Paul Giamatti to star in 'Spider-Man 2'?

Los Angeles: Paul Giamatti is in negotiations to join the star cast of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' as villain The Rhino.

Actress Felicity Jones is also in talks for a role in the movie franchise which will see Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone return as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy.

'Django Unchained' star Jamie Foxx is portraying bad guy Electro, Shailene Woodley Mary Jane Watson and Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborne.

The Rhino first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man No 41 in 1966 as a thug from a Soviet Bloc country who wore a superhuman suit that made him invulnerable while giving him superstrength and superspeed. It also had a deadly horn on top, the Hollywood Reporter said.

In more recent comics, he became a sympathetic figure who found himself allying with Spider-Man.

Giamatti has expressed a desire to portray the role in the past, saying The Rhino was one of his favorite characters while growing up.

"I thought Rhino was the greatest thing when I was a little kid. It was a guy who was basically in this rhinoceros outfit, and I always thought, 'Why don’t they have The Rhino in one of their movies.' But maybe The Rhino wasn't that big of a deal for anybody but me... If they ever go with The Rhino, I would be ready and waiting," he had said in 2011.

The actor is best known for his supporting roles in films like 'The Truman Show', 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'The Negotiator'.