Believe it or not, Joe Manganiello was actually in the original 2002 Spider-Man. Yeah, the one with Tobey Maguire. He wasn't some background extra or a "guy in the coffee shop." He played Eugene "Flash" Thompson.
Wait. You remember Flash. He was the guy who got a tray of macaroni and cheese dumped on him before getting absolutely clocked by a newly-powered Peter Parker in the school hallway.
If you look at Manganiello today, he’s this massive, 6'5" wall of muscle known for Magic Mike and playing Deathstroke. But back in 2001, he was just a kid fresh out of Carnegie Mellon. He’d literally been in Los Angeles for three days before he landed the audition. Think about that. Three days in town and he's already reading for Sam Raimi.
The Audition That Almost Made Him Spider-Man
Joe didn’t even go in for Flash Thompson initially. He actually auditioned for Peter Parker.
I know, it sounds wild now. Imagine a world where the dude who looks like he eats boulders for breakfast was the "puny Parker." He showed up with glasses and a button-down shirt, trying to look the part. The casting director basically told him he was great but had zero chance of getting Peter.
She wasn't being mean; she just had eyes.
She asked him if he knew the character Flash. Joe, being a massive comic book nerd in real life—we’re talking hardcore Dungeons & Dragons and Marvel lore—knew exactly who Flash was. He ripped off the button-down to reveal a tank top and went full bully mode.
He got the job.
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Sony paid him $500 to stay and screen test against the other Peter Parker candidates. One of those candidates? James Franco. It’s a small world. Franco obviously didn't get Spider-Man either, but Raimi liked him enough to cast him as Harry Osborn.
That Infamous Hallway Fight
The hallway fight is basically cinematic history. It’s the moment Peter realizes he’s not just fast; he’s "spidey-sense" fast.
Joe Manganiello had to sell the hell out of that scene. He wasn't the tank he is now, but he was still a big guy. He spent the whole shoot wearing a blue and white striped polo shirt and a wallet chain. It was very 2002.
There’s a legendary story from that set. A crew member—one of the stunt guys or grips—actually walked up to Joe and offered him $100. The catch? He had to "accidentally" punch Tobey Maguire in the face for real during the fight choreography.
Joe turned it down. Smart move.
He later joked that if he’d taken the money and decked the star of the movie, his career would have ended before it even started. Instead, he just took the scripted beating and fell into a locker.
The Secret Spider-Man 3 Cameo
Most people think Joe just vanished after the first movie. He didn't.
If you blink, you’ll miss him, but Flash Thompson actually returns in Spider-Man 3. He doesn’t have any lines. He doesn't bully anyone. He’s just there at the very end, standing in the background at Harry Osborn’s funeral.
It’s a subtle touch by Sam Raimi. It showed that despite the high school drama, these characters all grew up in the same neighborhood. Flash was still part of the circle, even if he was just a face in the crowd by then.
Why He Won't Come Back (Probably)
When Spider-Man: No Way Home started bringing back every actor who ever touched a Marvel script, fans started asking if Joe would suit up.
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In the comics, Flash Thompson eventually becomes Agent Venom. He loses his legs in the war, bonds with the symbiote, and becomes a hero. It’s a massive, emotional arc. Given Joe’s current physique, he looks exactly like the comic book version of Agent Venom.
But Joe has been pretty vocal about this.
He told Screen Rant and other outlets that he isn't interested in a "look-at-me" cameo. He doesn't want to just stand in a corner and wink at the camera for five seconds. If he’s coming back to Marvel, he wants it to be for a role with teeth.
"I’d rather do something more substantive—someone who can stick around for a while," he said.
Honestly, he’s right. At this stage in his career, going back to play "Middle-Aged Bully" feels like a step backward. Plus, he’s already been Deathstroke in the DC universe, so his plate is pretty full with geek-culture icons.
What You Can Learn From Joe’s Spidey Start
It’s easy to look at a star and think they had it easy. But Joe Manganiello’s Spider-Man story is a lesson in being ready.
- He was "off-book" for a role he didn't even want. When the casting director asked him to read for Flash, he didn't need the script. He’d already memorized the whole thing just in case.
- He knew his niche. He wanted to be the hero, but he realized his physicality made him the perfect antagonist. He leaned into it.
- He played the long game. He didn't take the $100 to punch Tobey. He stayed professional, made the most of a small role, and used it as a springboard for everything else.
Next time you’re watching the 2002 Spider-Man, keep an eye out for the guy in the hallway. He’s not just a bully. He’s a future werewolf, a stripper with a heart of gold, and the deadliest assassin in the DCU. He’s just wearing a really bad polo shirt.
If you're a fan of the Raimi trilogy, go back and watch that hallway fight specifically for Joe’s facial expressions. His "tough guy" act crumbling when Peter catches his fist is some of the best physical acting in the whole movie. It's the exact moment Flash realizes the world has changed.
Check out the "making of" features on the original DVD or Blu-ray if you can find them. They show some of the screen test footage where you can actually see Joe and James Franco together. It's a surreal look at what might have been.