Back in the early 2000s when Sam Raimi’s firstSpider-Manwas coming together, there was a lot of buzz over who would get to play Peter Parker. However, finding the ideal boss forSpider-Manat The Daily Bugle was just as important, and it turns out actor J.K. Simmons was perfect from the very start.
J. Jonah Jameson’s hardline approach to running The Daily Bugle has always been a staple in Parker’s life ever since the first issue ofThe Amazing Spider-Mancame out in 1963, with Stan Lee defining the character as a really grumpy version of himself at his worst. Nevertheless, Simmons ended up nailing the role in such a unique way that footage of him early on shows why the MCU brought him back for one ofSpider-Man: Far From Home’s best moments.
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The screen test clip opens up with the signature font ofRaimi’sSpider-Mantrilogyand then shows Simmons reading some of Jameson’s first lines straight from the script. In one of his usual anti-Spidey rants, Jameson complains about the latest of Spider-Man’s public appearances and how difficult it is to find decent pictures of the web-swinger. It’s a moment that directly results in Peter getting hired at the Bugle for his VIP access to exclusive images of himself.
It’s worth noting that in this screen test, Jameson is not sporting the flat top hairstyle that is typically associated with the character because Simmons is naturally bald. However, in hisFar From Homeappearance, Jameson is now bald and finds his home in anInfowars-type show, where he can freely blurt out all the Spider-Man slander he wants without the liability he had at The Daily Bugle.
Simmons' return is proof of how iconic his role was in early superhero films and his conversion from print to digital could not have been pulled off in a better way in this day and age. Despite also having won multiple awards forWhiplashand even having aDCJustice Leaguepart under his belt, Commissioner Gordon is not the role that’s made him a pop culture icon, it’s J. Jonah Jameson.
After such an epic cliffhanger inFar From Hometo interrupt Zendaya and Tom Holland’s romantic web-swinging, it wouldn’t be surprising if Simmons had an even bigger role messing up Spider-Man’s life inNo Way Home. For now, it seems Simmons was quite busy getting in the best shape of his life forAmazon’sThe Tomorrow Warsequel.
Spider-Man: No Way Homeis scheduled to be released in theaters on August 09, 2025.
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