The 'Whiplash' actor J.K. Simmons says he's open to reprising his role as Peter Parker's employer and newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson.
- Nov 8, 2017
AceShowbiz - J.K. Simmons, who will soon be seen as Jim Gordon in "Justice League", expresses his interest in returning as Peter Parker's employer, J. Jonah Jameson, in future "Spider-Man" films. It has been years since Marvel fans last saw his portrayal of the highly-biased, cigar-smoker editor in Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy. Simmons' portrayal of the character was so iconic and loved by fans because his performance gave audience hearty laughs across the films.
Fans have petitioned for Simmons to reprise his role as the volatile editor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The "Whiplash" actor was a guest on "The Howard Stern Show", where he was given information about a possible future return as Jameson. Howard Stern proceeded to ask if Simmons could one day be in another "Spider-Man" film. The actor didn't go into detail about his deals with Sony, but he only said that the idea was a possibility. After the host asked if the Academy Award winner would seize the opportunity if it was offered to him, he responded positively by saying, "Absolutely."
After previously revealing his interest by stating, "I'll never close the door or anything," the actor expressed his sentiment to return to the Spider-Man world. "I never say never," Simmons told Entertainment Tonight. "I mean, you know, obviously I had an amazing time with Sam Raimi on those movies, and Tobey [Tobey Maguire] and everybody. That was a great, great time, and huge for my career and life, an just pure fun," he continued. The actor also admitted that if there was an opportunity to revisit "Spider-Man", it would be an attractive possibility. Simmons then joked, "I don't know, though... How old is Spider-Man going to be if J. Jonah Jameson is this old?"
Bringing Simmons back now may not make sense, considering that the newest Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, is a very young man. If Sony and Disney wanted to bring Jameson in Marvel Universe, they should bring a younger actor to play the editor. However, fans' demand to see Simmons remains huge, and they will not complain if he reprises the role. So, the studio may want to hear them out this time.
Moreover, director Marc Webb admitted that the only reason he didn't feature Parker's boss in his "The Amazing Spider-Man" was because he didn't want to cast someone else after Simmons' acclaimed performance. The award-winning actor also clarified that there was no "contractual thing" to stop him being in two superhero universes at once. Additionally, Kevin Feige and his Marvel colleagues love pleasing their fans, so Simmons' return may happen in the future.
