By now you've heard the news: Spider-Man is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Until today, Sony Pictures has kept a tight hold on its license to all things big-screen Spider-Man, its biggest cash cow. This meant that Peter Parker could never share the screen with other Marvel heroes like Iron Man or Captain America, even though Spidey is Marvel Comics' most popular character.
Now, thanks to a new partnership between Sony and Marvel, Spider-Man is finally set to mingle with the Avengers. Sony will reboot its Spider-Man franchise (yes, again) under Marvel's tutelage, while Marvel Studios will usher that same Spider-Man into the MCU. It's unknown how many Marvel films the new Spidey will appear in — it's assumed his first MCU pic will be Captain America: Civil War — but you have to assume that the House of Ideas would love to have him eventually become a card-carrying Avenger.
What all this means to fans is that Andrew Garfield's tenure as Peter Parker is over. Garfield did a great job in the role, even if he was a bit old for it, but too much heavy-handed studio interference on the second movie scuttled his chances of a third go 'round. So Sony and Marvel are now searching for a new Peter Parker to fill those all-important footies.
We humbly submit that any of the following young actors would make a terrific Spider-Man.
Ansel Elgort
At 21 years old, he's the perfect age to convincingly portray a Peter Parker who's young enough to reboot the franchise, while aging with the character over the next five to 10 years. Plus, he's got some real acting chops, as The Fault In Our Stars fans well know. If Marvel and Sony want a recognizable actor who already has passionate fans, Elgort could be just the ticket.
Grant Gustin
What a ballsy choice this would be. Casting 25-year-old Grant Gustin as Peter Parker would not only put an appropriately nerdy/heroic actor in the role, it would also send a signal to DC and Warner Bros. that the gloves are off. That's because Gustin is best known as The CW's Barry Allen, aka the Flash. It's unlikely that Flash fans would disapprove, since DC itself already snubbed the actor when casting its big-screen version of the Flash. If DC's not going to take advantage of his talents, someone might as well.
Dylan O'Brien
Best known as the star of Fox's The Maze Runner, Dylan O'Brien has already proven himself capable of carrying a franchise to success (sequel Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is due this Fall), but he's got more genre creds than this one character. The 23-year-old is also known to fans of MTV's Teen Wolf for two traits that embody Peter Parker: earnest sincerity and sarcastic humor.
Dave Franco
Like Elgort, James Franco's younger brother would be a "name" actor to attach to the part. Dave Franco is the oldest man on this list, at 30 years old, but he's still two years younger than Andrew Garfield. Franco has a surprisingly long resume of both film and television roles, and most of his work has been in comedies like 21 Jump Street, Now You See Me and Scrubs. He's becoming as well-known as his brother — while bringing along none of James' reputation for increasingly bizarre behavior. Besides, Spider-Man runs in his family; James was the original Harry Osborn, and was once considered by Sam Raimi for the role of Peter Parker.
Chace Crawford
With his Ian Somerhalder eyes, heavy brows and chiseled jaw, Chace Crawford might actually be a bit too "heartthrob" to pull off Peter Parker's geeky nature. He's almost as old as Franco, too. On the plus side, he ditched the Bieber hairdo after Gossip Girl ended, and if he shaves his beard he probably still has a baby face hiding underneath. Crawford's existing build wouldn't require much heavy lifting to fill out Spider-Man's tights — which could be a real bonus for Marvel if they hope to work Spidey into Captain America 3, since it begins filming soon.
Logan Lerman
If Marvel and Sony are looking to cast a relative unknown as their new Spider-Man, then Logan Lerman is out. But he's got the right look and sensibility, and he's very comfortable in front of a camera. The 23-year-old is known for his starring turn in the Percy Jackson movies, as well as noteworthy roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah and Fury. His experience would make him an easy choice, since he'd have no trouble disappearing into the role.
Tyler James Williams
On the off chance that Marvel and Sony indulge the notion of skipping Peter Parker altogether and going with that other Spider-Man, young Miles Morales from Ultimate Spider-Man, then Tyler James Williams would be the perfect choice. Using Miles would make it easy for Sony to erase viewers' memories of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, since Miles is a completely different character. Williams is known for a wide range of acting styles in Everybody Hates Chris, Dear White People and a guest turn on The Walking Dead. Miles is younger than Peter, still a meager teenager, but Williams is just 22 and could probably pull it off.
