We might be close to 2 years away from The Avengers: Age of Ultron, but that hasn't stopped the casting train chugging along. With Elizabeth Olsen reportedly in negotiations to play Scarlet Witch, it's been confirmed today that James Spader will be playing the movie's villain, a popular staple of comic book lore, an evil robot who has had constant bouts with The Avengers in an effort to take over the world. Try and soak that in for a minute; it'll distract you from the current Ben Affleck/Batman debacle that's ravaging the Internet. Spader will come across as a left-field choice for some, given that he's not
massively well-known to mainstream audiences, and pretty much makes a habit of steering clear of big-budget movies. Spader might be best known for starring in Stargate, Boston Legal, Crash and Pretty in Pink, though his highest-profile work recently has been as Robert California in The Office, and also as part of the exceptional ensemble cast in Steven Speilberg's Lincoln. What the extent of Spader's role will be remains unknown - will he merely be voicing a CGI character? - but given how Spader has carved out a pretty firm niche for himself playing incredibly creepy characters, it's safe to say that, while not the first name you'd think of, he can absolutely knock this out of the park. What were his various sleazy roles if not training for the villain lead in a major tentpole movie? The Avengers: Age of Ultron lands on May 1st, 2015. What do you make of this casting? Let us know in the comments below.