by Justin Cook
According to a new report, Asa Butterfield, once rumored to be the frontrunner to play Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is no longer in contention for the role.
The news broke on Meet The Movie Press, a weekly podcast hosted by Jeff Sneider (The Wrap) and Mark Reilly (Schmoes Know) on the Popcorn Talk Network. Sneider also announced that sources of his are saying Marvel and Sony have narrowed down the list of actors in the running for the role to three: Tom Holland, Charlie Plummer and Matthew Lintz.
Holland was one of five names on a previous shortlist, but Plummer and Lintz are both new to the mix.
Sneider also mentioned how Marvel and Sony seem to be on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to which actor should play the role. Sony is all for giving Holland the part, while Marvel is backing Plummer.
Holland gained attention acting alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in J.A. Bayona’s 2012 film The Impossible. He earned rave reviews and many awards for his performance, such as Breakthrough Performance – Male from the National Board of Review. He will also be seen in Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea, which is set to be released this December.
Plummer played Michael Thompson on the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, and also had a recurring role on the series Granite Flats. Lintz, on the other hand, has had numerous smaller roles in such films as What to Expect When You’re Expecting and the upcoming Adam Sandler comedy Pixels.
Spider-Man is expected to make his MCU debut in next year’s Captain America: Civil War; it is still unknown if the character will merely make a cameo in the film or serve a larger purpose. A solo film for Spider-Man is slated for July 28, 2017 release.
Source: Meet The Movie Press
