That’s right, like both Spider-Men prior this one will start off as a teenager, but hopefully Kevin Feige and Co. are smart enough to realize that we can totally gloss over the origin story at this point. “Nerdy kid… gets bit by radioactive blah blah… Uncle Ben RIP etc. etc.” “Teen Wolf” and The Maze Runner actor Dylan O’Brien (age 23) and Logan Lerman (also age 23) of Fury and Noah fame are both being eyed for the role, says the trade, though no offers have been made in these early days. In fact, Lerman was at one point considered a front-runner for 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man.
But that’s not all! Apparently those actors may have to take a backseat if Sony and Marvel Studios are indeed considering replacing the iconic Peter Parker with the Ultimate Universe version of the character Miles Morales, who has African American and Puerto Rican heritage. Actor and rapper Donald Glover had been a fan favorite (and possible visual inspiration) for Morales, although at age 31 he’s a little long-in-the-tooth to don the black and red costume.
Not that it’s stopped the gatekeepers of cinematic Spidey before. When Tobey Maguire first put on those red and blue duds for 2002’s Spider-Man he was 26, while Garfield was 28, which is a stretch to play characters that aren’t legally allowed to drink. Garfield’s Peter Parker was only just graduating from Midtown High School at the start of last year’s Amazing Spider-Man 2.
With shooting on Captain America: Civil War set to begin in April, we should expect to know shortly whether the third time is indeed the charm for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.