Meet Spider-Man’s newest foe: Jake Gyllenhaal joined Instagram on Wednesday with a post teasing his role in the upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Gyllenhaal has long been reported to be playing the classic Spider-Man baddie Mysterio, but Wednesday’s post is his first official confirmation. He stars opposite Tom Holland in Far From Home, which follows Peter Parker and his classmates as they head overseas for a trip.
Several characters have taken on the Mysterio title in Marvel comics over the years, but the most well-known version is the original Quentin Beck, a Hollywood stuntman and special effects artist turned criminal mastermind. He made his debut back in 1964 as a shifty villain facing off against Peter Parker.
Far From Home marks Gyllenhaal’s first major role in a superhero blockbuster. When he spoke to EW in October about his role in Paul Dano’s Wildlife, he also teased a little bit about his experience working on Spider-Man. “I would say, with John Watts who directed the movie, what makes this installment of that franchise so great is that there is an intimacy to it,” Gyllenhaal told EW. “And there is a sense of the scenes, with the casting in particular and also the storytelling, that you feel that you’re actually in a movie with human beings in it. That’s what it feels like when you’re working.”
Homecoming director Jon Watts returns to direct Far From Home, with cast members Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, and Jacob Batalon also returning. Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders have also joined the cast as Nick Fury and Maria Hill, respectively.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is scheduled to hit theaters July 5, 2019.
