James Spader revealed what he would do after the end of The Blacklist years ago but recent developments hint his plan has changed.
James Spader played the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington in the NBC crime-thriller series The Blacklist. Created by Jon Bokenkamp, the series revolved around Red, a former fugitive turned FBI informant, and ran for ten seasons. While the series completed its run last year, Spader has yet to appear in any major motion picture or television show.
During an interview, Spader had revealed his plans for a post-The Blacklist career. While Spader stated his intentions and made them clear almost a decade ago, seeing the actor stick to them is still surprising. Therefore, it is also understandable why Spader has only made one film appearance in the past nine years, and here is everything you need to know about it.
James Spader Once Revealed What He Would Do After The Blacklist Ended
James Spader debuted in the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington in 2013, when the first season of The Blacklist premiered. The actor received two Golden Globe nominations for the role, with the series lasting a total of ten seasons before ending in 2023.
During a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Spader spoke about working on a network television show. At the same time, Spader revealed his plans after his then-current gig The Blacklist concluded and hinted at a return to the stage. He said:
There is no question that whenever The Blacklist comes to an end, as it inevitably will, theatre will be the very first thing I do. Being in a run on stage is the perfect antidote to a long-running television show.
From Spader’s words, it is evident that the actor felt drawn toward the stage, especially after making his Broadway debut in 2009 with the David Mamet play Race.
In the same interview, Spader admitted that he decided to appear on the stage after playing the role of Alan Shore in the long-running series Boston Legal. Therefore, Spader admitted that the experience of working in the theater space was therapeutic after spending half a decade on the small screen.
James Spader Expected to Reprise His Only Film Role in the Past Decade
Spader’s work on The Blacklist kept the actor busy for the better part of a decade due to the grueling schedule of network television and its demanding nature. As a result, Spader almost exclusively stuck to his television gig, appearing in only one movie in the past nine years.
Spader famously played the role of Ultron in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. The film set in the MCU saw Spader provide motion capture and voice to the titular villain and the movie proved to be a major commercial success for the franchise.
Despite Ultron making a handful of appearances in animated shows, Spader did not return to voice the character. However, in August 2024, it was reported that the actor would return to the MCU, with Spader expected to reprise his role for the upcoming Vision series.
Meanwhile, Spader hasn’t announced his involvement in any other projects just yet. As a result, it remains to be seen if and when Spader will make his return to the stage, having expressed a desire to do the same after The Blacklist ended.
