(USA Today) Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Spider-Man.
Marvel and Sony Pictures announced on Marvel.comthat actor Tom Holland will take over the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the superhero's upcoming film. The film will be directed by Jon Watts, who directedCop Car, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year.
Holland, 19, has appeared in The Impossible, Wolf Hall and upcoming In the Heart of the Sea, alongside Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor for Marvel.
Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman said of the casting and director selection, "The Marvel process is very thorough, and that's why their results are so outstanding. I'm confident Spider-Man will be no exception. I've worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent. For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom's screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start."
Marvel head Kevin Feige added, "As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life. We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring."
Holland takes over the role from Andrew Garfield, who played Parker/Spider-man in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man and 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Before that the role was played by Tobey Maguire in three Spidey movies, in 2002, 2004 and 2007.
Holland's casting may disappoint some fans who were hoping the new Spider-Man might be an opportunity for Marvel to become more diverse. When the new Spider-Man film was announced, many fans were vocal about wanting the character to be played by an actor of color, or for the bi-racial character Miles Morales to take on the mantle of the hero.
The new Spider-Man film is due in theaters on July 28, 2017. Many fans expect the character to make an appearance in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, which is based on a comic book storyline that features Spider-Man prominently.
