UPDATE: The validity of this story has been challenged. Borys Kit from The Hollywood Reporter is saying that no offer has been made yet. Asa Butterfield is apparently testing for the role this week, but he isn't the only actor doing so. That being said, it does sound like he is still the frontrunner for the gig.
The story as it was originally published is below.
With Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: Civil War now in production, we knew it was only a matter of time before Marvel Studios finally settled on an actor to sign as their new version of Spider-Man. Well, if new reports are to be believed, it sounds like they may have found their man, as a source is now claiming that Ender's Game star Asa Butterfield has entered into negotiations for the role.
This story comes from known scooper Umberto Gonzalez, who claims to have heard from his sources that Asa Butterfield and his representatives is now sitting down with the comic book movie studio to hash out a deal that could see him become the third live-action version of Peter Parker. No deal has been finalized yet, but the fact that they're at the table is a big sign.
Asa Butterfield's name first entered the mix back in late April, but at that time he was reportedly in consideration alongside Nat Wolff, Tom Holland, Liam James, and Timothee Chalamet. Two weeks ago, it was said that the Hugo actor was considered the frontrunner in the group, though it was said Holland was presenting his biggest competition. It seems as though since then they have been able to make a decision.
When thinking about what Marvel Studios has said about their new direction for Spider-Man, Asa Butterfield does make a good amount of sense. They have gone on record saying that they are looking to find a legitimately young actor to play Peter Parker, and Butterfield just turned 18 a month-and-a-half ago (which also happens to mean that he's no longer a minor and can work full days during a movie shoot). The young actor also has the experience of headlining his own projects before, including the aforementioned titles Ender's Game and Hugo. It's worth noting that he is currently in production on Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiars, but that filming shouldn't impact potential for him to show up in Captain America: Civil War - regardless of the size of the role that has been carved out for the character in the movie.
If this news is accurate, we will hopefully be hearing official word at some point in the near future - but the announcement of Asa Butterfield may not be the only thing revealed. It's also very possible that they have chosen a filmmaker to helm the Spider-Man movie that is currently scheduled for release in the summer of 2017 (the last we heard, Jonathan Levine, Ted Melfi, Jason Moore, John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein, and Jared Hess). As always, stay tuned for more updates about this constantly developing story, and look for Captain America: Civil War in theaters on May 6, 2016.
