I think the obsession with constantly rebooting Spider-Man is extremely annoying. As far as superheroes go, Spider-Man is boring. He’s a cheeseball with very little edge. But for the third time in my lifetime (and the second time in the past four years), the Spider-Man film franchise is getting a reboot with a brand-new Spidey. Marvel and Sony spent months auditioning potential candidates and the shortlist was a who’s who of who’s that. So, who is the winner winner chicken dinner? British actor Tom Holland, a 19-year-old kid who could barely pass for 14.
Marvel and Sony have found their Peter Parker. “The Impossible” actor Tom Holland is set to play the web-slinging superhero in the next “Spider-Man” franchise. Jon Watts (“Cop Car”) will direct the film.
“I’ve worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent,” Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group chairman, said in a press release. “For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start.”
The actor is first expected to make an appearance in “Captain America: Civil War” in order to properly introduce him into the Marvel film universe, with standalone films to follow on July 28, 2017. Sony announced a new partnership with Marvel Studios in February that would bring the popular superhero into the Marvel universe. Former Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal is producing along with Kevin Feige.
Variety goes on to detail the exhaustive process of finding the new Spidey, which included months of auditions for completely unknown actors before going back to look at actors with some film experience. The other contenders (at various times) were Asa Butterfield, Charlie Rowe and Matthew Lintz. Feige said he really wanted Spider-Man to go back to the beginning, meaning Peter Parker needed to be high-school-aged. Oh, and Spider-Man will have a cameo in Captain America: Civil War.
Also, this new Spider-Man reboot has already caused some consternation in some quarters because of how close-minded Sony execs were being about the casting and the characterization of Peter Parker, as revealed in memos retrieved in the Sony Hack. Sony execs sent out memos declaring that Peter Parker/Spider-Man needed to be a white, heterosexual non-smoker who was a virgin until the age of 16, and never, ever curses like a sailor. Are kids really interested in seeing this? AGAIN? I guess the kids will just see whatever Marvel tells them to see.
Here’s Holland showing off some of his sweet Spidey moves a few days ago. Apparently, he’s very physical and a very talented dancer (he starred in Billy Elliott the musical in London).
Photos courtesy of WENN, Tom’s Instagram.
unrelated, but i would love if ant man flops this summer! not interested in another spiderman, i liked the first one with andrew and low-key didnt hate the second, but im way out the target age at this point and i just dont find it interesting to see another 16 yo spiderman in high school.
he at least looks like peter, something that andrew never did (still liked it), but whatever i dont care
I agree. What they need to do is take The Flash to the big screen. He’s the best superhero ever imho.
Well, technically the first spiderman was Toby Maguire who was better than Andrew IMO. So I agree, don’t know why they need yet a 3rd Spiderman but let’s not forget how many different actors have been Batman and really only Michael Keaton was good to me.
how many spiderman reboots do we need?
I was thinking the same thing. I’m so sick of Spiderman. And Superman.
I’m sick of pretty much all reboots, sequels, prequels, origin stories, franchises. UGH.
I was thinking Superman too. I guess Man of Steel made a lot of money, but nobody seems that thrilled with Henry Cavill.
Sick of all super hero movies period. There needs to be a five year moratorium.
I know, I’m also getting real sick of these ridiculous Spider-Man reboots, and I really like Spider-Man!
I blame useless Sony, who just keep sinking lower in my opinions, and their desperation to have a hit. That hack has ruined the studio, simply by making public what went on shins closed doors.
From their ridiculously thin, ill thought out plans to have a Spider-Man universe full of Spideys unmemorable villains a la Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, to selling Spidey back to Marvel to co produce another blasted reboot, to insisting that Spidey be white AGAIN… They are making such desperate, craven, irresponsible, money-grabbing decisions right now, and I’m not sure I’ll even watch this latest reboot. Which is fighting talk, cause I’d watch anything based on a even half decent comic book.
Yawn – this has been done to death.
Yes it has been. I am pretty Spider-Manned out. But it will make a lot of money.
Well, at least they got a kid to play someone who is supposed to be a kid, vs the usual casting of a 27 year old to play a 15 year old …
But other than that – agreed, the Spidey reboots are annoying
They can also keep making moar and moar Spiderman films with him for years after the 1st one without worrying he’ll look too old.
As much as I dislike him, Andrew Garfield was a pretty awesome Spider-Man.
Never mind. I goofed.
I wouldn’t mind it as much if Spidey had cameos like the one on Civil War, I mean, that’s what fans wanted, to not forget his role during that arc. But starting the whole story again? Killing Uncle Ben again? That’s exhausting.
By this time everyone knows what happened, I don’t think his solo movie will be successful. Could be wrong, tho.
Oh good, ANOTHER Spiderman reboot and origin story. Because the two we just had weren’t enough?
Andrew was a great Spider-man who you could tell loved the comic books remember his first trip to comic-con wear he dressed up in a budget spider-man costume and went up to the audience microphone and done a beautifully awkward heartfelt speech about why he needed spider-man when he was younger. Andrew’s admitted many times that he cares a lot what people think of him and that he’s overly sensitive I don’t think he handled the criticisms of TASM2 well.
Sony should just let the rights revert back to Marvel. Churning out placeholder installments so that they keep the character is clearly tiring audiences. This is a franchise and character that needs to be rested for a few decades.
I agree with this sentiment but it won’t happen. Too much money at stake.
Spider-Man is a great character. I thought Tobey Mc did a great job. Andrew’s was OK in the first movie. Where these movies fell way short was developing the Gwen Stacy/Mary Jane storylines- and those were so integral as to why PP/Spider-Man is a great comic series. Hope he keeps the mask on for Civil War- he has a baby face, and he’ll look even younger next to Chris E!
Who???
I don’t think he looks 14, it’s just that we’re so used to seeing mature 20-some year olds as high schoolers, we’ve forgotten what teenagers look like.
Egads. Why? How many Spider-Man reboots are they going to make?
Do they really think audiences are going to pay to sit through another reboot of this story, only a few years after the last one? I’m a MCU fangirl but I’m not going to give them any money for this crap.
Maybe if they’d cast a PoC actor, brought something new and interesting to the table.
And I’ll be real, I have no desire for some 14 year-old’s nonsense plots mucking up the MCU. Don’t care about teenage angst, please keep it far away from my superhero movies, thanks.
Do people want to see this? Not really the twitter world was having a field day with this announcement (and not in the good way).
This makes 3 reboots of this franchise and I’m in my early 20s. Three. I didn’t go to the theaters to see the last two movies and I won’t be seeing these. It could very well flop due to fatigue. The AG versions did not do so great and the lack of excitement could make this the worst stand alone for the MCU.
I love comic books. I’ve read them since I was five. I am definitely a Marvel gal (with some Image/Dark Horse tendencies). I effing *loathe* Spiderman.
I spent $15 in NY to see Spiderman 3 and said, “That’s it, I’m done.” Missed the NCAA Championship football game for it too. Never again. The last thing we need is ANOTHER Spiderman even if he will be opposite the human dorito.
He has such a baby face. I just wanna pinch his cheeks lol.
Ughhhhhh noooooo not another teenage Spider-Man!!! The best parts of Peter/Spider-Man is his adult life as Spider-Man which is why I loved the animated series, Sam Raimi’s trilogy, but disliked the ultimate comic series.
Sony AND Marvel are doing this movie together which is why this is even being integrated into the MCU. The article says that Kevin wanted this young Spider-Man reboot move again so there ya go people who wanted rights back to Marvel.
Would have watched if it was Asa Butterfield but not now. audiences might have liked to follow a child actor into a role like this.
Good thing Asa wasn’t casted. He’s too good for this.
If there is going to be another Spider Man, can we at least make him fight with Zombies and Vampires? Idk, just spice it up or go to the extreme… aren’t there other comic books and /or graphic novels that we can take to the screen? And, why can’t young audiences watch the original versions of these superhero films?
There hasn’t been a good Spider-Man movie since Tobey McG’s second one. I can’t believe we’re going to have more Spidey so soon after those horrible reboot films (not saying Garfield was bad — he and Emma Stone gave it their all — but there’s only so much that even very strong actors can do with such crappy material).
That said, wasn’t Holland the eldest son in that movie The Impossible? If so, he is a very very good actor. I loved that film even though it was freaking terrifying.
I definitely agree with commentors about how unnecessary it feels to have another Spider-Man reboot at this point, but I can’t help but be excited about this casting. Tom Holland was such a standout in The Impossible and How I Live Now (the two movies I’ve seen him in). Also, there definitely room for improvement on both the Spidey franchises we’ve seen. The Tobey McGuire ones started out strong, but seemed to get worse each passing film. The more recent adaptation had good chemistry between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield but not much else going for it.
Dead Spider Under My Boot….coming next summer!
All I can think is. .. why? Another spiderman? the world of comics is huge. There’s no other character who’s more interesting than Peter parker? Or how about a black widow movie? I would actually like to see an origins movie for her, her background seems interesting.
All I can think of is the show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt with the mock of up of the Spider-Man Show on Broadway. How many Spider-Men were in that? I think I might watch that as a movie though if they made it.
Another Spiderman? Bo-RING!