Tom Holland is the New 'Spider-Man'
After months of rumors and unconfirmed reports, Sony has finally found its new "Spider-Man" and he is none other than British teen actor Tom Holland. Holland, who was part of the cast of "The Impossible," beat several other young actors such as Asa Butterfield, Charlie Plummer and Matthew Lintz among others.
According to a report in Deadline, the 19-year old actor was reportedly handpicked by Kevin Feige, with the express approval of Sony Pictures head Tom Rothman. Holland was said to have topped the worldwide search among hundreds of actors. He went through a screen test twice -- first with Robert Downey, Jr. and second with Chris Evans.
He was apparently a unanimous choice for Feige and producer Amy Pascal. According to the report, he also had a powerful supporter behind him. "The Impossible" director Juan Antonio Bayona did his own lobbying with Rothman in order to push Holland's bid.
In another report in IGN, Marvel issued this statement about their choice of actor: "Marvel and Sony Pictures, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal conducted an extensive search for the actor. The studios and producers were impressed by Holland's performances in The Impossible, Wolf Hall, and the upcoming In the Heart of the Sea, and by a series of complex screen tests."
Amy Pascal also had this to say about Holland as the new "Spider-Man":
"Sony, Marvel, Kevin and I all knew that for Peter Parker, we had to find a vibrant, talented young actor capable of embodying one of the most well-known characters in the world. With Tom, we've found the perfect actor to bring Spider-Man's story into the Marvel Cinematic Universe."
Holland will first appear in a cameo role in "Captain America: Civil War." The solo movie for the web-slinger is slated to come out on July 28, 2017. The movie is being directed by Jon Watts.
