'The Amazing Spiderman' star Rhys Ifans talks about his villainous role as the Lizard

'The Amazing Spiderman' star Rhys Ifans discusses why Spiderman is more accessible than other superheroes and what sets the Lizard apart

While it’s true that 2011 was a banner year for superhero films – Green Hornet, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, and Captain America – 2012 is destined to be a banner year for major superhero films like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Speaking of the Spider-Man reboot, Rhys Ifans – the man who’s playing Spider-Man’s kindest rogue, Dr. Connors (A.K.A. The Lizard) – recently spoke in detail about his role in the upcoming film.

On what makes The Lizard so special – courtesy of MTV Splash Page – Rhys Ifans said:

“The majority of comic book villains are pure evil, but Curt Connors is an exception. Curt Connors is a good man who initially wants to save the world but he gets hungry and greedy and reckless and he pays the price for that.”

Eh, it’s arguable that most of the Spider-Man villains – and a majority of the best supervillains in general – have a complicated quality to them. It’s something Sam Raimi picked up from the get-go. Norman Osborne wasn’t good by any means, but he was more insane than he was “pure evil.” Likewise, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Venom, and so forth, were all very complicated “bad guys.” Though it’s true, of course, that The Lizard was one of the few Spider-Man rogues to be a totally good guy when unaffected by his evil, Lizard-based super powers.

On what makes Spider-Man interesting when compared to other household superhero names like Batman and Superman, Ifans said:

“I just love the whole Spider-Man thing because Superman is so kind of godlike, he comes from another planet, Batman is this inaccessible, unapproachable millionaire, and Peter Parker is this schoolboy who’s bullied and I think that’s the kind of enduring appeal to that story. We can all relate to his bullying and the kind of flux that puberty induces in a young boy becoming a man.”

On Emma Stone’s role as Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man:

“Emma works with me. Emma’s character Gwen Stacey is a student who works at my laboratory.”

When asked why he wouldn’t disclose more details, Ifans said:

“You don’t want me to turn 9-foot-tall and green and covered in scales and lick your face until you die.”

I think it’s safe to say that everyone wants to see that – on the big screen – when The Amazing Spider-Man comes out. (In July of next year.)

Ben Moore blogs at Screen Rant.