Don't get me wrong, I love Paul Giamatti. I think he is a fantastic and versatile actor. He was great in American Splendor, Cinderella Man, Man on the Moon, Saving Private Ryan and as our nation's second president, John Adams in the HBO film of the same name. He's equally adapt at comedic roles as he is with dramatic parts... but playing the Rhino... really?
In the comics, The Rhino started out as a small time muscle man for the mob, when he agreed to undergo an experiment that turned him into a super-human muscle man in a rhino suit. The Rhino stands at around six and a half feet tall (he was big even before he got his super strength) and makes Arnold Schwarzenegger (at the peak of his condition) look like a puny, 98 pound weakling. As good as Giamatti is as an actor, he just doesn't fit the bill as a hugh muscle-bound mob enforcer. In addition to his huge size and bulk, the Rhino is pretty dumb— in fact he's a half-wit, who can barely string a sentence together— a wasteful part for a fine actor like Giamatti, if you ask me.
The Rhino was created by Stan Lee and artist John Romita Sr. and made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #41 (1966), and has appeared in just about every animated Spider-Man series, video games and in various merchandising, such as toys, T-shirts, posters and trading cards. Amazing Spider-Man 2 marks the character's debut in a major motion picture.
In addition to the Rhino, Jamie Foxx has been signed on to play Spidey villain, Electro. Other additions to the cast include Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson, Chris Cooper as Norman Osborn and Dane Dehaan as Harry Osborn.
Amazing Spider-Man 2 is set to hit theaters May 2nd, 2014.
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