Who Is Mysterio? Spider-Man: Far From Home's Villain Explained (2024)

Despite being a major character in the upcoming movieSpider-Man: Far From Home, Mysterio's powers and origins are as mysterious as his name to the uninitiated. Unlike his fellow rogues Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, the character has been featured sparingly in media outside of the realm of comics. There's also a web of secrecy surrounding the latest Spider-Manmovie, so we still know very little about Mysterio's first big-screen incarnation.

The rumors regarding which characters would appear in Far From Home ran fast and furious while the movie was shooting, and Marvel Studios and Sony were reluctant to let any details out. Even the fact thatSamuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders would be appearing in their recurring roles as Nick Fury and Maria Hillwas kept a closely guarded secret. There were also so many villains (Mysterio among them) rumored to be a part of the film that at one point it was speculated that Far From Homemight be anorigin story movie for The Sinister Six- one of the first supervillain teams in comic book history and the first dedicated to the destruction of a single superhero.

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There is no small irony that all of this subterfuge should be built up around a character like Mysterio, who depends on such confusion in committing his crimes. It is also nowonder that many fans now find themselves as turned around as the heroes Mysterio contends with regarding what has and hasn't been confirmed about Spider-Man's most mystifying foe. What follows should cut through the illusions and lead the lost back to reality.

Last updated: June 18, 2019

Jake Gyllenhaal Plays Mysterio In Spider-Man: Far From Home

While it has been known for some time that actor Jake Gyllenhaal had been cast inFar From Home, precisely who he was playing was kept secret while the film was shooting. Most of the rumors suggested that Mysterio was slated to be themain villain of the movie and it was speculated this was the roleGyllenhaal had been cast in. It was not until one eagle-eyed fan took video footage of Gyllenhaal wearing what seemed to be the classic Mysterio armor that the filmmakers finally confirmed thatGyllenhaal would be playing the classic Spider-Man villain. And now, he's appeared as Mysterio in several promos and still shots.

This marks Gyllenhaal's return to the big-budget blockbuster scene for the first time since 2010's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Recently the actor has been focused on dark thrillers like Nocturnal Animals andNightcrawler, serious dramas like Everest and Stronger, anduniqueoddities like Netflix's Okja andVelvet Buzzsaw.

Related:Is Spider-Man: Far From Home Set Before Or After Avengers: Endgame?

Mysterio In The Spider-Man Comics

Mysterio first appeared in June 1964 inAmazing Spider-Man #13.Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the costumed criminal was eventually revealed to be Quentin Beck - a former movie stuntman, actor, and special effects designer, who turned to crime after becoming convinced there was no future for him in Hollywood.Though he doesn't have any actual superpowers,Mysterio is a brilliant illusionist and played the part of a true wizard to the public, seemingly teleporting to and fro in a dramatic puff of smoke. Luckily for Beck, he was as gifted a chemist as he was a conjurer and he was able to back his stagecraft up with a number of impressive achievements, such as a special smoke that could negate Spider-Man's Spider-Sense.

Later, Mysterio would join with fellow villains Electro, The Vulture, Kraven The Hunter, The Sandman and Doctor Octopus to form the first incarnation of theSinister Sixin a bid to destroy Spider-Man through sheer strength of numbers. Mysterio would go on to join other incarnations of the team over the years and tried to take on Spider-Man several times as a solo act. Beck's plans ranged from the surprisingly subtle - such as when he posed as a psychiatrist and attempted to trick Spider-Man into revealing his secret identity - to showy spectacles, such as when he hypnotized Spider-Man into thinking he'd be shrunk to a height of six inches while on live television. The one constant in Beck's dramatic schemes was that he always overplayed his hand while trying to prove his cleverness.

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Mysterio Is A "Hero" In Spider-Man Far From Home...

Though Jake Gyllenhaal has now been confirmed as playing Quentin Beck and Mysterio in Far From Home, mystery still surrounds the movie version of the character and his role in the story. The latest point of confusion came from theSpider-Man: Far From Hometrailers, in which Mysterio claimed to be a herochasing down villains known as the Elementals. Mysterio being a hero and the Elementals being in the film complicated matters, especially since the Elementals have no previous association with Spider-Man in the comics.

Arch-enemies ofThe Living Pharaoh and N'Kantu, the Living Mummy from the horror-themed anthology seriesSupernatural Thrillers, The Elementals were a quartet of immortal beings who acted as avatars of the classical elements of Fire, Air, Earth and Water. The Elementals would be worthy foes for Doctor Strange- not so much for the science-minded Spider-Man. As a result of Thanos' snap and the Avengers time traveling in Avengers: Endgame, the multiverse appears to have opened. Mysterio claims to be from alternate reality, and is on Earth searching for these Elementals. Since he can't do it on his own, he's begun working with Nick Fury, who's brought in Spider-Man to help out.

Related:Spider-Man: All The Proof Mysterio Is Lying About The Multiverse In Far From Home

...But Will Surely Be The Villain

It seems likely that all this talk of Mysterio being a hero is a misdirection. This story involving the Elementals sounds suspiciously like the set-up of one of Mysterio's schemes in the comics. Many of Quentin Beck's plans start with him presenting a fake threat in order to set-up a superhero for some sort of scam or hustle. It's also worth noting that the first Spider-Man movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming, was built around a similar twist regarding Peter Parker having to confront an unexpected villain in the film's third act.

Consider Mysterio's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #13. Shortly after Spider-Man was accused of committing a series of daring public robberies, Mysterio presented himself to the public as a new masked hero with magical powers he could use to bring Spider-Man to justice. When Spider-Man confronted Mysterio on top of the Brooklyn Bridge to meet a challenge J. Jonah Jameson had published on Mysterio's behalf in The Daily Bugle, he quickly found himself all but helpless. Mysterio's trademark smoke blunted his Spider-Sense and melted his webbing before it could touch the apparent wizard. Mysterio also proved just as agile as Spider-Man and was even able to walk on walls, matching him in mobility.

Fleeing the scene by pretending to fall off the bridge, Spider-Man was later able to plant a tracking device on Mysterio as Peter Parker, while the "hero" was boasting of his victory to the press. Fighting Mysterio a second time, but pretending to be overcome, Spider-Man begged Mysterio to explain just how he was able to defeat him. Not only did Mysterio boast of how he had crafted chemical formulas that could counter Spider-Man's powers but he confessed to having used his practical effects knowledge to impersonate Spidey and frame him for the robberies. It was then that Spider-Man sprung his trap, attacking Mysterio while his guard was down and revealing that he had recorded the whole conversation.

While not a direct adaptation of this classic Spider-Man story, it seems more likely that Spider-Man:Far From Homewill see Mysterio setting up a similar scam, with Quentin Beck casting himself in a hero's role only to reveal his true intentions in the film's climax. Just what Mysterio is scheming remains to be seen. Spider-Fans can be sure, however, that it will be something truly amazing.

Next:Spider-Man: Far From Home - Every Update You Need To Know