Andrew Garfield is Spider-Man

**bychance** · July 1st, 2010, 11:42 PM

It's Official! Andrew Garfield to Play Spider-Man!

Sony Pictures has officially announced that Andrew Garfield has landed the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in director Marc Webb's Untitled Spider-Man Film! The film focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises. The action adventure will open in 3D and 2D theaters on July 3, 2012.
Here's the official press release followed by the announcement photos:

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Today's confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office.

On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, "Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker."

Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures said, "Spider-Man is a classic superhero -- a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the first time we saw him in the upcoming film The Social Network, to his glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker."

Producer Avi Arad added, "I'm incredibly excited about Andrew Garfield. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future."

Producer Laura Ziskin said, "We are thrilled to have Andrew Garfield for this new incarnation of Spider-Man under Marc Webb’s direction. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men. In the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen."

The selection of Garfield was revealed at a press event in Cancun, Mexico for international journalists attending a media tour promoting upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international praise.

Garfield most recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming film The Social Network. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot love story I'm Here, which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go, due for release later this year.

Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford’s Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films' "Red Riding Trilogy – 1974" directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley's "Boy A," for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.

Garfield’s career began in theatre and in 2006 his performances in "Beautiful Thing" (Sound Space/Kit Productions), "The Overwhelming," and "Burn / Chatroom / Citizenship" (Royal National Theatre) won him the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard awards and the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle Theatre Awards. Other notable theatre credits include "Romeo and Juliet" (Manchester Royal Exchange) and "Kes" (Manchester Royal Exchange), for which he received the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the Manchester Evening News Awards 2004.

**KristiB** · July 2nd, 2010, 12:43 AM

Reminds me of a young David Tennant.

**angelais** · July 2nd, 2010, 12:52 AM

Do we really need another Spider-man movie? I think not. And especially not in 3D.

**SuriCruise** · July 2nd, 2010, 01:08 AM

He's cute. How many Spiderman movies have they made? After the second one I'm pretty sure people just stopped seeing them, I didn't even know they were still making sequels.

**Sorce** · July 2nd, 2010, 02:25 AM

They're up to three.

**bychance** · July 2nd, 2010, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by SuriCruise

He's cute. How many Spiderman movies have they made? After the second one I'm pretty sure people just stopped seeing them, I didn't even know they were still making sequels.

Its a reboot. Sam Raimi (and the original cast) moved his separate ways from Sony due to conflict. There's a post about it somewhere I'm sure. And I'm pretty sure the third Spider-Man film (which was the last one) in 2007 set a record in the box office for first week sales at the time.

**NVash** · July 2nd, 2010, 09:50 AM

The third was trash. Do we really need a reboot though? So far Im not liking this dude at all but maybe well get a more appropriate Mary Jane. I can hope.

**sprynkles** · July 2nd, 2010, 09:58 AM

Oh yes, I hated that blonde fug whatshername. This guy looks like a Peter Parker type imo. I didn't like Toby as Spiderman at all. Way too girly and sort of ugly. Nothing to root for in those movies.

**Shiver** · July 2nd, 2010, 10:19 AM

They should really wait a few more years before rebooting the series.

**NVash** · July 2nd, 2010, 10:20 AM

Actually I liked Bryce Dallas Howard. Problem was the casting was all wrong. She wasnt Gwen Stacy, they shouldve left her with her red hair and let her be Mary Jane. Topher Grace should not have been Venom he shouldve been Peter Parker. And Kirsten Dunst should have been Gwen Stacy. Now as for Toby, he did good but the movie was still terrible.

**kingcap72** · July 2nd, 2010, 11:27 AM

After this long search they came up with that guy? Really? Toby was definitely the better choice. But, then again, it's too soon to reboot the franchise anyway, but the studio needs to make more money.