Virtually unknown British actor Andrew Garfield is to star as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man in Sony Picture’s forthcoming franchise reboot.
26-year old Garfield, whose previous film credits include The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Lions for Lambs, will begin work on the new movie in December. The forthcoming Spider-Man reboot is slated for a July 2012 release, with 50 Days of Summer director Mac Webb helming the project.
Director Webb was thrilled at the prospect of directing his lead, stating: “Those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents.â€
“He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”
Discussions between Sony top brass and previous trilogy director Sam Raimi over Spider-Man 4 led to pre-production creative differences, with Raimi telling the studio he could not meet their projected summer 2011 release.
Following Raimi and Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire’s subsequent departure, Sony scrapped the project entirely and set to work on a rebooted franchise entry. Garfield is believed to have beaten numerous high-profile rivals for the part, including fellow Brit actors Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, King Kong) and Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy).
One of the most surprising decisions in Garfield’s casting is his relatively older age, in comparison to the many young actors vying for the role. When Sony initially announced the reboot in January, their press release stated that “Peter Parker is heading back to high schoolâ€, with a more school-centric story arc promised.
However, considering Garfield is already a year older than Tobey Maguire was when he began filming Spider-Man, released in 2001, there are many rumours stating that Sony are tweaking the superhero’s origin story and placing Peter Parker in University for the setting of the as-yet untitled Spider-Man reboot. Currently no additional casting details have been announced.
