New Spider-Man chosen for reboot

(Sony Pictures. All Rights Reserved.)

Since January, the role of Peter Parker in ‘Spider-Man' has been up for grabs after director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire bowed out of the fourth installment. Finally on July 1, Sony/Columbia Pictures announced that actor Andrew Garfield would take on the new Spider-Man in the reboot of Marvel's superhero franchise.

The new director, Marc Webb who made (500) Days of Summer commented in a press release, "Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity."

Garfield's films include such notable work as Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, the UK's gritty Red Riding Trilogy series, Spike Jonze short film I'm Here, and Robert Redford's Lion for Lambs with Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. He has also won awards for the British stage.

Perhaps his highest profile project will be David Fincher's The Social Network, playing Facebook's co-founder, due in November. Also, Garfield has a lead in the upcoming Never Let Me Go with Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley.

The 26-year-old American-born and British-raised actor beat out a comprehensive list of candidates for the hotly-contested role, including Aaron Johnson ( Kick-Ass), Anton Yelchin ( Star Trek, Terminator Salvation), Logan Lerman ( Percy Jackson), and Josh Hutcherson ( Cirque du Freak).

Producer Laura Ziskin said, "Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen."

The story of the next Spider-Man is a prequel that returns Peter Parker to high school. Production begins in December and it will be released in 3D on July 3, 2012.

http://spiderman.sonypictures.com/

RC