Donald Glover to Star in, Produce Spider-Man Movie Based on Villain Hypno-Hustler (Exclusive)

Donald Glover is finally getting a Spider-Man movie. It’s just not quite what you think.

Glover is attached to star in and produce a feature set in Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man universe of Marvel Comics characters, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. 

Myles Murphy, the son of actor and comedian Eddie Murphy, is on board to write the project, which has no title but is said to revolve around the Hypno-Hustler, one of the more obscure Spider-Man villains.

Created by Bill Mantlo, the writer who also created Rocket Racoon, and artist Frank Springer, Hypno-Hustler was very much a product of the disco music scene when he first appeared in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man No. 24 in 1978. His real name was Antoine Delsoin, the leader of a band called the Mercy Killers and he used hypnosis technology in his instruments on his audience in order to rob them.

Hypno-Hustler is not considered one of Spider-Man’s top villains — in fact, he regularly shows up on worst supervillains lists — but sources say Glover sparked to the musical aspect of the character and the fact that he has less Marvel canon baggage, freeing him to broader interpretations. The project could be anything from a disco period piece to a re-imagined modern hip-hop version or even a cyberpunk future play. Adding to the spark was Murphy’s take, the details of which are being kept below the bass clef.

Glover’s name has circled Spider-Man for years, with fans clamoring for him to portray Spidey, particularly in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. That didn’t happen — Andrew Garfield landed the role as Peter Parker — but Glover did voice Spider-Man/Miles Morales in the Disney XD series Ultimate Spider-Man in 2015. He also appeared in a very brief role in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. (A deleted scene from the movie pointed to him playing Miles Morales’ uncle.)

Sony, which owns the film rights to the Spider-Man and related characters, has a whole slate of films based on not just villains but also heroes that make up the Spider-Man family. With movies such as Venom and Morbius under its belt, the studio has Kraven the Hunter set for an Oct. 6, 2023, release. Hero projects in development include Madame Web and Spider-Woman.

Glover is repped by WME and Johnson Shapiro. Murphy is also repped by WME.