The versatile JK Simmons is one of the best in business when it comes to acting. Some of his best work comes in movies like Whiplash (duh, where he won an Oscar), La La Land, Up in the Air, Thank You For Smoking, The Mexican, Palm Springs, and of course, in the gritty prison drama series, Oz. But movie geeks love him the most for doing one of the best character portrayals in a superhero franchise, J Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Sam Raimi Birthday Special: From Evil Dead 2 to A Simple Plan, 5 Must-Watch Cult Movies Made By the Spider-Man Director.

Playing the very popular editor of the Daily Bugle, the newspaper business where Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) freelances as a photographer, Simmons owned every bit of the role. JJJ is known to be a sarcastic, rude taskmaster who hates Spider-Man and is always trying to vilify him in his newspapers (much to the annoyance of Spidey's alter-ego, Peter) but is not essentially a bad man. Quick at throwing barbs and over-working his staff, Jameson becomes an epitome of how media heads work. And Simmons does such a fantastic work in the Spider-Man trilogy, that he is consistently the best thing about the franchise. Year Ender 2019: From Avengers EndGame to Spider-Man: Far From Home, 11 Best Superhero Moments That Made Us Laugh, Cry, and Cheer in Jubilation.

He was so good that the reboot franchise, The Amazing Spider-Man duology didn't even bother to cast anyone in that role. Fans always wanted the actor to return to the JJJ character, but it felt an impossible dream, especially after the Marvel-Sony collaboration. Simmons opting for DCEU and playing Lt Gordon in Justice League, further dampened their hopes.

And then, the impossible happened. In the mid-credit sequence of Spider-Man: Far From Home, we saw Simmons return as JJJ, and theatres erupted in cheers from Marvel fans. If you are still wondering what's the big deal, then maybe the below 10 scenes would convince you why his return is such a big deal for MCU, and how that makes us excited for Spider-Man 3! Also, JK Simmons, wishing you a very happy 66th birthday!

"Crap, Crap, Crap"

We totally vibe with Simmons' interpretation of JJJ from the very first scene Parker meets up with him. From initially dismissing the pictures to simply pushing his terms in the deal and then putting his own angle to the story, we have an editor-in-chief who feels way too familiar IRL.

"Slander is Spoken. In Print, It's Libel."

Continuing his unexplained vitriol against Spidey, in the above scene, J Jonah Jameson reveals that he is the one naming the villains, and he doesn't mind twisting facts about the webbed crawler. But JJJ proves he isn't all bad, as when Green Goblin attacks him to know who takes pics of Spidey, JJJ refuses to betray Peter Parker even when his life is in danger. That's sure gutsy! Though his heroic gesture only ends up with Spider-Man shooting webs in his mouth to shut him up!

“Guy Named Otto Octavius Winds Up With Eight Limbs. What Are the Odds?”

In one of the funniest scenes in Spider-Man 2, JJJ not only name-drops Doctor Strange years before the Marvel superhero made his debut, but also takes credit for 'Doctor Octopus' a name  that his staff came up with it. The way he 'fires' Parker and then 'unfires' him after realising there is no photographer to cover the wedding is just hilarious! Spider-Man 3: Alfred Molina All Set To Return As Doctor Octopus In Tom Holland’s Film!

"I WANT SPIDER-MAN!"

When Parker seems to have lost his powers and Doc Ock increases his menace in the city, JJJ thinks it is he who drove Spidey away, and then regretfully admits that he was a hero. But then Spider-Man steals his suit from JJJ's office (Jameson had bought it from a tramp who found the suit in a dump) and he returns to hating Spidey, calling him a thief and a menace. Simmons absolutely sells the double-faced nature of the character in this scene!

"Tell Her Not To Open The Caviar"

After Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) runs out on his son at the wedding altar, a poker-faced JJJ tells his wife to call Debra (the caterer). When she asks why, he simply says to tell Debra to not open the caviar, thus receiving an incredulous look from his wife. Even in his son's lowest moments, Jameson only sees the need to save the money, which is typical JJJ!

The Spidey Surprise

In a deleted scene from Spider-Man 2, JJJ is seen wearing the Spidey suit that he recently bought and attempts to shoot webs out of his hands, much to the bemusement of his staff. It looks like Jameson was a secret admirer of Spider-Man after all! Though I wonder why Sam Raimi cut this harmless but fun scene from the film...

“You Want a Staff Job, and You Want a Staff Job, Anybody Care About What I Want?”

Spider-Man 3 might have been a disappointment, but JK Simmons' performance was easily the best and the most enjoyable thing about it. Watch his introductory scene where he controls his anger and then his reaction to his assistant's violent buzzes, you know that this was definitely the funniest Simmons performance of the trilogy! Spider-Man: Far From Home Movie Review: Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal Team Up to Deliver a Thrilling, Surprise-Filled Superhero Rumble.

"Brant, That's Not The Position I Hired You For!"

Though it is a small exchange, it is one the most hilarious lines spoken by Simmons in the trilogy. The only dampener is the cringe distraction of an emo Parker.

“Hey, Kid, You Want a Job?”

JJJ's hilarious reaction to a little girl proving herself to be a bigger negotiator than him is just priceless!

The Return!

Don't say that you didn't jump in your seats when you saw JK Simmons back as J Jonah Jameson, this time the owner of a blog called The Daily Bugle.net, in one of the best mid-credit scenes of Marvel Cinematic Universe. We just can't wait to see more of him in the upcoming sequel!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 09, 2021 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).