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J. Jonah Jameson (film character)

J. Jonah Jameson (JJJ) is a fictional character portrayed by J. K. Simmons in both Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and the Spider-Verse franchise produced by Sony Pictures, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise co-produced with Marvel Studios. Based on the Marvel Comics character by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he was adapted to screen by David Koepp, Sam Raimi, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, and Jon Watts.

J. Jonah Jameson

Spider-Man (2002)

John Jonah Jameson Jr.

American

In Raimi's trilogy, Jameson is the head editor-in-chief for the newspaper agency The Daily Bugle in New York City. He is introduced as a blustering, grumpy, loudmouthed individual who retains an extreme distaste for the emerging vigilante Spider-Man, and takes significant pride in carrying out an unrelenting smear campaign against him and driving a rift in public opinion on his heroics. Jameson eventually hires struggling high school student Peter Parker as a freelance photographer, as he remained the sole person able to capture clear photos of Spider-Man for the newspaper, unaware that Parker and Spider-Man are one and the same. He later hires Eddie Brock to expose a perceived history of Spider-Man's criminal activity, only to reluctantly fire and retract his photos upon the revelation they were doctored from similar pictures taken by Parker himself.


An alternate Jameson appears in the MCU, depicted as the bald executive reporter of the sensationalist news website TheDailyBugle.net, intent on similarly defaming Spider-Man after his civilian persona is exposed through the use of doctored footage provided by an associate of the supervillain Mysterio. He eventually hires Betty Brant, one of Parker's classmates from the Midtown School of Science and Technology, as an unpaid intern to aid his ongoing efforts to expose the vigilante. He is later contacted by Parker himself in an attempt to lure several displaced villains from the multiverse to the Statue of Liberty in order to cure and return them to their respective realities, before completely losing memory of Parker alongside the rest of the world as a result of a magic spell cast by Doctor Strange.


Originally appearing in Spider-Man (2002) and its sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007), Simmons' portrayal has been universally praised and as a result, he voiced the character in a video game film tie-in, multiple television series and specials including recurring appearances on Robot Chicken, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, as well as guest roles on The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and The Simpsons.[1]


The MCU version of the character has appeared thus far in the films Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and the web series The Daily Bugle (2019–present). Simmons also makes an uncredited cameo appearance as the MCU Jameson in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), voicing numerous alternate reality versions of the character in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).

J. Jonah Jameson

John Jonah Jameson, Sr.

Hero of the War on fake news

American

In the mid-credits scene of the (SSU) film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Eddie Brock and Venom are teleported from their universe into the MCU as a result of Dr. Stephen Strange's first spell in No Way Home. In the scene, Brock and Venom watch a broadcast of Jameson (Simmons reprising his role) that focuses on Spider-Man's identity.[18]

Sony's Spider-Man Universe

Simmons filmed a cameo role as J. Jonah Jameson for the SSU film (2022), which was cut from the film following its delay to after the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[19]

Morbius

Simmons lends his voice to multiple versions of J. Jonah Jameson in the film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), portraying Jameson as he appears on Earth-1610 (home of Miles Morales), Earth-65 (home of Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman), and Earth-42 (a reality where Spider-Man doesn't exist and Miles instead became the Prowler), all designed after the bald MCU version of the character.[20] Archive audio of Simmons from Spider-Man (2002) is also used to represent the Jameson of Earth-13122 (home of LEGO Spider-Man). Simmons will reprise the role again in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2025).

Sony Pictures Animation

Reception[edit]

Simmons' performance as J. Jonah Jameson in both live-action and in animation has been universally praised by both audiences and critics.[21]


Far From Home director Jon Watts explained that they approached Simmons "as late as possible" before the film's release to ask him to reprise his role from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy, hoping to keep the cameo a surprise for fans.[22] Watts stated that he never considered another actor, saying, "It's gotta be him. Like, if it wasn't him, it wasn't worth doing."[11]

Characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Official website

on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki

J. Jonah Jameson (Sam Raimi film series)

on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, an external wiki

J. Jonah Jameson

on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki

J. Jonah Jameson (MCU)