SPIDER-MAN — 10 Actors We'd Cast
Rumors of a Marvel Studios deal with Sony to share the rights for Spider-Man have been circulating ever since the Sony Pictures hack. The deal opened up as a possibility because Sony is reportedly unhappy with how its movie production company has mismanaged the franchise, producing high budget under-performing movies. Sony Pictures has made every effort to discredit any deal (despite what its parent company wants), while Marvel Studios - who wants the deal - has stayed very quite.
While this whole mess gets sorted, we do know that if Marvel brings Spider-Man into their cineverse they are going to be jettisoning all canon from the Mark Webb and Sam Raimi films. Which means Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire will not be Spider-Man eligible.
If/when Spider-Man joins the Marvel cineverse, rumor is that it will be sometime during the Avengers: Infinity War two part saga, and not have any origin story for the character.
I bounced some actors names around with the GeekTyrant team and this is a list of 10 actors we'd cast to play Spider-Man. I've broken them up into three major groups that describe how that version of Spider-Man might work in the Marvel cineverse.
Young Spider-Man:
Having a young wisecracking Spider-Man who is a runt of the Avengers litter would add an interesting dynamic. If the Marvel cineverse is able to be cohesive long enough, we could see a 15 year arc of Spider-Man starting as a rookie and becoming leader of the Avengers. Peter Parker joining the "Science Bros." would also be very fun to see.
Josh Hutcherson
(22) 5' 7"
Hutcherson came very close to getting the role back in 2010. I've embed his screen test so you can see what he looks like in action. Carrying over fans of the Hunger Games would be another reason why Marvel Studios might consider him.
Dylan O'Brien
(23) 5' 11"
Playing a character with no revealable backstory is a hard thing to act and O'Brien did it very well in The Maze Runner. He also displayed his ability to pull off action. Finally, he has a small but vocal fan base from Teen Wolf.
Anton Yelchin
(25) 5' 9"
With the strongest filmography of the young group, Yelchin gives great performances in large franchises and indie films alike. He's been a believable action-ish hero in several films and he's got really great comedic timing. Geeky, yet brave - that sounds like Peter Parker to me.
Seasoned Spider-Man:
This Spider-Man has been fighting crime in New York for at least a decade; he was in a different part of Manhattan fighting the Kree during the events of the first Avengers film. Thanks to J. Jonah Jameson, only the Avengers are credited for saving New York, so that puts a minor chip on his shoulder. He could be a bit of a lone wolf who does not want to join a team. I wouldn't have him take off the mask until the second movie to reveal that he's Peter Parker, a long time tech rival to Tony Stark.
Jim Sturgess
(33) 6' 0"
A believable mathematician in 21 and a surprise action hero in Cloud Atlas, Sturgess in an underrated actor who's proven very versatile. He's not very well known, which could work in his favor, depending on what Marvel is after.
Ben Whishaw
(34) 5' 9"
Whishaw has such a unique sounding voice and brings real raw emotion into all the roles I've seen him in. He's not exactly an action star and has not proven himself in that respect, but it's the unexpected which could make him work. Imagine a late reveal after a long battle, with Spider-Man finally taking off his mask to reveal a nerd.
Jake Gyllenhaal
(34) 6' 0"
Gyllenhaal was set to replace Maguire if he didn't return for Spider-Man 3. Arguably the most versatile actor on the list, he's played nearly every type of role except superhero. This might be the right time and role for Gyllenhaal.
Matthew Goode
(36) 6' 2"
Having played Ozymandias in Watchmen, Goode is no stranger to comic book movies. His best work can be seen in numerous indie films. It's his appearance on The Good Wife as Finn Polmar, a charismatic and sharp witted lawyer, that makes me think he could pull off the Spidey-quips.
Hugh Dancy
(39) 5' 11"
From Black Hawk Down and The Jane Austen Book Club to Hannibal, Dancy is another actor with a wide acting range. He could bring a real gravity to the role but also has great comedy timing.
Veteran Spider-Man:
Retired as Spider-Man for many years, Peter Parker has built a tech company Parker Industries, a rival to Stark Industries. The events of Infinity Wars make him don the suit once again, this time with more web tricks than we've ever seen on film. He will die saving the world or pass on the torch when he realizes the world still needs Spider-Man, in either case paving the way for Miles Morales.
Tom Cruise
(52) 5' 7"
I can't think of an actor who loves doing his own wire-work stunts more than Cruise. He was very nearly Iron Man, a role he was attached to for years and eventually lost interest in. Cruise brings a fierce intelligence and intensity that could be explosive to see when paired against Robert Downey Jr. — I'd love to see those guys go toe to toe.
Kevin Bacon
(56) 5' 10"
Bacon still has the moves and has an earnestness that would be amazing to see in an older Peter Parker. He's also the exact height of Spider-Man in the comics.
Wildcards:
Essentially my honorable mentions list. I don't think these actors have a chance at playing Spider-Man, but I do hope they can become contenders if Marvel's take on the character changes.
Tyler James Williams as Miles Morales
(22) 5' 8"
The second youngest on the list, Williams has been a child actor for much of his life. He's great on The Walking Dead and many of the other numerous roles he's played. He's also been near the top of every fan casting list I came across for Morales.
Donald Glover as Miles Morales
(31) 5' 10"
Glover, best known for his role on Community, was the subject of a fan movement to have Sony cast him as Spider-Man when the property was rebooted by Webb. He's also voiced an animated Morales on Ultimate Spider-Man.
Grant Gustin
(25) 6' 2"
Yes, he's The Flash, but he's also got all the qualities that would make a great Spider-Man. After Warner Bros. and DC decided not to connect the movie and TV universes, they have left all those great actors up for grabs by Marvel. It would be interesting if Gustin decided that if they aren't going to make him The Flash in the movies, he's just going to be Spider-Man.
That wraps up this GeekTyrant fan casting list. Who would you cast and how would you fit that version of Spider-Man into the Marvel cineverse?