Emma Stone and Mia Wasikowska have entered the race to play Spider-Man’s love interest(s) in Sony’s reboot of the comic book franchise. Andrew Garfield is already set as the titular webslinger and (500) Days of Summer filmmaker Marc Webb is directing.
Entertainment Weekly reports the studio is testing for not just one female lead, but two. Stone would presumably play Peter Parker’s classic, redheaded love, Mary Jane Watson (played by Kirsten Dunst in Sam Raimi’s trilogy). However, Variety learned that Stone could be up for a new, different role that is not Watson.
The blonde Wasikowska would possibly play Gwen Stacy, his first love and a tragic romance story in the Spidey mythology.
Other rumored candidates for the roles include Imogen Poots, Teresa Palmer, Emma Roberts, Lily Collins, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Ophelia Lovibond.
EW confirmed the reboot will be set in high school again, and not follow the storyline where Parker attends Empire State University. Garfield is 27 years old.
Stone is coming off an adorable, charismatic performance in the underrated comedy Easy A, as well as a breakout role in Zombieland. She’s also being considered for a lead in Jonah Hill’s 21 Jump Street, which he co-wrote and is producing. All three are Sony films, so perhaps the studio is looking to keep her in the family, as they are with The Social Network actor Garfield and the new Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Rooney Mara. Hill and Stone worked together on Superbad.
Wasikowska broke out in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and delivered an understated turn in the buzz-about indie film The Kids Are All Right.
Both are excellent additions, but I’m disappointed to see Poots’ name absent from the more recent coverage. She deserves more high-profile recognition and would make a fine pairing with Garfield. What do you think? Who is your favorite?
