Aaron Johnson Joins Spider-Man Casting Derby, Despite His Own Reservations

aaronjohnson-spidey.jpgIt looks like Sony may have taken a few of our suggestions for casting the Spider-Man reboot, as two new names have been thrown into the mix. According to the LAT, both Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) have squeezed onto the short list assembled by director Marc Webb. The irony? When Movieline last spoke to Johnson about assuming the role, he was decidedly uninterested.

Back at Sundance, we mentioned the casting possibility to Johnson while interviewing him for the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy:

Part of being a rising star is that you're now touted for all sorts of roles. For example, they're looking to cast someone your age in the new Spider-Man reboot.

Really?

Is that something you'd be interested in, or are you like, "Well, we sort of satirize superheroes in Kick-Ass, so..."

Yeah, I know, I already play a superhero in that. I dunno, I don't think I could jump into Spider-Man's shoes -- or Tobey Maguire's. I had an amazing time with Kick-Ass, though.

Then again, he wouldn't be the first actor we've talked to that went back on his superhero-disavowing word. Last fall, Peter Sarsgaard decried the golden handcuff of comic book franchises, promising us, "No comic book villains for me." Just a few months later, he walked that pledge back by signing on to play the comic book villain Dr. Hector Hammond in The Green Lantern.

The moral of this story? When it comes to superhero movies, every actor's number is up eventually (well, every white actor).

'Kick-Ass' star Aaron Johnson on the shortlist for Spider-Man reboot [LAT]



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