Update:** **According to The Wrap, most of the earlier rumours focused on The Lizard, AKA Dr Curt Connors have now proven to be true, and that's the role Ifans has taken. We've yet to get 100% confirmation from Sony, but chances are this is accurate. Our thoughts at this time are with Dylan Baker, who was so patient, but never got to make his big villanous debut...
Nothing is 100% confirmed just yet, but according to Deadline, Sony has just offered the main villain role in the new **Spider-Man movie to Rhys Ifans.
As to what that villain might be… Well, the studio is being cagey about that for now and have not revealed exactly who Ifans will be playing, assuming he signs on at all.
Rumours so far have focused on everyone from the Green Goblin (who features heavily in the comics of course, but was used in the original Spider-Man), Venom (surely not after the third film?) and The Vulture (originally offered to John Malkovich back when Sam Raimi was still developing the fourth Spider-outing).
Then, of course, there’s The Lizard, AKA Dr Curt Connors, who was played in the first three movies by Dylan Baker. Ifans could easily snatch that role. The character has been the subject of several rumours as the new film has geared up, with Christoph Waltz and Philip Seymour Hoffman amongst the names linked to it.
But Spidey has such a well-stocked rogues’ gallery that we’ll have to wait and see. While we do, anyone want to venture a guess? Who do you want to see Ifans playing? Does he look a bit like The Scarecrow to anyone else?
Still without an official title, Spider-Man 4 (or the **Spider-Man **reboot) will be directed by Mark Webb, with Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey. Webb kicks off shooting in December and the movie is set to arrive in July 2012.