Anton Yelchin & Aaron Johnson shortlisted for Peter Parker role in Sony's SPIDER-MAN reboot

By Matt Holmes /

Here we go again. Another casting of a Marvel superhero that has every suitable actor you could imagine linked to the part (remember those John Krasinski, then Channing Tatum, etc days of Captain America?) and then, in all likelihood when all is said and done, it will end up with someone who wasn't even thought to be considered in the first place (Chris Evans). According to the L.A. Times - you can add Star Trek/Terminator Salvation star Anton Yelchin and Kick-Ass actor Aaron Johnson, to the list of those officially being shortlisted to play The Amazing Spider-Man in Marc Webb's forthcoming reboot of the web slinging series at Sony. Screen Tests are imminent, apparently. Both are familiar names. Both have been subject of fantasy fanboy casting. Both seem suitable and have their obvious merits; (Kick-Ass was basically a nerdy Peter Parker without any powers - Yelchin has shone in his two blockbuster stints, and was undeniably cool but Peter Park awkward at the same time in the high school comedy Charlie Bartlett). Both names sure sound a heck of a lot more appealing than the other shortlisted names; Jamie Bell, Frank Dillane, Josh Hutcherson, Andrew Garfield and Alden Ehrenreich who will probably also screentest. Personally, Yelchin has been my choice ever since the Spidey reboot was announced (and scorned by me, just so you remember). He is the most impressive actor of his age around right now in terms of character-range, and shear on screen intensity (he stole the show in Terminator Salvation), and he just feels right for Parker, I think. And besides, Johnson looks likely to be involved in the Matt Vaughn directed X-Men: First Class (potentially as Cyclops) and couldn't get away with playing Cyclops, Kick-Ass and Spider-Man in just a few years, surely? Hell - maybe he couldn't play Peter Parker alongside a hopeful Kick-Ass franchise with or without X-Men? They are just too similar aren't they? Like the same actor playing James Bond and Jason Bourne - it just wouldn't work.