The Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus are Spider-Man’s greatest enemies, but the Chameleon is the first adversary he ever fought. That’s an interesting little fact I think Spidey fans should appreciate. Although this mysterious villain was the first costumed villain Spider-Man fought, he never reached the prominent level of popularity other villains like Venom or Carnage have gained. So why is that? Well, to sum it up in a short sentence, he’s just weird. Based on his name, I think you can guess what kind of powers or abilities he has. Like several other Spider-Man villains, the Chameleon is named after an animal. And like those other Spider-Man villains, such as Scorpion, the Rhino, and the Lizard, the name reflects the character. The Chameleon is not a big powerhouse like Rhino or a freakish monster like the Lizard. Heck, he’s not even an old man dressed in a funny-looking feather suit like the Vulture. This villain, much like the animal he is named after, does have the ability to camouflage, but in a much more complicated way. If you’re a fan of the classic animated Spider-Man series from the ’90s, then you’ll be familiar with the Chameleon and what he’s about. The version from the animated series does have a critical difference from the comic version, however. The Chameleon from the animated series used a belt-mounted camera device to capture anyone’s image and use that to disguise himself. With that device, he was capable of disguising himself as anyone he wanted, including Spider-Man himself.
This made for a very dangerous villain, not because he was an intimidating physical force for Spider-Man, but because he was a cunning mastermind who could hide in plain sight. The version from the animated series made the Chameleon a professional hitman who worked for Spidey’s most wealthiest villains, the most notable being Wilson Fisk. He stood out amongst the other Spider-Man villains because whenever he was in his true form, he never spoke. His only dialogue was when he took on a disguise. I think this made him a mysterious and a rather creepy villain, but it wasn’t entirely accurate from comic counterpart. Now if you do want to see a more comic-accurate version of the Chameleon, go watch the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series. This version didn’t use a image-inducing belt like the one from the ’90s cartoon. This Chameleon used lifelike masks and mimicry gadgets to disguise himself as anyone he wanted and imitate their abilities. I mean, he actually disguised himself as Spider-Man to discredit him and actually fought the web-slinger when he wore the black symbiote suit. “Get ready for a Spider punch!” Boy, that is some hilarious cartoon fun right there.
The other critical difference between this Chameleon and the one from the ’90s cartoon is that this one spoke in his true form. And to add to the awesomeness, he was voiced by the legendary voice actor, Steve Blum. Seeing these two different kind of cartoon adaptations of the Chameleon made me want to see this villain in a live-action Spider-Man movie. His ability to change his appearance into anyone he wants is what makes him a dangerous villain to Spider-Man. Would he work as a main antagonist or a secondary one? Well, we’re about to find out, but not in a Spider-Man movie. The Chameleon will be the villain in the Sony-produced Kraven the Hunter movie. And guess what? Sony has found the actor who will play him. A report came out a couple of weeks ago that claimed Kodi Smit-McPhee actually passed on the role due to scheduling conflicts. That was unfortunate news, but it did confirm that the Chameleon would at least be appearing in the movie. And as of now, it has officially been reported that the villain has found another actor to play him. Fred Hechinger will be playing Dimitri Smerdyakov, the Chameleon’s real name, for the Kraven the Hunter movie. I don’t know much about Fred Hechinger’s career, other than his role as Quinn Mossbacher in the White Lotus series. I don’t watch the show, but I’ve heard some good things about it, so maybe I should get around to watching it.
While Fred Hechinger is essentially an unknown actor to me, I am excited that the Chameleon has been casted. Better yet, we’ll get to see the dynamic between him and Kraven, which will be interesting, given that they’re half-brothers. Who wants to bet a lucky penny that Russell Crowe his playing their father? That is certainly a plausible theory, which means the Kraven the Hunter movie will technically be a movie about family. If you’re going to do a movie about Kraven the Hunter, one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains, but not have Spider-Man in the movie, then that’s the way to do it. And then Sony will probably have this all lead to Kraven the Hunter leading the Sinister Six. For this movie, it only makes sense if the Chameleon is Kraven’s rival. Since they are both different kinds of villains, it will make for a great sibling rivalry. Kraven is a very physical character who doesn’t use advanced technology, while the Chameleon is a cunning villain who relies on trickery and deceit. And if the movie intends to follow their relationship from the comics, then the younger Dimitri will likely have a sense of admiration and jealousy towards the older Sergei Kravinoff.
Dimitri’s connection to Sergei is what elevated the Chameleon’s status as a villain. He began as a solo act who tormented Spider-Man, but later evolved into a more developed character when his past with Sergei was revealed. That will probably be the advantage of having him be an antagonist in the Kraven the Hunter movie, rather than a Spider-Man movie. This is an opportunity to bring a lesser-known villain to the spotlight and put a little spin on his backstory. And who knows? Maybe he’ll join the Sinister Six with his older half-brother? What are your thoughts, Spider-Man fans?
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