With Jamie Foxx set to reprise his role as Max Dillon aka Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was Electro's design. In the movie, Electro's look was nothing more than a blue, glowing man wearing a black hoodie, who later changes into a black suit with no real defining features. While the visual effects artists did an excellent job bringing the CGI-heavy supervillain to life, the concept was missing something from the start
As bad as it turned out, the idea and execution of Jamie's Foxx's Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 were ambitious. With transparent blue skin and an uncovered face, the filmmakers wanted to show the currents of electricity inside him changing with his emotions. To further accent the blue light emanating from the villain's body, the hoodie was an ideal choice because it could be fitted with LED lights that corresponded to Foxx's movements. The choice of primarily black costuming was also likely due to how much it emphasized the blue glow of the character's skin. Unfortunately, this design meant sacrificing just about everything that fans of the comics identify with as the classic Electro.
Foxx's version of Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2is a much different-looking character than the one that appears in virtually any other medium. In most cases, Electro has a mask that is instantly recognizable; the mask is bright yellow, covering most of the villain's face, and has bolts of lightning shooting out from both sides. The rest of the costume design is also completely different, save for the fact that they both feature full body suits. Whereas the film version of Electro's only source of vibrant color comes from his blue skin, the Electro from the comics is more bold, bursting with bright yellows and greens. When the two looks are put side-to-side, it's easily one of the biggest redesigns for a Marvel character translated from page to film in recent memory.
Now, with Jamie Foxx's Electro officially confirmed for Spider-Man: Homecoming 3, something has to be done with his design. Jamie Foxx confirmed Electro will have a new look, and Marvel Studios has a track record of being faithful to their characters' comic book counterparts, so it's safe to assume that Electro will be getting a make-over — but how much of a change will it be? In Marvel's Spiderman on PS4, Electro was one of the villains Spider-Man faces off against; while his design was much better than Jamie Foxx's, the game's designers still diverged from the comics version by getting rid of the mask, instead imprinting lightning-bolt scars on the character's face. It would show a lack of faith in fans, not to mention the source material, if Sony and Marvel continued to dramatically redesign Electro's look — particularly given some of the more out-there character designs that have made it into the films thus far. If a studio's films feature a talking raccoon and a talking tree, they can make room for an Electro with a lightning bolt mask. Hopefully, Sony and Marvel are brave enough to give Jamie Foxx the most comic-accurate suit yet.
With superhero movies becoming more and more willing to embrace their comic book roots and trusting that it's what the fans will be more receptive to, it would be odd if the approach to Electro wasn't in keeping with that mentality. Still, it appears that Electro's debut in the MCU is poised to strike the right balance between the old and the new. A design that is reminiscent of the Electro from the comics is more likely than ever, especially after Jamie Foxx's original look was so poorly received. Since Foxx has been eagerly divulging information about the role these past few days, it could be very soon that Sony and Marvel's plans for the Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 character are revealed.
