J.K. Simmons Attends Spider-Man: Far From Home Premiere

Ever since Marvel Studios got their hands on Spider-Man, fans have been eager to see how they’ll reinterpret the character’s supporting cast after two separate attempts at adapting the franchise for the big screen. But while people are curious about new versions of Norman Osborn and Mary Jane Watson, few characters have had the impact that J.K. Simmons has had as J. Jonah Jameson.

Simmons earned tons of fans for his portrayal in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, and whoever fulfills that role next will have some huge shoes to step into. But Marvel recognized Simmons’ impact on the franchise and invited the actor to attend the world premiere of Spider-Man: Far From Home in Hollywood.

Simmons became a fan favorite after his portrayal as Jameson in the first series of Spider-Man movies, and fans continue to clamor for his return on the big screen. While it seems unlikely that Marvel Studios will return to familiar casting, even if it’s for a character as beloved as Simmons’ Jameson, he still has had some involvement with the embattled news man.

Simmons recently reprised the role for a fan script on Barstool Sports’ Lights Camera Pod, showing Jameson’s reactions to the events of Avengers: Endgame.

But that’s still an unofficial portrayal, and it’s not enough to please some fans. When asked about his potential return to Marvel as Jameson, Raimi didn’t quell any doubts when speaking about it in 2017.

“Never say never,” Simmons said. “Obviously I had an amazing time with Sam Raimi on those movies. That was a great time, and huge for my career and my life. If there were an opportunity to revisit that…”

Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures have yet to officially cast Jameson for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the character hasn’t appeared on screen since Spider-Man 3. But Simmons himself has since taken on another iconic comic book role as Commissioner Jim Gordon for Justice League. Though he was thought to play a bigger role in Ben Affleck’s Batman movie, those plans changed when Affleck left the role and director Matt Reeves decided to focus on a younger version of the character.

With Robert Pattinson now under the cowl, it’s likely that Warner Bros. will also re-cast Gordon and get rid of Simmons as well.

Hopefully Simmons’ appearance at the Spidey premiere means that he has something in the works with Marvel Studios for the future, even if it’s for his iconic portrayal as J. Jonah Jameson.

Spider-Man: Far From Home premieres in theaters on July 2nd.