As predicted, Rhys Ifans will play The Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors) in Sony’s “Spider-Man” reboot.

Though the studio won’t comment, The Wrap reports that the “Notting Hill” star will indeed be strapping on the scaly tail to play, well, a character Dylan Baker had always hoped to play (Baker played Dr. Curt Connors in the previous “Spider-Man” movies but never got the chance to unleash his evil side, so to speak).

As I said the other day, I really couldn’t imagine Ifans playing Venom or The Green Goblin or any of those other Spider-Foes, but I can see him as a brainy beanpole cum reptilian.

Previously..

Sadly, my fellow “Buffy” fans, I’m not referring to James Marsters snagging a lead role in Sony’s “Spider-Man” reboot but rather that other Spike – the one from “Notting Hill”.

Pommy chameleon Rhys Ifans has been offered the lead villain role in director Marc Webb’s “Spider-Man”.

No word on which bad guy Ifans is playing (there’s rumours that Venom, the rogue in “Spider-Man 3″, might be in the script, but there’s also suggestions that Electro and The Green Goblin might be in the mix) but personally, I can see him in the role of Dr Curt Connors (aka The Lizard).

The site says that there’s whispers that the new film might actually feature multiple villains -a’la “Spider-Man 3″. Philip Seymour Hoffman has been touted for a role in recent weeks, suggesting he’d be playing one of the other bad dudes.

Commenting on the announcement, Sony co-chairman Matt Tolmach said, “We have been very fortunate to attract some of the best actors working today to play the villains in the Spider-Man movies, and it is exciting to see that trend continue with Rhys Ifans. After seeing his performance in our upcoming film Anonymous, we’re in awe of his talent and think he’s the perfect choice to take on this role.”

And here’s the line that makes me think he’s playing Dr Connors :

Webb says, “What sets the Spider-Man villains apart is the complexity of their relationships with Peter Parker. Rhys’ incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character.”

Warmth? Rage? The Lizard, right!?

Ifans, also known for the films “Little Nicky” and “The Replacements” and next seen as Xenophilius Lovegood in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″, joins Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the 2012 release.