Spider-Man is getting the reboot treatment yet again as Marvel takes the reins and includes him into their cinematic universe. Now that it’s official and Marvel has indicated they’re looking to take the webhead back to high school, it’s time for the names of every single actor under the age of 30 to be bandied about as a potential new Peter Parker.
So, without further ado, here are some of my names to be bandied about as the top picks for Marvel’s version of Spider-Man.
Dylan O’Brien and Logan Lerman: Let’s get the top picks out of the way first. The announcement had hardly got out before Lerman’s name was mentioned and O’brien came shortly thereafter. The two frontrunners at the moment are pretty decent picks.
Lerman seems to be the stronger choice, as he has shown his ability to lead a franchise in the Percy Jackson series, even if the films themselves are of questionable quality, and has also shown that he can hold his own on screen with Hollywood’s heavy hitters with roles in Noah and most recently, Fury. It doesn’t seem like such a jump to see this guy on screen with the Avengers and he could easily hold down a solo Spider-Man film with all the charisma and likeability he exudes.
O’brien on the other hand, is just breaking out after rocketing to popularity on the hit show Teen Wolf so his name has a little less baggage, which could work out in his favour. He has shown his own franchise holding power with The Maze Runner series which was financially viable and was fairly well received. How he fits into the team dynamic with the Avengers and how he would command a lead role like Peter Parker could be what keeps him out of the role.
Asa Butterfield
If it were up to me, Butterfield would have been at the top of the list already. Headlining an action film with Ender’s Game, a Scorsese drama with Hugo and making everyone weep buckets in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Butterfield has shown that not only is he comfortable in a variety of lead roles but can he ever act! This very rare talent in someone his age may not be enough to get him to Midtown High though, since I doubt he could put on the muscle needed to be a superhero and he’s actually high school age. We all know in Hollywood it’s practically a crime to play your own age.
Kodi Smit-Mcphee
With the wallcrawler returning to high school and balancing the rigors of superhero life with the angst of being a teenager, Smit-Mcphee would seem a likely candidate. Turning heads in The Road and the criminally underrated Let Me In, he’s already shown not only some serious acting chops but that he’s completely comfortable being in the spotlight. The only thing that could hold him back is Spidey’s need for wisecracks and jokes, something his dark and bleak resume hasn’t showcased at all.
Nicholas Hoult
Hoult has come a long way from About a Boy; Mad Max, Jack the Giant Slayer, Warm Bodies, A Single Man, and Clash of the Titans are just a few of the titles that have shown how diverse Hoult can be. Not only could I see him holding his own with Robert Downey Jr. and company but he could definitely anchor his own Spidey movie. The problem with this choice is that he’s most famous for playing Beast in the First Class era X-Men movies so working out the filming schedule and getting a sign-off from Fox seem pretty unlikely.
John Boyega
Let’s say they decide to go with Miles Morales instead of Peter Parker in an attempt to offset a third reboot in 13 years, Boyega seems like the perfect choice. He’s hot as can be as he’s starring in the upcoming Star Wars installment, a job that puts him on Disney’s radar already. In addition to that, he’s much younger than fan favourite Donald Glover is for the role, something that seems to be a big factor for Marvel. Though I’d definitely need to hear his American accent first because, if I’m being honest, I didn’t understand 60% of the dialogue in Attack the Block.
