Home Entertainment Marvel have found their Spider-Man actor and director!

Marvel have found their Spider-Man actor and director!

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After an exhaustive and thorough auditioning process that saw just about every up and coming teenage boy actor rumoured to be on a shortlist, Marvel and Sony have finally found their new Spider-Man. Ladies and gentlemen and whatever Nick is, I give you the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker: Tom Holland.

The 19-year old British actor’s biggest role to date was in Juan Antonio Bayona’s harrowing tsunami movie The Impossible, a performance that impressed Marvel and Sony Pictures producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal (and me, even if it wasn’t Spidey-like at all). Of the casting, Sony Pictures’ Tom Rothman said that they “saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special.” According to a report from THR, Holland underwent “complex screen tests” to get the job. And yes, it was more than just boys standing around going “THWIP!” while making heavy metal signs.

Marvel and Sony apparently started off with more than 1500 hopefuls between the ages of 14 and 19 who were then whittled down to six actors – Holland, Asa Butterfield, Judah Lewis, Matthew Lintz, Charlie Plummer and Charlie Rowe. They were then all screen tested with Robert Downey Jr. aka Iron Man to determine the chemistry between the older Avenger and the young actors, whittling the field down further to just Holland and Rowe. Holland though was then also asked to test with Chris Evans aka Captain America – the only one to do so – during which he emerged as the clear choice. A decision was made in this week and Holland was informed just 24 hours before the news broke.

The reason why Holland probably tested with both Downey Jr. and Evans, is that it is expected that he will be making his debut as Spider-Man in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War which is currently busy shooting (and features practically EVERY superhero out there). Thereafter Marvel and Sony will be co-producing a Spider-Man solo movie in 2017 as part of their recent deal to “reboot” the character and bring him into the MCU proper. And the man they’ve chosen to make that solo movie is Jon Watts.

JonWatts

If you just went “Who?”, then don’t worry you’re not the only one. Despite the reported short-list of more well known directors, Marvel have gone with the out of left field pick of Watts who made his start in music videos (much like Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb) and helmed the truly disturbing Clown and also the upcoming Kevin Bacon action thriller Cop Car, which actually looks kind of cool. At first glance, Watts’ filmography doesn’t exactly lend itself to Spider-Man, but that’s pretty much what we said about Jon Favreau, the Russo Bros and James Gunn and their respective movies and look at the awesomeness they gave us.

Marvel were apparently looking for a director with good comedic sensibilities, and it is said that Kevin Feige handpicked Watts after being impressed with the director’s take on Spider-Man and also because they were looking for somebody who could deliver something different to the previous films. Based on their track record though, clearly Marvel know what they’re doing when it comes to making inspired, unexpected choices, so I’m going to trust their judgement on this one.

Last Updated: June 24, 2015

10 Comments

  1. To be honest, I ave complete faith in Marvel for their choice in actors and Directors… The haven’t gone wrong yet! (Well at least with the recent joint MCU)

    Reply

  2. Blood Emperor Trevor

    June 24, 2015 at 10:19

    He’s 19? Did you make a typo & add a ‘1’ by accident?

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      June 24, 2015 at 11:09

      Hey, don’t get jealous coz he ages better than you, gramps!

      (Also, his babyface probably helped him, as he’s supposed to be playing a 15 yr old Peter Parker)

      Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        June 24, 2015 at 11:23

        Shows what you know, I’m only old enough to be his dad! ;P

        Reply

        • Captain JJ Browmehn

          June 24, 2015 at 13:06

          Wow. So you were active quite young then?

          Reply

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            June 24, 2015 at 13:18

            I’m just flattered you think I’m younger than I am. 😀

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 24, 2015 at 13:37

            I know how old you are (in human years).
            I just think as a gamer, being sexually active anything before 28 is quite the accomplishment. ;P

  3. Captain JJ Browmehn

    June 24, 2015 at 13:06

    A reboot already?
    I like The Amazing Spider-Man (even if I am the only one). Way better than the Tobey McNugget ones.

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      June 24, 2015 at 13:47

      “Reboot” is actually kind of the wrong term. Marvel finally struck a deal with Sony to bring the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They wanted a clean break from the previous films, both because merging the two continuities would have been incredibly messy and the films were not as well like as Sony had hoped for.

      But Marvel are not going to be retelling the origin story all over again. They’ve publicly stated that everybody already knows this story now so there’s no reason so see Uncle Ben dying again. Apparently this Spider-Man is already active in the MCU, but in secret and will just get introduced publicly in the upcoming movie.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 24, 2015 at 16:36

        UNCLE BEN DIES AGAIN! I just knew it

        Reply

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