J.K. Simmons Talks J Jonah Jameson MCU, Past, and Future

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

PARKER!!! Who else lost their shit when that one SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME after credits scene featured the OG J. Jonah Jameson played by J.K. Simmons?! I know I sure as hell did! Simmons truly made the role iconic and, frankly, I could never picture anyone else in it. And now since Spider-Man is back in fine, Garfield-free form, it makes good sense to have the brilliant Simmons back! Apparently, director Jon Watts never considered anyone else for the after credits part! However, way back when Sam Raimi was making his first SPIDER-MAN, J.K. had a much tougher time. Appearing on PeopleTV's Couch Surfing, the actor recalled,

"The producers and the people at Sony, they needed to be convinced, because obviously, there were a lot of much more high-profile actors that they had in mind that would help with the box office. It was very nerve-wracking."

At least he wasn't auditioning for his character from WHIPLASH! As for appearing in future SPIDER-MAN installments, Simmons is signed on for future films, presumably as this J Jonah Jameson MCU version, and added, "It's great to have the opportunity, as these things evolve, to be one of the holdovers from the previous version." Sounds good to me… as long as they don't bring the previous "dancing Peter Parker" back!