After years of waiting, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is finally out, and by all accounts, it's a pretty spectacular game. Taking its predecessors' already excellent formula and continuing to expand and improve on it in almost every way, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a dream come true for fans of the Wall-Crawler, and it's sure to go down in history as yet another top-tier Insomniac title. One of the biggest highlights of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is its varied cast of villains, and while Kraven and Venom may have taken the spotlight before launch, it's returning villains like Stephen Oyoung's Mister Negative that really get some of the best moments in the sequel.
Game ZXC recently got the chance to speak with Spider-Man 2's Mister Negative actor, Stephen Oyoung, about the process behind bringing this now fan-favorite character back for the sequel. During the conversation, Oyoung discussed his favorite moments from the first Spider-Man game, teased his favorite moment to perform in the sequel, and talked about how his portrayal as Gotham Knights' Red Hood informed his second go-round at playing Mister Negative. This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
Q. Did you have a favorite moment to perform in 2018's Spider-Man?
Oyoung: Mister Negative’s final confrontation with Norman Osborn and Spider-Man. The culmination of all that build up and conflict in Mister Negative’s story arc. It was the last scene I shot for the game as Mister Negative so it felt fitting not only for the game but also for the project itself, which we spent a few years on. I got to wield a flaming sword, jump through a window, scream like a maniac, and turn into a giant negative energy demon. What’s not to like!
Q. Obviously you can't give any spoilers, but was there anything during mocap in Spider-Man 2 that came close? Any fun stories?
Oyoung: Oh I absolutely have a favorite moment, which I think will be everyone’s fave Mister Negative moment as well. Can I tell you? Absolutely not. We’ll just have to see if my hunch is correct! But I will say it was awesome seeing the Insomniac family again. What a reunion. I thought Mister Negative’s work was done in the first game, so to be brought back was a happy surprise.
Q. What’s it like having your likeness lent to a Spider-Man character?
Oyoung: I get called Mister Negative a lot more now! Spider-Man is one of the biggest franchises in the world, so to have my likeness used and later be recognized for it, I’m just so grateful that Bryan Intihar and Jacinda Chew made that choice. Everyone knows this game and this franchise. Any notoriety I may have is most certainly from this project.
Q. It's been a while since Marvel’s Spider-Man came out, what's been your favorite role in the time in between?
Oyoung: You know I love all my babies, but I’d say Jason Todd/Red Hood is right up there.
Q. Is there anything you've learned from playing that role that's informed or carried over to your performance in Marvel's Spider-Man 2?
Oyoung: Without spoiling too much, I think a little of Jason’s physicality carried over. He’s a bigger guy, so when he wasn’t fighting he was moving a little heavier. You could call it with a little world weariness. That played well with the passing of time in the game world of Spider-Man. Mister Negative’s kind of gone through it. But see for yourself if you can spot the difference!
Q. On the opposite end of that, is there any part of your Martin Li performance that's carried over to some of your other roles since?
Oyoung: Believe it or not, it’s the gentleness that Insomniac pushed in Martin Li’s portrayal versus Mister Negative that has carried over. Or maybe I’m just getting more sentimental as the years go on. It’s a gentleness that covers a great deal of pain. Which I think we all have. Recognizing that in other characters has been pretty eye-opening.
Q. In Gotham Knights, you play Red Hood. From your perspective, how would you say these two comic book characters compare, if at all?
Oyoung: There are definitely similarities there. They’ve both lost their parents to tragedy, were victimized by a criminal mastermind but afterward gained otherworldly powers, then used those powers or their training to terrorize criminals and innocents alike in their quest for justice or vengeance. They both have that internal push and pull between good and evil.
Q. You've obviously worked on quite a few different movies and TV shows, as well as video games. What’s the biggest difference between Movies & TV versus video games?
Oyoung: There’s greater freedom of movement with video games. There are less intricate props and sets of course, so it’s all in your imagination, but I really enjoy that process. It’s very intimate, with much smaller crews, but there’s also very little downtime since you’re not waiting for camera or lighting setups. And as far as your performance, what you do in the moment is what they’re going to use. It’s immediate. There are no cutaways, no reverse shots. So when you’re having a conversation, that’s what it is. It’s like real life. After a fashion.
Q. What's one thing from live-action filming that you'd like to see implemented in the video game industry, and vice versa?
Oyoung: I find the volume technology used by Lucasfilm to be an interesting mashup of live action and video game tech. I’m sure we’ll see more of that in live productions. As for the video game industry, my secret wish is for tracking suits that have no sensors, now that would be incredible. Maybe one day in the future!
Q. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Oyoung: I’m very flattered that people are comparing Mister Negative’s new look to Keanu Reeves, Adam Driver, Justin Long, and Markiplier. In all seriousness though I’m very humbled and grateful to be part of Insomniac’s vision. When Mister Negative appeared in the first game’s trailers very few people knew who he was, and now a few years later he’s mainstream. It’s very exciting!
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Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is available now on PS5