New Spider-Man Actor Narrowed to Tom Holland, Asa Butterfield

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SPIDER-MAN Finalists Reportedly Down to Tom Holland and Asa Butterfield

By Adam Chitwood

Published May 1, 2015

Could the shortlist for the new Peter Parker already be down to two?

And then there were two. While I expected a prolonged series of shortlist leaks and speculative reports, it appears that Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures may have already narrowed down their list of contenders to play the new Spider-Man. The first shortlist story that arrived listed Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars), Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game), Tom Holland (The Impossible), Timothee Chalamet (Interstellar), and Liam James (The Way Way Back) as being among the candidates set to test for the role. Then a few days ago, a rumor surfaced that 18-year-old Butterfield is the frontrunner to play Peter Parker in the MCU and his own standalone movie via Sony.

Now Devin from Badass Digest says he’s heard that Marvel and Sony (the latter has final say over casting) have zeroed in on Butterfield and Holland as the final two contenders to land the gig. While early reports pegged Wolff as a potential frontrunner given that he has a solid fanbase and is on the cusp of breaking out in this summer’s Paper Towns, others said Marvel and Sony really want someone young to play the high school-aged Spidey, and Wolff is already 20.

spider-man-reboot — Image via Marvel Comics

Holland, who is also 18, first came to prominence in the 2012 disaster drama The Impossible, and he continued with a standout turn in 2013’s How I Live Now as well as the currently airing PBS miniseries Wolf Hall. His highest profile role to date comes this December in Ron Howard’s period drama In the Heart of the Sea, about the famous wreck of the whaleship Essex and subsequent survival of the crew stranded at sea. Holland potentially has a leg up on Butterfield thanks to that film, in which he co-stars opposite Thor himself Chris Hemsworth.

Spider-Man will make his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, which started production this week, but the character’s scenes don’t shoot until June. That said, it certainly sounds like Marvel and Sony are moving very quickly on getting this ball rolling. Hopefully we hear final word soon.

For a refresher on all of Marvel’s confirmed releases, see below. And for a catalog of all upcoming superhero movie release dates,click here.