Welcome back to the casting thunderdome that is choosing a superhero lead. The current race to don a Lycra costume and run around combating evil is focused around who will play Peter Parker/**Spider-Man in Sony’s new reboot of its billion-dollar franchise. And while the list is already fairly extensive, two new names have just been added as possible suit-fillers: Kick-Ass**’ Aaron Johnson and Star Trek’s Anton Yelchin.
Johnson, of course, has had more experience as a “super” hero, having strutted the streets as Dave Lizewski, the Daredevil/ Spidey wannabe who suffers more punishment that he dishes out before finding his groove in Kick-Ass. And the actor showed there that he can handle a callow youth in a crime-fighting costume, even if his thunder was somewhat stolen by Chloe Moretz’ Hit-Girl.
While he’s suitable for the role, there also the question of scheduling, since he’s rumoured to be attached to – albeit not confirmed for yet – **Kick-Ass **director Matthew Vaughn’s next job, making X-Men: First Class for Fox.
Joining him on what’s described by the LA Times as “the shortlist” (which seems quite long right now), is Yelchin, who had a solid summer last year with his part as Chekov in Star Trek and a role as one of the good things in Terminator Salvation, Kyle Reese.
Yelchin’s also an adept young actor, and certainly Chekov showed that he can mix gauche boyish charm and physical comedy, though he’s tended towards quirkier fare until his blockbuster entries last year.
And as of right now, it’s all so much speculation, since director Marc Webb is considering just about every young male face in the Big Book Of Possible Superheroes before moving on to the screen testing phase. Followed, of course, by the Studio Insider "Leak" stage, the Confirmation Announcement and, liberally sprinkled between all of those, the 'net-supplied Outright Rage At Whoever Gets The Job Because They’re Clearly Wrong For It And Also Rubbish And Stupid.
Talking of, anyone care to weigh up whether either of these two should get the part? And any love for Community star Donald Glover, the subject of recent online campaigning?