Jamie Foxx Looks To Have Finally Found His Perfect Action Franchise, 11 Years After Playing A Disappointing Spider-Man Villain

Following his controversial portrayal of Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Jamie Foxx looks to redeem himself with a new action franchise that might be exactly what the actor needs. He is known more for his drama roles than anything. Foxx even won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical music drama film Ray. However, Foxx has starred in his fair share of action flicks throughout his career. Unfortunately, one of his worst came in 2014 when he played the villain in the first (and last) sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man.

Almost 11 years later, Foxx has continued working in the world of action. This time, though, he isn't weighed down by high expectations from pre-existing comic books or by Spider-Man's reputation. Instead, Foxx stars in an original Netflix movie opposite Cameron Diaz that topped the streaming platform's charts for weeks, suggesting a sequel is in its future (unlike The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Why Jamie Foxx's The Amazing Spider-Man Villain Was Disappointing

Foxx's Portrayal Of Electro Received Poor Reviews

Jamie Foxx played Max Dillon/Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and the villain's depiction and story in the movie were disappointing, to say the least. At the beginning of the superhero film, Max is an Oscorp Industries electrical engineer who idolizes Spider-Man. However, when an accident gives him electrical powers, Max turns evil and assumes an alter ego — Electro. Unfortunately, the character wasn't received well by critics and fans alike.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 dramatically changed Electro's character from the comic books, giving him a new look and a different origin story for how he got his powers. These changes were not for the better. Additionally, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 mostly sidelined Electro, opting to focus on other storylines and antagonists. Ultimately, Electro was poorly written, and although Foxx's return as the villain in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home was an improvement, it didn't redeem Electro's failed role in the original movie.

Back In Action Can Finally Give Jamie Foxx A Good Action Franchise

Foxx Stars As Matt In The 2025 Netflix Film

Eleven years after The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Jamie Foxx stars in Netflix's Back in Action, which has the potential to start a franchise. The action movie revolves around Foxx's Matt and Cameron Diaz's Emily, a married couple and former spies who must come out of retirement when their new identities are compromised. Foxx's film was quite popular on Netflix, and Back in Action's ending leaves the door open for a sequel. Director Seth Gordon even told Entertainment Weekly he had ideas for a second movie. Hopefully, a sequel is in the works, finally giving Jamie Foxx a successful action franchise.

Source: Entertainment Weekly