Donald Glover To Star In Movie About Disco-Powered Spider-Man Villain Hypno-Hustler

Multi-hyphenate writer-actor-producer-rapper-musician Donald Glover is no stranger to the world of "Spider-Man" — he helped inspire Brian Michael Bendis to create Miles Morales, after all — but I don't think anyone could have predicted this news. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Glover is attached to produce and star in a "Spider-Man" spin-off for Sony Pictures focused on the obscure and somewhat bizarre comics villain, the Hypno-Hustler. 

While the relative randomness of the character means that Glover and writer Myles Murphy will be able to riff on him however they please, it also means that they have an uphill battle in getting fans interested. Then again, Hypno-Hustler was created by Bill Mantlo, the same writer who created Rocket Raccoon, and once upon a time, fans thought a movie starring his furry little behind couldn't work either. In the right hands, obscure characters can be a fun way for creators who otherwise might not be interested in superhero properties to shape their unique vision. In the wrong hands, you get "Morbius." 

A movie based on one of the D-list "Spider-Man" villains doesn't seem like a sure win, but hey — Glover being on board makes this interesting, and at least we know the music will be lit.

Hypno-Hustler was created by Bill Mantlo and artist Frank Springer in 1978, when the booty-shaking bad guy appeared opposite Spidey in "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man." The character's alter-ego was Antoine Delsoin, the lead singer of a disco band called the Mercy Killers. Using "hypnosis technology" in his instruments, he can hypnotize audiences and rob them blind. He's kind of a strange choice to be the center of a movie, but according to THR, Donald Glover was interested in the musical aspect of the character.

Glover hasn't had many chances to mix his musical and acting lives, though he does rap and sing as Troy on "Community" and sings in "Magic Mike XXL," so it would be fun to see him get to bring his talents together in such a big way. Glover's 2016 album as Childish Gambino, "Awaken, My Love!," also has a funk and disco-inspired sound that leads me to believe they could make this the funkiest, grooviest period piece ever to hit superhero cinema. 

Glover and "Spider-Man" have been dancing around one another for years. While Glover's gotten the chance to play around in the Spider-verse, including voicing Miles Morales/Spider-Man in the Disney XD series "Ultimate Spider-Man" and playing a brief role in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," getting to star in his own villain spin-off might be the perfect end to the saga (or, perhaps, just the beginning).

This movie is still in very early production and everything is all still a bit speculative, but it's fun to see Sony taking some funky risks.