Spider-Man Is THISCLOSE To Picking Its New Peter Parker

According to Movieline sister site Deadline, Sony executives are reportedly closing in on picking their new Spider-Man, and on Friday viewed the screen-tests of the lucky final few. Can you feel the excitement? Once selected, the newly-crowned wall-crawler will begin production before year's end on the film, scheduled for July 2, 2012. Director Marc Webb is working off a script from James Vanderbilt -- whose script previous Spider-Man director Sam Raimi reportedly did not like but Sony thought was A-OK for them. The new Spidey will be filmed in glorious (read: we can charge you suckers an extra 7 bucks) 3D. So, which actors made it through to the swimsuit competition that is the screen test?

Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Jumper)

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek)

Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass)

Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)

Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief)

Alden Ehrenreich (Tetro)

Reportedly still on the final list but who did not screen test are Frank Dillane (Young Voldermort in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince) and Michael Angerano (Sky High). Not on the list at all are poor Josh Hutcherson and upstart internet meme Donald Glover. Sorry, internet! You could always try to Facebook your way to get Betty White to play Aunt May.

And personally, I'm not sure who I'm pulling to play Peter Parker from the list above. Frankly, they all seem solid enough, but the one thing I do ask is please, please, please make Spider-Man funny! He's a wise-cracking guy, not all stolid and gravelly-voiced like any given Batman. As much I completely love the Sam Raimi Spider-Man, I don't think anyone, in the history of the modern cinema, ever turned to their seatmate and said, "Hey do you know who's really funny? Tobey Maguire."

[via Deadline]