for the sequel. She was replaced during - or possibly even before - filming of Batman. The others appeared in the first movies in their respective series, but were replaced for subsequent entries.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

She doesn't quite make the club because her Vicki Vale was never seen onscreen and replaced for the sequel. She was replaced during - or possibly even before - filming of Batman.

It was during. She was injured filming a scene for Batman.

 

[Greg Cox]

A movie starring Edward Norton, Katie Holmes and Terrence Howard as superheroes and Billy Dee Williams and Dylan Baker as the villains!!!

Don't forget Sean Young!

She doesn't quite make the club because her Vicki Vale was never seen onscreen and replaced for the sequel. She was replaced during - or possibly even before - filming of Batman. The others appeared in the first movies in their respective series, but were replaced for subsequent entries.

True enough. But you want to tell her she's not qualified?

 

[Dream]

Yeah, not like those superstars Alfred Molina or Thomas Hayden Church, though I suppose each of them had Oscar nods to their names shortly before being cast.

Oscar nods aren't really necessary for actors in superhero movie, Halle Berry was probably the worst thing about the X-men movies, but it does help. The first Iron Man movie was loaded with Oscar nominated actors, and it turned out alright.

I think writing is more important. There is only so much a good actor can do with a horrible script.

 

[Captaindemotion]

True enough. But you want to tell her she's not qualified?

I'll just do what Tim Burton did when she turned up as Catwoman before Batman Returns - hide in my office.

Yeah, not like those superstars Alfred Molina or Thomas Hayden Church, though I suppose each of them had Oscar nods to their names shortly before being cast.

Oscar nods aren't really necessary for actors in superhero movie, Halle Berry was probably the worst thing about the X-men movies, but it does help. The first Iron Man movie was loaded with Oscar nominated actors, and it turned out alright.

I think writing is more important. There is only so much a good actor can do with a horrible script.

I don't disagree but my basic point is that it would be somewhat silly for the studio to disregard Baker for a villainous role simply because he wasn't well enough known. I was suggesting that neither were Molina or Church - the only difference between them and Baker was that they had Oscar nods, which may have made them a little more recognisable than him. But I don't think it made them box office draws and, yes, being an Oscar nominee doesn't necessarily make one better fitted to a comic book movie. Tommy Lee Jones horrible Batman Forever performance (coming off his Oscar for The Fugitive) is the example I'd pick.