It seems like the growing list of villains for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is never going to reach its end. Almost weekly we hear word of another actor who may be in the film, and the sinister character he or she might be playing. Today’s rumor is an interesting, totally unexpected one, as Jim Carrey may be the next big-name actor to have a showdown with our friendly neighborhood web-slinger.
The rumor began in a forum on Superhero Hype, but then it was backed up by the revelation that a fan, @dannypbrowne, Tweeted a picture of himself with Carrey on the set of TASM2 back in March.
As the word has spread across the internet, many sites are saying that Carrey is going to play Cletus Kasady, who later becomes Carnage. We know there are going to be some scenes in Ravencroft, so it’d make sense that Carrey’s cameo could be as an insane prisoner in a cell, locked away prior to his fateful transformation. But personally, I’ve got a different idea about Carrey’s involvement.
We know that the Green Goblin, or at least Norman Osborn, is going to appear at some point in this film. However, there still has been no word of Osborn’s best henchman, the Hobgoblin, showing up in the franchise. But what if before Osborn becomes the Green Goblin himself, he tests the equipment on a slightly deranged villain, giving that villain the power to do his dastardly deeds? It wouldn’t have to be a huge role, but then at least we would see Osborn trying another option before becoming a villain himself, and one of the most maniacal Spider-Man villains would appear in Marc Webb’s franchise.
Obviously that’s a more involved character for this movie than simply appearing in a cell, but there’s been word of a Venom spin-off film, and that’d likely have a bigger role for Carnage. I would have no complaints about Carrey taking on that role, but after his recent denouncement of Kick-Ass 2 due to the violence, I find it hard to believe he’d want to play the most violent of all Spidey’s villains. And if they tried to tone Carnage down to a PG-13 level, then you might as well just change his name.
Regardless of the role, one thing is for certain, I’d love to see Carrey take on a villain in this franchise. As mixed as the reviews remain on Batman Forever, Carrey’s portrayal of the Riddler has made that iteration one of my favorites. While not necessarily a direct comic-book version of the character, he was still great in the role, making me wish that he’d have more chances to play the maniacal villain. It’s sometimes lost in all his famous comedic roles how talented of an actor he is. The Truman Show is perhaps the best example of his dramatic skills, but another personal favorite of mine is his performance in The Number 23.
Sadly, those roles are usually overlooked by people thinking Carrey can only play Ace Ventura. Another maniacal villain should help to reverse that perception.
What do you think of Carrey in The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Would you rather see him as Carnage, the Hobgoblin, or someone totally different? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
