Final Contenders For Marvel’s Spider-Man Revealed

Yes, we know, not long ago we were telling you that young British actor Asa Butterfield was all but confirmed to be the big screen’s next friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man - and the first to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, we may have spoken just a little too soon, as - while Butterfield and fellow young Brit Tom Holland are confirmed to still be in the running - it has emerged that some more previously unnamed contenders have screen-tested for the coveted role.

Could one of these turn out to be the first wall-crawler to appear side-by-side with the Avengers and company? We shall see…

- Butterfield Favourite For Spider-Man
- Surprising Spider-Man Director Shortlist
- Sony’s Spider-Man: What Went Wrong?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, screen tests were recently held in Atlanta, Georgia. As well as the aforementioned Butterfield and Holland, four considerably lesser known young actors are also said to have tried the iconic red and blue suit on for size.

These were Judah Lewis (above, soon to be seen in ’Demolition’ and ‘Point Break’), Matthew Lintz (below, the upcoming ‘Pixels’), Charlie Plummer (‘Boardwalk Empire,’ second below) and Charlie Rowe (’Red Band Society,’ bottom).

In attendance at the screen tests were Marvel’s Kevin Feige, Sony’s Amy Pascal and directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The Russo Brothers will direct the first film in which the new Spidey appears - ‘Captain America: Civil War’ - whilst Feige and Pascal will co-produce a 2017 Spider-Man solo movie, as part of Marvel’s deal with Sony to share the rights to the character.

Reportedly the contenders have been whittled down to this final six after more than 1,500 young potentials were looked at in recent months.

Aside from their relative obscurity (’Ender’s Game’ and ‘Hugo’ star Butterfield notwithstanding), the main thing these actors have in common is their youth. Charlie Rowe (below) is reportedly the eldest candidate at 19, whilst some of the others may be as young as 14.

This, it seems, is all part of the plan to keep this new Spidey in high school for several films - as opposed to having him graduate by the second act, as was the case in both Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ and Marc Webb’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man.’

It has been hinted that Feige and Pascal are looking to take a John Hughes-esque teen comedy angle on the character, as may be reflected by some of the reported candidates to direct the film such as Jared Hess (‘Napoleon Dynamite’) and Jason Moore (’Pitch Perfect’).

Most refreshingly, Feige has already emphasised that Spider-Man’s origin story will not be retold yet again.

As ‘Captain America: Civil War’ is already in production, we would expect the decision on Spider-Man’s casting to be made sooner rather than later. Butterfield may seem to be the favourite, but could one of the lesser-known contenders snatch the role from under him? We shall see…

We’ll meet the new Spidey when ‘Captain America: Civil War’ opens on 29 April 2016, with the new ‘Spider-Man’ solo movie to follow on 28 July 2017.

- McConaughey Wanted For Spider-Man Villain?
- Martin Freeman Joins Civil War
- Whedon Wanted Spider-Man

Picture Credit: Marvel, IMDb, WENN