New ‘Spider-Man’ Actor Chosen

Don’t be surprised when Tobey Maguire’s mug isn’t under the Spidey mask in 2012.

He’s been replaced.

After Maguire and director Sam Raimi walked away from the production of Spider-Man 4 over creative differences, Sony decided to hire a new team to helm the project.

The studio announced this weekend that it has chosen Andrew Garfield, a relatively unknown 26-year-old actor, to play the web-slinging superhero. Garfield has appeared in the Terry Gilliam-directed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and The Social Network, an upcoming film directed by David Fincher about Facebook.

Sony has also hired Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) to replace Sam Raimi in directing the new film. As a result of the departures of its main players, the franchise will return Spider-Man to his origins and begin anew.

The three Sam Raimi-directed, Tobey Maguire-starring Spider-Man films have grossed more than $2.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales.

The new film will be released in 3-D in 2012.

Source: The New York Times