Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have ended a worldwide casting search by selecting Tom Holland to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the upcoming film. Jon Watts has been tapped as director.
Holland, 19, is a relative unknown to the acting world. He is most recognized for his part in 2012’s The Impossible with Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor and for his portrayal of Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical in London’s West End.
Watts most recently directed Cop Car, a thriller that was introduced at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Co-producer Kevin Feige said of Watts, “As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life. We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring.”
Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group Chairman, said, “It’s a big day here at Sony. Kevin, Amy [Pascal, producer] and their teams have done an incredible job. The Marvel process is very thorough, and that’s why their results are so outstanding. I’m confident Spider-Man will be no exception. I’ve worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent. For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start.”
The as-yet-untitled Spider-Man reboot is due to hit theaters July 28, 2017 and will be released in both IMAX and 3D.
News source/photo credit: Marvel
