Sony Set to Bring Back Hypno-Hustler in Upcoming Spider-Man Film

Actor and Comedian Donald Glover is all set to star as Spider-Man villain Hypno-Hustler in the upcoming Spider-Man film by Sony.

For a long time, Sony has been attempting to create a Spiderman universe containing all the obscure villains of the comics, like Morbius, Kraven the Hunter, Venom, etc.

So far, the attempt has been hit-and-miss. While Venom gained much traction from fans and critics, Morbius failed to turn heads at the box office.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming installment of Sony’s Spiderverse will feature Hypno-Hustler, played by Glover, who will also produce the film.

It is not Glover’s first contribution to the Spider-Verse, though. He has also appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Miles Morales’ uncle Aaron Davis. It will be the first time he will play a significant role in this universe.

So, who is this Hypno-Hustler?

A Spider-Man villain may paint a picture of a mad scientist plotting to destroy the world. But, Hypno-Hustler is different from this quintessential image. He is just a musician gone mad.

The lead singer of the Mercy Killers, Hypno-Hustler, has a magic guitar that can hypnotize his enemies. It may sound ridiculous (because it is), but the sheer charisma of Glover as a comedian may make him a fun villain, something that will be very new to Sony’s Spiderman Universe.

Still, creating a convincing story centered around Hypno-Hustler as a chief antagonist will take a lot of work. 

It is important to remember that the comics were written in the late 1970s when the Disco culture was flying high among the youth. The biggest challenge of the creators will be to portray that culture in a way that will be relatable for today’s audience. If that movie embraces that culture and places Hypno Hustler at the center of it, it could be a brilliant watch. But we feel that there are several ways the narrative could go wrong, much like Morbius.

The creators need to make him a character that is so silly that no one takes him seriously. Glover can nail these humor elements, which can give rise to a unique antagonist in the Spider-Man universe.