Fans of comic books and superhero movies alike united in excitement when Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures jointly announced that they'd finally come to a deal that would add Peter Parker to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even if that ultimately meant the end of the current franchise starring Andrew Garfield; now, reports say they've found their new star in Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man!
In what will be the third unrelated series of films about the high school bitten by a genetically enhanced spider, rumors have surfaced that Sony and Disney are looking for a much younger actor to portray the role, and it seems like Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man could be their choice for the role.
According to Empire Online, sources are saying that Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man casting is almost a reality, as the actor's reps are reportedly discussing contractual minutiae with the people at Marvel for the first appearance of the character in the MCU, which will reportedly be on next year's "Captain America: Civil War," currently being filmed.
Deadline reports that Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man casting possibility is one of a few select actors possibly in the mix, but the young star of films like "Ender's Game" and the Martin Scorsese film "Hugo" might be leading the race so far.
While Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man (or whichever actor is ultimately cast in the role) would get his own stand-alone film on July 28 2017, rumor has it that the character will first appear in some form on the next "Captain America" film, as Spidey is featured heavily on the comics' storyline.
As Latino-Review reports, the 18 year-old actor (or someone around his age) would be cast in the role as Marvel wants to shed some new light on the character on an age that hasn't been greatly dealt with on screen, as the new Spidey would deal with the character's longer ark in high school.
While Garfield's "Amazing Spider-Man" movies weren't as successful as Sony hoped, his portrayal of the character (as well as Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy) gathered critic and fan support.
In any case, the most likely event is that Asa Butterfield's Spider-Man casting will be confirmed or denied soon, as cast members like Robert Downey Jr. are currently shooting the third installment of the "Captain America" films.