The shortlist of actors that Sony and Marvel want to play Peter Parker aka Spider-Man is down to just 5 people, according to a report by The Wrap. Rumors of the shortlist first came from Steven Weintraub of the Collider via Twitter posts and now the official list has been revealed.
According to the Wrap, the list includes Nat Wolff from "The Fault in Our Stars," Asa Butterfield from "Ender's Game" and "Hugo," Liam James from "The Killing," Timothee Chalamet from "Interstellar," and Tom Holland from "In the Heart of the Sea."
All of the young actors contending for the role are within the age range that Marvel Cinematic Universe producer Kevin Feige wanted, as cited in his interview with Collider. According to the interview, Feige stated that the next incarnation of Spider-Man would depict the character primarily in his high school years.
Tobey Maguire was 26 when he portrayed a high school Peter Parker while Andrew Garfield was 28 when he took over the role. Both film franchises immediately jumped out of the high school setting once Peter got his super-powers but Feige's statements indicates that the new Spider-Man will stay in high school, which explains the need for a younger cast.
The Wrap continues to explain that Drew Goddard, director of "Cabin in the Woods," currently remains at the forefront to direct the new Spider-Man film, rumored to be titled "The Spectacular Spider-Man." According to Screen Rant, the director was also seen in the hotel where the production crew for "Captain America: Civil War" was preparing for filming.
This would indicate that Goddard is preparing a cameo appearance of the superhero in "Captain America: Civil War" and would explain the expedited search for an actor to fill the role. Sony and Marvel might use a stand-in for the cameo appearance and later use the official actor for "The Spectacular Spider-Man."
