Meet the men who could play Spider-Man (exclusive)

Even as Alvin Sargent rewrites the script for Columbia’s rebooted “Spider-Man,” director Marc Webb has been ensnaring actors in his web(b) in his search for the new Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man.

Webb has been meeting and reading actors quietly for several months, but the list has narrowed in the past week or two. No screen tests have been conducted at this early stage (though it will be a requirement), and insiders point out that the director and studio are still on the lookout.

The candidates for the web-slinger include:

  -- Jamie Bell: The 24-year-old English actor, repped by WME and Artists Independent Management, who made his film debut playing the title character in “Billy Elliot,” has been doing the proper British actor thing in period movies such as “Nicholas Nickleby” and “Jane Eyre” (he’s also appeared in Hollywood movies such as Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” and Ed Zwick’s “Defiance”). More important, he’s already stepped into the comics world by portraying Tintin in Jackson and Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin” movie, which won’t hit screens until December 2011.

-- Alden Ehrenreich: The Los Angeles-born 20-year-old has a juicy backstory, having been “discovered” by Spielberg, who saw a comedy video starring Ehrenreich at a bat mitzvah of his daughter’s friend. A couple of TV appearances followed, but the actor’s next big leap came when he was cast by Francis Ford Coppola in 2009’s “Tetro.” He is repped by WME.

-- Frank Dillane: The 19-year-old Brit’s main credit is last year’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” where he played a young Tom Riddle. Is a minor role in a “Potter” film a good springboard for a mega-franchise? It worked for Robert Pattinson.

-- Andrew Garfield: The L.A.-born actor had a short stint on a BBC TV series called “Sugar Rush” but gained notices for playing a young reporter in a gritty British TV movie trilogy titled “Red Riding.” The 27-year-old appeared in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” and will be seen in David Fincher’s movie about Facebook, “The Social Network.” He is repped by CAA and the Collective.

-- Josh Hutcherson: The youngest actor of the bunch -- he turns 18 this year -- is also the one with the most experience. The past six years alone have seen the Kentucky-born kid rack up credits with key roles in Jon Favreau’s “Zathura,” drama “Bridge to Terabithia” and the upcoming “Red Dawn” remake. He appears in the Sundance hit “The Kids Are All Right,” which insider buzz suggests could be an Oscar contender, and starred with Brendan Fraser in “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

Hutcherson, repped by ICM and Beddingfield, just signed on to star in the “Journey” sequel, and that movie could prove a fly in the ointment if the actor’s schedule collides with “Spider-Man.” (Though you can bet every effort would be made to make it work.)

The group of actors seems to fall in line with what Webb has been looking to do with his take on Spider-Man, which is to cast relative unknowns in a story that roots Parker back in high school. The movie will be an angst-ridden tale of a teen dealing with the knowledge that his uncle died even though he had the power to stop it.

Columbia wants to begin production by year’s end, but Webb and the studio are taking their time choosing the actor while Sargent gets the script in spider-shape.

A Columbia spokesperson did not comment on the casting process, saying “There have been a number of names floated online and almost every week, someone calls with a new rumor. We are not commenting on the casting process or rumors such as these.”

- Borys Kit

 

Comments

[Kamilah A.]

People just need new ideas instead of redoing something to death, as usual.

BTW, most movies die when they go into sequels. That's what happened to Spider-Man.

[Ed]

Angst-ridden tale... oh boy...

[m3i zero]

I loved it very much, it is very addicting. The Noir Spider-man has the most awesome costume ever. Webb has been meeting and reading actors quietly for several months, but the list has narrowed in the past week or two.

[howard]

oh come on. none of these guys have a peter parker vibe. too old, too brit, little likeability. Logan Lerman as most fan blogs are saying today is still the best choice for parker/spidey. but studios and directors never listen to the fans. look at cap america. most people thought there was hope for the reboot when lerman was mentioned as a possible spidey but am now joining those who won't bother to watch this. good luck while batman 3 blows you out of the box office

[howard]

sony and webb look at the fan polls which have logan lerman as the overwhelming favorite before you make your final choice

[Jason]

duh, they need to just make ultimate spiderman

[thabooger]

MCLOVIN would make a good peter parker

[thabooger]

they shouldnt make a noir spiderman movie. that would be stupid. they should just link it up with the avengers. which is probably what they are doing.

[tobey! tobey!]

or... why not Tobey Maguire? It saves the trouble of finding another Petey. Why, is he dead or something?

[tobey! tobey!]

ok, nvm, i didn't read the news...so he quits, coz of the storyline, blah blah blah....geesh, just change the storyline to say, 10 years after, just like in Max Payne, and Tobey could definitely play it...

[Lou Dean]

Dude no way man that would be way cool!

Lou
www.online-privacy.de.tc

[coach outlet]

spider-man is very good. hope to see more this moives.

[Brock]

For goodness sake, we don't need a reboot!

[hhhh]

Who is casting? NAMBLA?

[blah]

Hate to say it but Shia Labeouf would be the perfect cast. Think about it. He's a perfect dorky Peter Parker.

[Ted]

Jamie Bell? Watch THIS & decide for yourself...

http://allthingsfoe.blogspot.com/2010/05/jamie-bell-as-spider-man_27.html

[Timothy]

I still think Logan Lerman is perfect for the reboot. He has the vibe for the part; he can pull off the sarcasm of Spider-Man. Just look at his work on "Gamer".

And didn't Stan Lee hint on twitter that he wants Logan Lerman for the part? I'd imagine that Stan Lee's opinion would matter a lot for the reboot.

[corporate training program]

Jamie is great, I would love to see him playing the next Superman. This guy is very talented.

[Lorena]

I love the idea of Marc Webb directing, but I'm not totally in love with some of these names. Lerman seems to be everywhere right now, especially since he's taking on the lead role in the already-anticipated "Perks of Being a Wallflower" movie. I also can't see Hutcherson as anyone but the little kid in Zathura. Jamie Bell has also shown incredible range since having done "Billy Elliot". At least these actors are all barely household names, so Spider-man could boost their career.
As a fan of Maguire in Spider-man, I don't think I can even choose, but that begs the question -- who will play Mary Jane?

Lorena, MakingOf.com