Culver City (California) -
After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield
has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when "Spider-Man"
swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin
production in early December, directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by
James Vanderbilt.
Today's confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly
anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture
speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every
conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next
actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for
the coveted role.
The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and
the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than
US$2.5 billion in worldwide box office.
On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, "Though his name may be new
to many, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary
talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark
my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker."
Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures
Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures, said,
"Spider-Man is a classic superhero - a young man who balances his
responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and
normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an
extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself
from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the
vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure
at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the
first time we saw him in the upcoming film 'The Social Network,' to his
glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our
new Peter Parker."
Producer Avi Arad added, "I'm incredibly excited about Andrew Garfield. In
the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool
new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We
believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us
into the future."
Producer Laura Ziskin said, "We are thrilled to have Andrew Garfield for
this new incarnation of Spider-Man under Marc Webb's direction. We were
fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men.
In the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor,
Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an
underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and
Spider-Man to life on screen."
The selection of Garfield was revealed at a press event in Cancun, Mexico
for international journalists attending a media tour promoting upcoming
films from Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young
actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five
years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the
greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international
praise.
Garfield has recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming
film "The Social Network," a story about Facebook. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot
love story "I'm Here," which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the
lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go," due for release later this year.
Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Dr.
Parnassus;" Robert Redford's "Lions For Lambs," where
he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films'
"Red Riding Trilogy - 1974" directed by Julian Jarrold; and his
unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley's "Boy A," for
which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.
Garfield's career began in theatre and in 2006 his performances in
"Beautiful Thing," "The Overwhelming" and
"Burn / Chatroom / Citizenship" won him the Milton
Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Awards, and
the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle
Theatre Awards. Other notable theatre credits include "Romeo and Juliet" and "Kes," for which
he received the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the Manchester Evening News
Awards 2004.
