It was expected that this announcement was imminent, and in a statement released today, Marvel and Sony made it official. 19 year old Tom Holland has been cast as the new Spider-Man/Peter Parker, and expected to make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War.
We reported last week it was down to four actors in line to assume the role, and Holland was on the short list. The character will be re-booted for the next stage of his big screen adventures, with both Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures utilizing him in films taking place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
From Marvel:
Let the web-slinging begin. Marvel announced on Tuesday that 19-year-old British actor Tom Holland, star of 2012’s tsunami drama The Impossible, HBO’s Wolf Hall, and the stage phenomenon Billy Elliot: The Musical, will take over the role of Peter Parker in the next Spider-Man, due in theaters in 2017.
Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios are proud to announce that after a full worldwide casting search, Tom Holland will play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the next Spider-Man film, in theaters in IMAX and 3D on July 28, 2017. The film will be directed by Jon Watts, director of “Cop Car,” the upcoming thriller that made its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
Marvel and Sony Pictures, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal conducted an extensive search for both the actor and the director. The studios and producers were impressed by Holland’s performances in “The Impossible,” “Wolf Hall,” and the upcoming “In the Heart of the Sea,” and by a series of complex screen tests. Following Marvel’s tradition of working with the brightest next wave of directors, Watts also went through multiple meetings with Feige, Pascal, and the studio, before winning the job.
In addition to the casting info we learned Jon Watts, director of the Sundance hit Cop Car, will helm Sony’s next Spider-Man film which will hit the big screen in July 0f 2017. Disney & Marvel Studios will co-produce that film, keeping it in line with the massive continuity of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Notably absent from this press release is any mention of Spider-Man’s appearance in Captain America: Civil War, which is currently shooting in Georgia. His inclusion will finally see the iconic Marvel wall crawler teaming up with Iron Man, Captain America and various other members of The Avengers.
Spider-Man played a pivotal role in the Civil War comic book storyline which the next Captain America film will take heavy cues from. It’s unlikely Peter Parker will follow the same path in the movie version given Marvel’s plan to reboot him as a high school crime fighter. You can read more into Spider-Man’s role in the Marvel Comics’ Civil War storyline HERE.
The identity of the actor cast as the new Spider-Man would have likely leaked once he reports to the set of Civil War in the upcoming weeks to shoot scenes. How big a role Spidey has is not yet known, and as of now, his appearance is still unconfirmed by Marvel. But if Holland is seen on set next to Robert Downey Jr. by paparazzi lenses, that is why the official casting announcement was expected sooner than later.
Captain America: Civil War is set for May 6, 2016. The all star line-up includes Chris Evans (Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Scarlet Johansson (Black Widow), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Paul Bettany (Vision), Emily Van Camp (Agent 13), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Daniel Brühl (Baron Zemo), Frank Grillo (Crossbones), William Hurt (General Ross) and Chadwick Boseman making his debut as Black Panther.
SOURCE: Marvel
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