'Spider-Man' Candidates: Who Stands Out Among the Long List of Names?
Who do you choose to fill Maguire's shoes?
Mike Fleming at Deadline is reporting Sony appears to be inching closer to casting a lead for its upcoming 3D Untitled Spider-Man Reboot. Word is Columbia execs began reviewing screen tests on Friday (6/25) and while the possibility that more candidates could be thrown into the race remains, here's the long list of actors currently in the running:
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| Jamie Bell Billy Elliot, Jumper | Anton Yelchin Star Trek, Terminator Salvation | Aaron Johnson Kick-Ass | Andrew Garfield Never Let Me Go, The Social Network |
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| Logan Lerman Percy Jackson, Gamer | Alden Ehrenreich Tetro | Frank Dillane Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Michael Angarano Sky High |
To me, Yelchin seems like a no-brainer to play the young Peter Parker for (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb. He roamed the halls as a high school outsider very nicely in Charlie Bartlett and has certainly become acclimated with working on a massive franchise movie after his role as Chekov in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. My only concern might be his age, as he'll be 23 by the film's targeted July 3, 2012 release date.
Then again, studio execs have never shied away from casting 20-somethings in teenaged roles. Hell, Ralph Macchio was 22-years-old when he starred as a high schooler in the first Karate Kid and James Dean was well into his 20s when he filmed his now-legendary role as a certain rebellious teen.
Even by that logic, I'd still consider Jamie Bell far too old for the part (he's already 24). I've always seen him as more of a villain type anyway. Who knows, maybe he'll end up with a role as a baddie in the film or in a sequel… not to be one to typecast or anything.
There's also the question of whether Yelchin would be able to, or even want to, handle the demands of simultaneously working in two tent pole franchises, as a Star Trek sequel has already been announced for the summer of 2012.
Anyway, we can expect production to begin before the end of the year and for Webb to begin casting the supporting roles as soon as they decide on a lead.
What do you think? Has Sony cornered the marked on potential Peter Parkers, or are they overlooking a possible strong candidate? My inner "True Blood" fanatic can't help but think Allan Hyde would be a strong sleeper choice to play a young Spidey. That is, if Webb and company are willing to take a chance on a more unknown actor. He certainly looks heroic enough for it.
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Jamie Bell FTW!
uh nobody here
i don't believe in Johnson because he yet acted in KIck-ass and will be in the reboot/prequel/sequel/spin off of X-men and i like Jamie Bell !
Gotta be Aaron Johnson
i'm going to have to go with the guy from Sky High
Kurt Russell???
My initial vote would be Yelchin, but you are right..he may not pass off as young enough.. But he's just so good I would love it if it was him… I freaking loved him in Bartlett
Wasn't Donald Glover trying to get this role?
To me Logan Lerman is probably the best choice. I've only seen him in a few roles but he is good in all of them and Percy Jackson (saw it, actually decent) shows he can carry his own vehicle. I would like to see Aaron Johnson do it but he pretty much said he wouldn't as he's already done his superhero thing. Yelchin and Bell are "too established" in my mind and no one else on the list jumps out as a real quality choice.
I doubt I'll be seeing this unless the reviews are outstanding, but one other way to get my 15 dollars is to give Donald Glover the role. It'll never happen but he would kill the role and it would just be an awesome surprise.
Logan Lerman has the best appeal and familiar face from teens and kids!
Look at these guys, if their names weren't shown I would've probably noticed Lerman and Yelchin, yet Anton's name isn't the type that everyone would remember quickly.
doesnt matter who gets casted, they wont be tobey mcguire!! haha
I would love to see Andrew Garfield get this role, but I think there are a lot of good choices on this list.
Joseph Gordon Levitt, he's older to play an adult Spider-Man. But god forid we get Spider-Man out of high school…
Logan lerman is the most appropriate for a teenage spidey. He can do comedy, drama, and action adventure
Alden Ehrenreich would kick some ass as spider-man. He covered so much emotional territory in Tetro that spidey would be a cake walk.
But I think he's too small a name for Sony to cast, and although most of these actors have had solid performances, I'm not too excited about them being cast.
Is anyone really excited about this movie? I just don't feel the excitement.
None of them are really nerdy, and some of them are too good looking for the part. I'm sorry, but I think Peter Parker is a very ordinary guy, and all of these candidates look nothing ordinary, not on the 'guy next door' sense. Maybe just the last one, Michael Anganaro.
Not that I think this should be a CONCERN to Sony. As long as the guy can act, I think that's okay. Someone like Aaron Johnson or Logan Lerman are not very Peter Parker-y, in my opinion, but… I'll allow myself to be surprised.
I would vote for Anton Yelchin regardless. He's very charismatic, I think he was the best cast in Star Trek!
yeah i agree with you on the attractive aspect..Aaron Johnson is way too attractive to pull of the dorky/geeky/mouse-y look that is integral to the peter parker character.. I mean I know he kind of was in Kick-Ass but I still thought he was attractive..
It's all about Logan Lerman, he is only 18 and could pull off Peter Parker AND Spider-Man's personalities much better than others up there
Cut out all the non-Americans. Spiderman is an American icon, and should be played by an American. My vote is for Logan Lerman. He's got the look, and I think he could do it.
Anton Yelchin would be a good peter parker and so would Aaron Johnson.
Yelchin would be perfect.
ANTON YELCHIN/AARON JOHNSON -> PETER PARKER/SPIDERMAN
I was thinking of people not on the list and even though he's a little old I could see Alex Frost doing it. For some reason I'm seeing Andrew Garfield in the role the easiest even though he too is a stretch age-wise, I thought he was excellent in the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.
I dunno, it's kind of a waste in my opinion, Marc Webb was barely able to do a decent romantic comedy, I highly doubt he can pull off a full scale superhero movie. I know I'm gonna get some flack for that but I thought 500 Days of Summer was mind blowingly pretentious.
"mind blowingly pretentious"
pre-ten-tious adj (webster.com)
1 : characterized by pretension: as a : making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing)
ironic (see above)
I said jamie bell should be spider-man before they even got a director for this project and all we knew was they were re booting the franchise. So way before this list and i stand by it and i'm very glad to see it's a good chance it might actually happen. Though now you mention it brad i would welcome him as the movies villain instead of it's hero. I'd almost prefer it. A hugely underappreciated talent.
I apologize. I read the story but not who it was by. Sorry Kevin. I agree with you and not brad on jamie bell. lol.
Anton Yelchin in my eyes is the absolute best choice for young Parker. He has the look as well as the comedic timing for all the snarky remarks Spider-man is very well known for [Which the original trilogy was very much lacking]
People will probably bring up how "He won't be able to handle the action scenes but did you think Tobey Maguire could when he chosen to wear the famous spandex.
LATE
I would like to see Jamie Bell take the role, though I can see it going to Anton Yelchin or Logan Lerman, both of whom could also pull it off.
I think Logan Lerman should take over the role
O.K, after a while these brown haired caucasians start to look the same, I'd go Jamie Bell simply because I want to see an older more competent Spiderman rather than an insecure teenager, we've already seen that and it was kind of boring even than.
However they wont do that, they'll more likely go with someone like Anton Yelchin because of his previous "successes" and younger look making it more possible for him to do more film.
Yelchin is at best a bit player in "Star Trek", which, while still a big hit, was completely dwarfed by the box office returns of any of the Spider-man films, especially worldwide. If he ws offered the role, I'd have to think Spidey was the franchise he'd rather be in from a sheerly mercenary standpoint.
Please cut Aaron Johnson and Jamie Bell… I like them but they are british, I'm tired of seeing british people playing american, I've had enough Robert Pattinson and his Edward Cullen already. When there are american actors, why go with british? It's not like their acting is much better.
And Jamie Bell is kinda old too… He's about 24 in 2012 he'll be 26 and playing a high school kid?? Nah, put someone more believable…
My favs are Logan Lerman, Anton Yelchin and Michael Angarano. They're american and look young, I could see any of them being Peter Parker
@amber ann
Hollywood is merely compensating us for years of Americans pretending to be Brittish, I'm looking at you Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves!
But anyway, nationality shouldn't have a say in the matter, if they can act well that's all that matters, heck, if you didn't know they were Brittish and they do a good American accent, isn't that satifactory?
I agree with Amber Ann. Whoever plays Spidey should be American. British people get their knickers all in a wad whenever an American plays a British icon–Bridget Jones and Robin Hood, for example. I just think that since Spiderman is so American, he should be played by an American. There are plenty of young American actors with talent who could play Peter Parker. That said, if there were absolutely no American good enough, maybe–just maybe–they should go with a Brit who is not any of the ones mentioned above.
What, no love for Shia Lebeouf? Heh. Just kidding.
they shouldn't make another spiderman movie, it would be overkill, the 3rd one sucked, so they should end it there before the make another terrible movie.
none of the above this idea is lame as hell. this is step one of disney killing off comic book movies
Sony has complete control of this film property…. Disney has no real say in how they proceed with it.
Mangarano is an ugly MOFO, it should be Anton.
From that list, Anton first for sure, then it'd have to be Jamie.
But what ever happened to the rumors about Joseph Gorden Levitt?
allan hyde. he's a badass
That's what I'm saying!
I would chose Logan Lerman,I've seen him in a few movies:percy jackson,hoot,meet bill,etc.He was a very good actor in all of those,plus he had action experience during Percy Jackson and the olympians:The lighning thief.Also,i find him very cute so with his looks the movie mite appeal to more women,in my defense