Tom Holland is the new Spider-Man

Tobey Maguire had an impressive five year run playing Spider-Man from 2002 to 2007 in three films directed by Sam Raimi. Following him was Andrew Garfield who starred in two films of two years from 2012 to 2014 under the supervision of Marc Webb. The latest pairing of director and star to be bringing Spidey to the screen have just been revealed.

Nineteen year old Brit Tom Holland will take on the role of Peter Parker in the new reboot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and there’s various pros and cons for the casting. While Garfield was at least a decade over the preferred age for the role, Holland fits the bill for a teen Peter and he impresses in The Impossible and TV’s Wolf Hall. However, considering the other candidates (Asa Butterfield, Nat Wolff, Timothee Chalamet, Liam James) there wasn’t one black actor in the mix. Holland makes his debut as Spider-Man in next year’s Captain America: Civil War.

The director whose been appointed is Jon Watts, who is behind the upcoming thriller Cop Car. He may not seem like the candidate most suited to the job but Marvel made unexpected talents out of newbies such as The Winter Soldier’s Anthony and Joe Russo and underrated filmmakers such as Avengers’ Joss Whedon (Serenity) and Guardians’ James Gunn (Slither) while directing veterans The First Avenger’s Joe Johnston (The Wolfman), The Incredible Hulk’s Louis Leterrier (Red Dragon) or Thor’s Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet).

For the supporting cast, we’d propose rumours about Matthew MacConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club) as Green Goblin or Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) as Mary Jane Watson – replacing the abandoned Shailene Woodley casting. Or perhaps Vincent D’Onofrio (Jurassic World) will step up from Netflix’s Daredevil to play Kingpin on the big screen.

Civil War also stars Chris Evans (Snowpiercer), Scarlett Johansson (Lucy), Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes), Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Anthony Mackie (The Adjustment Bureau), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), Daniel Bruhl (Rush), William Hurt (Humans) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit).

Captain America: Civil War – April 29th 2016

Spider-Man – July 28th 2017

Final candidates in Spider-Man castings and Josh Trank exits Star Wars spin off

We picked up a report recently that Marvel’s candidates for the role of Spider-Man were considerably younger than previous stars Toby Maguire (The Great Gatsby) and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) as well as earlier rumours about Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner) and Logan Lerman (Fury). The latest news on the subject is that The Fault in Our Stars’ Nat Wolff, The Way Way Back’s Liam James and Interstellar’s Timothee Chalamet are out of the running and two contenders remain. There are young Brits Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Ender’s Game) and Tom Holland (The Impossible, Wolf Hall). The information comes from well informed Hollywood insider Devin Faraci. The MCU Spider-Man debuts in next year’s Captain America: Civil War before his spin off in 2017, directed by Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods).

Josh Trank’s career seemed to be on a great track after the found footage superhero hit Chronicle. Fox snapped him up for the upcoming reboot Fantastic Four while Disney employed him for the second Star Wars Anthology spin off. However, Fantastic Four has been plagued by reshoots and rumoured behavioural issues and that may have worried the Star Wars brain trust (Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, Rian Johnson, JJ Abrams). The latest announcement is that Trank is no longer attached to the film despite a year’s work on it. We might be hearing about a replacement very soon.

By comparison, spin off Rogue One is running smoothly with director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) and stars Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler), Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games) and Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises). Meanwhile, The Force Awakens is directed by JJ Abrams (Star Trek Into Darkness) and stars Harrison Ford (Blade Runner), Oscar Isaac (Drive), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Adam Driver (Tracks), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Mr Selfridge), Max Von Sydow (Minority Report) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings).

Rogue One – December 16th 2016

Star Wars spin-off – May 2018

Spider-Man – July 28th 2017

Asa Butterfield and Tom Holland in Spider-Man rumours and Riz Ahmed joins Rogue One

Since Sony’s Spider-Man franchise dissolved, its been up to Marvel to find the new casting. Previous reports cited that 23 year olds Logan Lerman (Fury) and Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner) were the frontrunners to play a teen Peter Parker but these new cast contenders seem far more intriguing.

Star: Asa Butterfield
Age: 18
Nationality: England
Roles: Hugo, Ender’s Game, X+Y

Star: Timothee Chalamet
Age: 19
Nationality: United States
Roles: Interstellar, Men Women & Children, Homeland

Star: Tom Holland
Age: 18
Nationality: England
Roles: The Impossible, Locke, Wolf Hall

Star: Liam James
Age: 18
Nationality: Canada
Roles: The Way Way Back, 2012, Psych

Star: Nat Wolff
Age: 20
Nationality: United States
Roles: The Fault in Our Stars, Stuck in Love, Paper Towns

Following a breakout role in the chillingly brilliant thriller Nightcrawler, Four Lions breakout star Riz Ahmed is a rising star that has grabbed the attention of the new Star Wars brain trust. The writing/directed/producing team of The Force Awakens and beyond (Super 8’s JJ Abrams, Looper’s Rian Johnson, Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan, Lincoln’s Kathleen Kennedy) are also overseeing the first of the Star Wars Anthology, Rogue One, and Ahmed is reportedly in the running for the lead role while Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games’ Finnick) has also been mentioned in connection. Rogue One is set between Episodes III and IV and depicts the rebel plot to steal the plans of the death star. Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters) directs the cast of Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises) and Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything).

Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One – December 16th 2016

Spider-Man – July 28th 2017

12 Years triumphs at People’s Choice Awards and new Amazing Spider-Man 2 posters

After director Steve McQueen and star Michael Fassbender were snubbed for both Hunger and Shame, they’re finally getting award recognition for 12 Years a Slave, which won Best Film at the Golden Globes and People’s Choice and shone out at the Academy Award nominations. Here’s the full list

Best Picture

12 Years a Slave

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Saving Mr Banks

Best Actor

Matthew MacConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club

Christian Bale – American Hustle

Bruce Dern – Nebraska

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave

Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips

Robert Redford – All is Lost

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Judi Dench – Philomena

Brie Larson – Short Term 12

Meryl Streep – August: Osage County

Emma Thompson – Saving Mr Banks

Best Supporting Actor

Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Philllips

Daniel Bruhl – Rush

Bradley Cooper – American Hustle

Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave

James Gandolfini – Enough Said

Best Supporting Actress

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Scarlett Johansson – Her

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Julia Roberts – August: Osage County

June Squibb – Blue Jasmine

Oprah Winfrey – The Butler

Best Young Actor/Actress

Adele Exarchopoulos – Blue is the Warmest Colour

Asa Butterfield – Ender’s Game

Liam James – The Way Way Back

Sophie Nelisse – The Book Thief

Tye Sheridan – Mud

Best Acting Ensemble

American Hustle

August: Osage County

The Butler

Nebraska

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

Paul Greengrass – Captain Phillips

Spike Jonze – Her

Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave

David O’Russell – American Hustle

Martin Scorsese – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay

Spike Jonze – Her

Eric Warren Singer, David O’Russell – American Hustle

Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine

Joel and Ethan Coen – Inside Llewyn Davis

Bob Nelson – Nebraska

Best Adapted Screenplay

John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave

Tracy Letts – August: Osage County

Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke – Before Midnight

Billy Ray – Captain Phillips

Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope – Philomena

Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Cinematography

Emmannuel Lubezki – Gravity

Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis

Phedon Papamichael – Nebraska

Roger Deakins – Prisoners

Sean Bobbit – 12 Years a Slave

Best Art Direction

The Great Gatsby

Gravity

Her

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

12 Years a Slave

Best Editing

Gravity

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Rush

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Costume Design

The Great Gatsby

American Hustle

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Saving Mr Banks

12 Years a Slave

Best Hair and Make-up

American Hustle

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Butler

Rush

12 Years a Slave

Best Visual Effects

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Iron Man 3

Pacific Rim

Star Trek Into Darkness

Best Animated Feature

Frozen

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Monsters University

The Wind Rises

Best Action Movie

Lone Survivor

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Iron Man 3

Rush

Star Trek Into Darkness

Best Actor in an Action Movie

Mark Wahlberg – Lone Survivor

Henry Cavill – Man of Steel

Robert Downey Jr – Iron Man 3

Brad Pitt – World War Z

Best Comedy

American Hustle

Enough Said

The Heat

This is the End

The Way Way Back

The World’s End

Best Actor in a Comedy

Leonardo Di Caprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Christian Bale – American Hustle

James Gandolfini – Enough Said

Simon Pegg – The World’s End

Sam Rockwell – The Way Way Back

Best Actress in a Comedy

Amy Adams – American Hustle

Sandra Bullock – The Heat

Greta Gerwig – Frances Ha

Julia Louis Dreyfus – Enough Said

Melissa McCarthy – The Heat

Best Sci-fi Horror Movie

Gravity

The Conjuring

Star Trek Into Darkness

Iron Man 3

Best Foreign Language Film

Blue is the Warmest Colour

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Past

Best Documentary Feature

20 Feet From Stardom

The Act of Killing

Blackfish

Stories We Tell

Tim’s Vermeer

Best Song

Let it Go – Frozen

Atlas – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Happy – Despicable Me 2

Ordinary Love – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Please Mr Kennedy – Inside Llewyn Davis

Young and Beautiful – The Great Gatsby

Best Score

Stephen Price – Gravity

William Butler, Owen Pallett – Her

Thomas Newman – Saving Mr Banks

Hans Zimmer – 12 Years a Slave

Gravity has won the most awards with an impressive six wins but it’s 12 Years a Slave’s day as it picked up Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay. American Hustle gained four wins while Frozen, The Great Gatsby, Blue is the Warmest Colour and Lone Survivor got two. I’m not going to do in depth analysis but I’m stilled surprised Her is being praised as an “original” and “fresh” premise as it has exactly the same plot as a Big Bang Theory episode where a lonely Raj (Kunal Nayyar) falls in love with his I-Phone’s Siri. I’m probably not the first to say it but I haven’t heard anyone else pick up on it.

The only other major piece of news is the stunning new poster for Marvel and Sony’s superhero sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Marc Webb directs and Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Dane DeHaan and Chris Cooper star but today’s focus is the hopefully terrifying new villain Electro, played by Ray, Collateral and Django Unchained’s Jamie Foxx.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – April 18th