‘Spider-Man’: New And Improved?
Spider-Man seems to be the next superhero to get yet another reboot.
Certainly, reboots are hot right now. Director J.J. Abrams took a huge risk in taking on the beloved Star Trek franchise a few years ago to resounding success, Superman has undergone several reboots over the last several years, and while not technically a reboot, the Star Wars saga is getting a fresher look as Abrams tries his hand at the hotly-anticipated sequel. Why shouldn’t Spider-Man get a new look?
There are several young actors being rumored as potentials for the role of the web slinger. Asa Butterfield, most recently of Ender’s Game, has teased possibilities of being considered for the new role of a teenaged Spider-Man. The reboot is thought to be a fairly smart move, as Andrew Garfield’s most recent turn as Spider-Man was generally praised. Why not take a different spin on this popular figure?
Reportedly, actors Tom Holland, Charlie Plummer, Matthew Linz, Butterfield, newbie Judah Lewis, and Charlie Lowe are all being considered to take on the coveted role in Captain America: Civil War, due out in 2017. Tyler James Williams of The Walking Dead has also said that he would “absolutely love” to take on the role as the newer version of Spider-Man that recently debuted in comic book lore, Miles Morales, who is of black and Hispanic ancestry. Williams desire to take on the role mirrors his fans’ desire to see him do so; his fan base has been clamoring for him to take on the part for some time. What continues to be an unknown is whether or not Marvel wants to take Spidey in that direction.
This new version of Spider-Man would be the series’ third reboot in a decade. Tobey Maguire played the web slinger in three different sequels, while Andrew Garfield most recently appeared as the hero in The Amazing Spider-Man series. This series would focus on Spider-Man, or his alter ego Peter Parker, during his high school days, according to the little bit of information that Marvel has released about the most recent film incarnation of the wall crawler.
Odds are good that the reboot will go over well with audiences. Both recent versions of Spider-Man have done very well at the box office, although Spider-Man 3 is likely considered one of the worst films of an otherwise strong franchise. No one seems to know exactly when the Spider-Man reboot would hit theatres; right now, it appears that all Marvel is looking for is a teenage version of Peter Parker to cameo in the next Captain America flick. It’s hoped, though, that this new version of Spider-Man will also be improved; perhaps Marvel will also look for a Spidey whose personal conflicts will resonate with audiences as much as the action sequences will.
[Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images]
