The acting pool from which Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios will choose their new Spider-Man has been reduced to five young actors.
According to The Wrap, the five actors who comprise this list are Asa Butterfield, Timothee Chalamet, Tom Holland, Liam James, and Nat Wolff.
Each of these young men are well below the age of the previous two actors to take on the role. Tobey MaGuire and Andrew Garfield were 27 years old when they first portrayed Peter Parker as a high school senior. Butterfield, Holland, and James are 18 years old, and Chalamet and Wolff are both 20 years old. By casting a much younger actor, it will make it easier for Sony and Marvel to present fans with a Peter Parker who will truly look young enough be of high school age.
The Wrap also reported that next week Sony will be making test offers to “several young stars”. And while these five young men listed above are reported not to have test offers, they are still considered to be “strong contenders” for the part.
Since an actor will need in place by June, in order to be on set when Spidey’s footage for Civil War is supposed to be shot, a decision should be coming within two to three weeks and should be made official once negotiations are complete.
The new, younger incarnation of Spidey will make his debut in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War on May 6th of 2016, and then in his own stand alone movie for Sony PIctures on July 28th of 2017.