Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot is rapidly approaching screen tests that will help decide which young actor will take on the role previously held for three films by Tobey Maguire. The list of actors Columbia Pictures and Webb have in mind for a test continues to grow.
Per the L.A. Times, Kick-Ass star Aaron Johnson and Star Trek’s Chekov aka actor Anton Yelchin have joined a growing short list of actors for the coveted role. Other names previously mentioned in the media include Jamie Bell, Frank Dillane (Teenage Tom Riddle in Harry Potter), Josh Hutcherson (Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant), Alden Ehrenreich and Andrew Garfield.
Aaron Johnson is the most peculiar choice as he just portrayed a faux superhero in Kick-Ass and was outplayed by much younger Chloe Moretz as deadly Hit Girl. Kick-Ass 2 could still happen which could prove confusing if the same actor is playing the lead in two superhero franchises simultaneously. At least Chris Evans left Fantastic Four before jumping into the boots of Marvel’s Captain America.
I remain fairly indifferent to who is chosen to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man without knowing what Columbia Pictures and Webb have up their sleeve. Other than 3D and a supposed sub-$100 million budget, we know so little about the reboot’s tone that it’s hard to imagine who the best fit is at this time.
