Why Mysterio Was the Top Pick for Spider-Man: Far From Home

Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) was a must for Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts because the fishbowl helmet-wearing supervillain, one of Spidey’s most recurring comic book rogues yet to appear on the big screen, opened up “a lot of possibilities” in the storytelling.

“Mysterio enters the comic as a hero,” Watts told press during a Far From Home set visit, pointing to the 1964 Stan Lee and Steve Ditko story that introduced Mysterio as a costumed hero who steps up to thwart a Spider-Man crime spree.

That issue, Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #13, later reveals Mysterio is gifted special effects artist Quentin Beck, who used his talents to pull off the hoax and frame Spider-Man.

“So, I always took it right back to the source material and what made that character exciting initially. But in terms of how we ended up with Mysterio in the first place, I mean, I wanted to put a character on screen that we hadn’t seen before,” Watts said.

“Of the big, iconic villains, Mysterio was the one who jumped to the top. Because of who he is, what he may-or-may-not be able to do, it’s really opened up a lot of possibilities for the kind of story we can tell with him.”

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Beck presents himself as an armored superhero from another Earth.

He’s best suited for warding off the elemental creatures attacking Europe, prompting Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to partner Mysterio with Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and the pair quickly develop a bond — one much-needed for the developing superhero, who feels a void after losing mentor and father figure Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr).

“It’s very much big brother, little brother,” Holland said of Spider-Man’s dynamic with Mysterio, who is eyed by many as “the next Iron Man.”

“And Nick Fury is the head teacher who is constantly telling me off. Because I don’t really want to be there. I want to go on holiday. Mysterio is always the one sticking up for me, patting me on the back and telling me I did a good job. Which is funny, there’s really funny moments in the film where I feel like I haven’t done the job, and Mysterio’s like, ‘Good job, kid!’ And I’m like, ‘really?’”

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Samuel L. Jackson, Spider-Man: Far From Home opens July 2.

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