And The New Spider-Man Will Be Played By . . .
The “Spider-Man’’ movie franchise is in trouble. The last film, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,’’ disappointed fans and critics. It made money, of course, but not enough to warrant a sequel without major changes to the tone and cast. The web of this once unstoppable franchise is getting a little thin.
That fits. Peter Parker – like the Spider-Man franchise – is used to being down on his luck. The frail boy who became the Spider-Man has all the problems facing the typical American teenager. He’s nervous around girls. The school bullies harass him in the hallways. His boss is a maniacal tyrant. He doesn’t have a car.
On top of that, his parents are dead. He’s responsible for his uncle’s murder. And he has to use his incredible spider powers to keep the world safe for democracy. Tobey Maguire did a great job playing Peter in the first three films. Garfield, on the other hand, seemed more comfortable in the costume.
So, who among the ranks of actors dying for a franchise would be best as the next Spidey? Five of the True Believers here at Boston.com were tasked with that question. Sound off on their selections in the comments section.
Dave Franco
One of Spider-Man’s most powerful weapons isn’t his web-shooters. It’s his big mouth and the annoying banter that pours out of it when he’s in a fight. The less-famous Franco brother not only has the Peter Parker look going for him. He’s demonstrated his comedic strength in movies like “21 Jump Street’’ and “Neighbors.’’ As a bonus, he also has some experience in the superhero genre as the voice of The Riddler on the now-defunct show, “Young Justice.’’
– Sanjay Salomon
Aaron TveitJeff Daly/USA Network
Unless you’re a “Les Miserables’’ fanatic, chances are you aren’t familiar with Aaron Tveit — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be. The Broadway, film, and TV vet has the looks and chops to pull off both Peter Parker’s shy personality and Spider-Man’s baddass-ness. He’s in shape for the high-flying stunts thanks to his cop role as Mike Warren on the USA thriller series “Graceland’’ and his fresh face may be just what the Spidey franchise needs. Willing to take a chance, Sony?
– Emily Wright
Donald Glover
If Sony and Marvel really wanted to shake things up, they’d cast Donald Glover as the web-slinging wall-crawler. In 2010, fans on social media campaigned to have the “Community’’ star play Spider-Man in the franchise’s reboot. The campaign had such a far-reaching impact, though, that Marvel went ahead and created an African-American version of the superhero named Miles Morales, who has since become a fan-favorite in the comic book universe.
Now that it looks like Garfield is on his way out, this would be the perfect time to bring the new character to the big screen.
– Matt Juul
Bill Murray
To be honest, you could ask me “Who should play Beth in another remake of Little Women?’’ and I’d say Bill Murray. Or, “Who’d be the best choice for Michael Jordan in the upcoming biopic?’’ and I would say Bill Murray. When given the choice of watching him or someone else, I will always choose him.
In all seriousness, when it comes to Spider Man, Murray makes a lot of sense: The execs at Sony wrote that they want someone who could play an older Peter Parker, and as much as I love Murray, he’s no spring chicken. But more importantly, he’s proved that he has the action hero chops needed to really nail the role. You know that scene in Groundhog Day where he punches Ned Ryerson in the face? I dare you to find me a better on-screen fight than that. You can’t. The choice practically makes itself.
– Charlotte Wilder
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe is the spirit animal of Peter Parker. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to find out he webs his way around London at night. There are countless reasons he would be perfect for the role.
He’s adorable and on the short side and has an accent. Can’t beat that. How can you not fall in love with that face? Right off the bat, he wins all audiences. Have you ever met someone who was like, eh, about him? We care about his well-being. We stand by his side when the bullies break his glasses. We want to hug him when Mary Jane Watson goes off with that jerk boyfriend. Oh, and did I mention his accent?
And, he raps. What more would you want from a Spider-Man? If Sony decides to rattle things up and go with a Spider-Man the musical, Dan would nail it. Oh, and he already owns the suit.
– Erin Connolly
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