‘Jurassic World’ Easter Eggs, Trivia & ‘Jurassic Park’ References

Given just how monumental and beloved the original Jurassic Park turned out to be for an entire generation (if not more than one), it went without saying that those tasked with bringing Jurassic World to life weren’t just facing incredible pressure from the outside, but from their own investment and affection for the property. However, it also gave director Colin Trevorrow and the assembled crew the opportunity to show their love for the original film and sequels in ways too numerous – and tiny – for fans to catch on their first viewing.

If you’re headed back for a repeat performance, or simply eager to see the easter eggs, trivia and references to past films that slipped by, then our list should cover the bases. To be clear, it’s unnecessary to point out each way in which the original film’s action is recreated or directly referenced – instead, we’re pointing out the connections most viewers are likely to have missed. Needless to say, there will be SPOILERS in our list, so, read at your own risk.

MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW

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VIEW-MASTER

When audiences first meet young Gray (Ty Simpkins), his eyes are glued to a View-Master, taking in 3D images of dinosaur figurines embroiled in combat. Though some have reported these images as being taken from The Lost World (1925) based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original novel, they are not. The first image is found in a very real View-Master cartridge titled “Prehistoric Animals,” with the second image pulled from Warner Bros.’ The Animal World (1956) as a nod to the earliest stop-motion days of big screen dinosaurs.

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GOD CREATES DINOSAURS

B.D. Wong may be the only member of the original film’s cast to make an appearance in the flesh (as Dr. Henry Wu), but Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) does the next best thing. His book entitled “God Creates Dinosaurs” was teased through viral marketing ahead of the film, but appears in the hands of the boys’ chaperone, Zara (Katie McGrath). When the kids are shown riding the Jurassic World monorail, Malcolm’s face on the rear of the book can be seen between them in the row behind, then later on Lowery’s (Jake Johnson) desk.

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THE GATES

The park now known as Jurassic World is a long way ahead of the original resort/safari planned by John Hammond, but it hasn’t forgotten where it came from. Though the differences between the original film’s entry gates and those of the updated resort are obvious, the monorail’s PA system claims that they are – at least in the film’s fiction – the very same gates, restored (and potentially upgraded). We’ll overlook the changes for the sake of nostalgia.

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SPARED NO EXPENSE

Speaking of the monorail, the voice informing guests of the gate’s legacy is that of director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol). After acting as something of a mentor for director Colin Trevorrow in his leap to blockbusters – allowing him to observe the production of Tomorrowland – he requested Bird record the voiceover for the monorail welcome. The director was all too happy to oblige.

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WINSTON’S STEAKHOUSE

Not every person responsible for making Jurassic Park the success it was actually lived to see Jurassic World‘s release, including Stan Winston, the visionary practical effects and animatronics expert who brought the dinosaurs of all three Jurassic Park movies to life. After passing in 2008, Winston’s top four supervisors founded a new studio – Legacy Effects – in memory of his lasting impact on the industry. Putting their efforts to work on Jurassic World, Winston is directly commemorated in the form of Winston’s Steakhouse, a restaurant visible in the park’s main strip.

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MR. DNA

Another somewhat-cameo from the original film comes once Gray and Zach (Nick Robinson) arrive in the Hammond Creation Lab, named for the man who originally dreamed of recreating dinosaurs to delight child and parent alike. The appearance of ‘Mr. DNA’ on a computer screen is a brief one, but impossible to miss. What even die-hard fans might miss, as /Film discovered, is that the genetic mascot is voiced by Trevorrow himself. the original voice actor Greg Burson having also passed away, Trevorrow recorded a temporary read in his best impersonation. With a few effects added, the impression was so accurate, it was simply left in the film.

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HAMMOND CREATION LAB

It was a strange twist of fate that after John Hammond was made the namesake of Jurassic World’s most exuberant and impressive facility, actor Richard Attenborough’s own failing health finally gave out. The statue intended as a monument to the fictional figure – visible when Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) first meets the boys, then later as raptors pursue them out into the street, also allowed Attenborough to return, if only in spirit.

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JURASSIC TENNIS

Not every easter egg or nod to the original has to be a substantial one. As Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and the rest of the cast debate the morality of genetically engineering dinosaurs over a dinner of Chilean sea bass, projectors surround them with financial estimates, future attractions, and more. One screen manages to stick out for the detail-obsessed fans – and while “Jurassic Tennis” may sound like a trivial re-branding of tennis, a large video screen in the Creation Lab shows that Jurassic Tennis has, indeed, been made a reality.

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SISTER, SISTER

When it becomes clear that Gray and Zach aren’t the priority for their Aunt Claire that their mother had hoped, the sisters share a tearful phone call about the importance of family (a regular theme for the movie series). In an odd twist of industry fate, it’s not the first time that actresses Bryce Dallas Howard and Judy Greer have appeared as sisters, having played siblings in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village.

VERIZON WIRELESS PRESENTS…

Claire’s revelation that the genetic hybrid dinosaur will be unveiled to the world with branding courtesy of Verizon Wireless, Lowery responds by wondering why the park doesn’t sell out completely, and allow private companies to purchase naming rights to dinosaurs as they would an arena or stadium. Despite what viewers may think, the reference to Verizon, like the presence of Starbucks, IMAX, and more scattered throughout Jurassic World was NOT a request made by Universal. Instead, it was the filmmakers who felt that rampant corporate sponsorship fit with the film’s themes of ownership and big business.

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FISH FOOD

The sheer size and ferocity of Jurassic World’s mosasaurus is made perfectly clear when it is shown to clamp its jaws around a great white shark in a single bite (apparently, more than once a day). The parallel to producer Steven Spielberg leaving his first movie monster, Jaws behind in favor of even more terrifying monsters is clear, and was the direct intention of Trevorrow. Oh, how times have changed.

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CHAOS THEORY

It was Ian Malcolm who exposed millions to the notion of Chaos Theory, and the unpredictability of complex systems. Though Malcolm was using the lesson to woo Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park, his demonstration that two drops of water landing in the same spot will rarely behave the same was sound. In Jurassic World, the experiment is recreated – in blood. Specifically, blood dripping onto the arm of one Asset Containment soldier (played by Brian Tee) from the Indominus rex’s removed tracker.

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JIMMY FALLON

Less an easter egg, and more of an explanation here: it’s hard to miss NBC late night host Jimmy Fallon as he appears during Gray and Zach’s Gyrosphere ride to offer a safety video, along with a few slaptick gags. It may seem a completely odd inclusion to those who have never taken a tour of Universal Studios, in which Fallon also appears to perform the same task.

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NOT JUST ANY JEEP

When Gray and Zach flee the Indominus rex on foot, they come across the Visitors Center from the original park. After picking through the “When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth” banner and familiar murals (along with the night-vision goggles from the first movie), they discover and set to resurrecting a gas-powered Jeep. But the vehicle isn’t one which randomly survived for the intervening two decades: it’s vehicle “029,” the same Jeep Wrangler that drove John Hammond and Donald Genarro (Martin Ferrerro) from the helicopter pad to the Visitors Center in Jurassic Park‘s first act.

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MARGARITAVILLE

Eagle-eyed viewers will have noticed that one of the previously-mentioned corporate sponsorships visible in the film is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, the chain of restaurants created by the singer-songwriter, having branched out with an Isla Nublar location. One of the film’s stranger laughs comes during the Pteranadon and Dimorphodon attack, when a man can be seen fleeing the flying dinosaurs – careful not to spill either of his margaritas. Look a bit closer, and his dedication becomes clear: that’s Jimmy Buffett himself, in a second-long cameo.

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AN OLD FRIEND

As it should always be in a story bearing the Jurassic Park name, it’s the Tyrannosaurus rex who emerges to remind all newcomers who the reigning king really is. Casual viewers may not realize the the T. rex which arrives in the film’s climax – and is previously seen chowing down on a goat – is the exact same one that appeared in Jurassic Park, saving the day by killing a handful of raptors. That battle was a more decisive victory, but look closely, and scars from that encounter are visible on the beast’s sides.

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THE SPINOSAURUS

If the T. rex throwdown wasn’t enough proof that Trevorrow holds the dinosaur above all others, then another not-too-subtly easter egg should do the trick. Both the T. rex and Velociraptors returned in theJurassic Park sequel, The Lost World, but with Jurassic Park 3, director Joe Johnston tried something different. The villain of that film was the spinosaurus aegyptiacus, distinguished by its long snout and large sail. The shift away from the rex proved divisive among many fans, but it returns in skeletal form in the park’s main strip. Whether intentional or not, the T. rex smashing it to pieces before taking on Indominus sets the record straight, once and for all.

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CONCLUSION

Those are all the tiny easter eggs and references we’ve been able to spot so far, but if you have more, be sure to leave them in the commets. If you’ve seen the movie and want to discuss details about the film without worrying about spoiling it for those who haven’t seen it, please head over to our Jurassic World Spoilers Discussion.

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‘London Has Fallen’ Moves To Early 2016

In the first half of 2013, two action thrillers dealt with an attack on the White House, yet another case ofcopycat films dueling at the box office. While both Antoine Fuqua’s Olympus Has Fallen and the Roland Emmerich-directed White House Down managed to turn a profit, the former’s more modest budget qualified it as the undisputed victor.

In Olympus Has Fallen, Gerard Butler channeled his inner John McClane as former presidential guard Mike Banning, who must rescue Aaron Eckhart’s President Asher from terrorists. We’ve known for a while that a sequel, titled London Has Fallen, was on its way, but now fans will have to wait a bit longer to catch the film in theaters.

Gramercy Pictures has announced that the Olympus Has Fallen sequel has been pushed back to a January 2016 release. The film was previously scheduled to hit theaters on October 2, 2015, pitting it directly against high-profile dramas like Ridley Scott’s The Martian and Robert Zemeckis’s The Walk.

By contrast, Babak Najafi is perhaps best known for directing episodes of TV’s Banshee, and the empty (so far) January slot essentially gives London Has Fallen the freedom to attract audiences without such steep competition. In addition to Butler, a number of cast members from the original film – including Eckhart and Morgan Freeman – are set to return for the sequel, which delves into an assassination plot during a gathering of world leaders.

The film has enough of an existing fanbase that it’s easy to see it becoming one of the winter’s biggest hits. After all, Taken 3 took a mid-January slot this year and wound up bringing in more than $325 million worldwide. Granted, that Liam Neeson franchise has a larger international fanbase, but London Has Fallen now offers a built-in audience as well as a European setting that will boost overseas interest. In any case, there is precedence for high-octane action sequels to thrive during what is traditionally known as the slow part of the movie-going year.

Are you disappointed that you have a few more months to wait for London Has Fallen, or do you think the film is better suited for release early next year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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London Has Fallen will now hit theaters on January 22, 2016.

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‘Transformers 5′: Mark Wahlberg Says Michael Bay Likely To Direct

In 2007, director Michael Bay brought the Transformers – alien robots called Autobots with the ability to transform into everyday vehicles – to live action, meeting fan praise and financial success. Since then, Bay has returned to direct each of the Transformers sequels, including last summer’s box office hitTransformers: Age of Extinction. The next film in the franchise, Transformers 5, is expected to hit the big screens in 2017.

Prior to and following the release of Age of Extinction, there was some questioning of whether or not Bay would again step up to helm Transformers 5, with the director himself adding fuel to the speculation. Now, star of Transformers: Age of Extinction Mark Wahlberg – who will return for Transformers 5 and 6 – has weighed in on the likelihood of the director returning.

While speaking with Collider, Wahlberg said he thinks Bay will ultimately end up directing Transformers 5. However, the actor admitted he knows little about the progress of the next film in the franchise, “just that Akiva [Goldsman] and those guys are starting to write and break stories.” Wahlberg added that he will likely meet with Bay once they each finish filming their respective movies – Bay, his Benghazi drama13 hours and Wahlberg, Deepwater Horizon.

Before Age of Extinction hit theaters, there was uncertainty about who would take over the franchise following the release, whether it would be Bay or a new team. A few months following the film’s premiere, the director said he might “pass the baton” to a different filmmaker in an effort to take his career in a new direction, though Bay is still on board to executive produce Transformers 5.

However, in addition to the upcoming fifth and sixth installment of Transformers, Paramount Pictures is growing the franchise into a shared cinematic universe, employing a whole team of writers. Rumors concerning these new films include a possible Bumblebee solo feature as well as a prequel set on the Autobots’ home planet Cybertron.

Those moviegoers that have grown tired of Bay’s entries to the Transformers series and hope to see something new from the robots in disguise may look forward to the rest of the shared universe outings. But, fans of the previous films will likely be excited by the prospect of Bay returning to helmTransformers 5, perhaps especially if he takes certain criticisms under advisement.

That being said, Bay has not yet officially signed on to direct Transformers 5. Wahlberg, who has also worked with the director on 2013’s Pain & Gain, may have insight into whether not Bay is leaning toward returning to helm the sequel. However, a director for Transformers 5 likely won’t be confirmed until after the script is finished – Bay or otherwise.

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Transformers 5 is expected to premiere in 2017.

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‘Spy’ Review

SPY IS A VERY GOOD SHOWCASE FOR MELISSA MCCARTHY AND ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION BETWEEN HER AND DIRECTOR PAUL FEIG.

Spy stars Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, an intelligent but overlooked desk-bound CIA analyst who is the guiding force behind one of the organization’s best field agents, Bradley Fine (Jude Law). However, when Fine’s latest mission goes wrong, and the identities of the CIA’s top agents are compromised, Susan sees her chance to shine and convinces her boss (Allison Janney) to let her go undercover and gather information on a missing nuclear weapon.

Susan then sets out to track down Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), the daughter of the (now deceased) arms dealer who has gotten ahold of a nuclear device, and the only living person who knows where her father hid it. Can Susan maintain her cover and fool Rayna, before the rogue weapon is sold to the highest bidding terrorist?

Director Paul Feig worked alongside Melissa McCarthy on the hit comedies Bridesmaids and The Heat, but Spy is their first collaboration to feature McCarthy as solo headliner. McCarthy starred in comedies before (Identity Thief and Tammy), but Spy is easily the best McCarthy vehicle to date, and it brings out the strengths of her co-workers, too.

Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy in ‘Spy’

The Spy premise is that of a James Bond movie told from Moneypenny’s perspective, creating a film that parodies the 007 franchise, yet also works as a proper blend of action and comedy on its own terms. Feig’s script deftly zeroes in on (and ridicules) the fantasy aspects of the male spy action hero sub-genre, especially with its characterization of agents played by actors like Jude Law and Jason Statham (more on them later). However, there are still plenty of great jokes (including moments of brutally cartoonish violence) derived from the various fist-fights and chase sequences that break out along the way.

Spy isn’t as sharp a spy genre parody as it aspires to be; its real strength is the commentary it provides on how people (men and women) judge by appearances – be it in the workplace or society at large. Susan develops throughout the course of the story, but Feig’s screenplay doesn’t subscribe to the stereotypical Hollywood approach to female empowerment, or the idea that women kicking butt is the solution to the world’s gender issues. McCarthy is given material here that allows her to deliver a multi-faceted performance as Susan – excessively self-effacing one moment, letting out pent-up rage in the next – while participating in plenty of jokes that mock the people around Susan for how they perceive her (as opposed to making fun of Susan’s looks and/or body size).

Melissa McCarthy and Jude Law in ‘Spy’

Spy boasts Feig’s best cinematic directorial work to date, with regard to how the film comically imitates the aesthetics of a typical globe-trotting spy adventure (in terms of production design and camera shots). However, even with the Oscar-nominated cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman on hand (Wes Anderson’s longtime collaborator) Feig hasn’t fully evolved beyond being a TV director first. The majority of Spy is scenes featuring talking heads, and the film doesn’t reach the level of sophisticated visual action/comedy style that you would find in a similar genre parody by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The LEGO Movie, 22 Jump Street). Very funny dialogue (a combination of Feig’s writing and improv, no doubt) and a cast largely talented in the art of physical comedy help make up for Feig’s shortcomings when it comes to staging various action scenes and set pieces.

McCarthy delivers plenty of heart as Susan Cooper, while excelling at many different forms of comedy inSpy, whether the sequence in question is a weird conversation, or a fight with trained assassins. Rose Byrne (and her elaborate hairdo) also delivers the comedy goods in a role that cleverly satirizes the international femme fatale archetype from James Bond movies. Jude Law effectively pokes fun at his handsome leading man screen persona – but the real scene-stealer among McCarthy’s male costars is Jason Statham, who, as the increasingly unhinged Agent Rick Ford, has a lot of fun subverting his unstoppable action hero screen image (and mocking his most ridiculous onscreen stunts from previous films).

Jason Statham in ‘Spy’

Actor/writer Miranda Hart (Miranda, Call the Midwife) enjoys a handful of shining moments in Spy as Susan’s co-worker and friend (as well as fellow put-upon member of society), Nancy B. Artingstall. Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) is also very entertaining as Aldo, a carefree informant and Italian wannabe playboy who helps (and harasses) Susan (basically, he’s Pepé Le Pew in human form). Spy‘s supporting cast is rounded out by noteworthy character actors (Allison Janney, Bobby Cannavale, Morena Baccarin) who get limited screen time, but make the best of the material they’re offered. There are even some surprise cameos from celebrities along the way.

Spy is a very good showcase for Melissa McCarthy and another successful collaboration between her and director Paul Feig. The movie has many of the same flaws as The Heat and Bridesmaids, but makes up for that by incorporating solid action/comedy material into the “formula” of those films. The result is a spy-action parody that’s smart, but also leaves plenty of room for comical shenanigans both high-brow and low-brow in nature. This flick may even get holdouts to jump aboard the McCarthy and Feig bandwagon, before the duo return with the Ghostbusters reboot in 2016.

TRAILER

Spy is now playing in U.S. theaters. It is 120 minutes long and is Rated R for language throughout, violence, and some sexual content including brief graphic nudity.

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Our Rating:

3.5 out of 5
(Very Good)

Did ‘Walking Dead’ Actor Chandler Riggs Audition For ‘Spider-Man’?

It shouldn’t be too long now before we learn which young actor will play cinema’s new Peter Parker in Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man reboot. For weeks a shortlist of actors has been whittled down to two remaining hopefuls: Asa Butterfield and Tom Holland. And though in recent weeks it appeared that Butterfield was all but confirmed, some sources were simply getting ahead of themselves, and without any official confirmation the role remains uncast.

Currently we expect Peter Parker to first appear briefly in Captain America: Civil War before debuting as Spider-Man in 2017. With Civil War currently filming in Atlanta, Marvel needs to choose their Spider-Man sooner rather than later. Then again, Spider-Man reportedly won’t be needed on set until July, and even though Marvel is skipping San Diego Comic-Con this year, there’s no reason they couldn’t time their casting announcement around that annual nerd summit.

Whether Marvel announces the young actor they’ve chosen for Peter Parker any day now or waits to drop that bomb during Comic-Con, there’s one name for sure out of the running: The Walking Dead‘s Chandler Riggs. Admittedly, the 15-year-old wasn’t included on that shortlist from earlier (or even one thatsurfaced later) and we didn’t include him on our list of potentials, but Riggs does fit the credentials Marvel was looking for; namely, a young white actor of the teenage persuasion.

Riggs posted the following message to Twitter, making it clear that as of now he’s not in the running for the Spider-Man reboot:

Does that mean Riggs did, in fact, audition for the role at some point? It’s a reasonable possibility. As for Marvel Studios, it’s presumably either already selected the actor it want for the webslinger, or is really,really close to making a decision. July is only a few weeks away, after all.

Though Riggs didn’t land one of Hollywood’s most coveted roles for the under 25 crowd, it’s not as if his career is in ruins. With another season of The Walking Dead premiering in the fall (and likely again to record ratings), Riggs is in a perfect position to continuing honing his craft and hope to snag another big break in a few years time. And frankly, we could all do without a flood of “Peter! Get back in the house!” memes.

With Riggs out, has Marvel chosen their new Peter Parker? And if rumored frontrunner Asa Buttefield is no longer a possibility – then who? Let us hear who you think Marvel could be considering to be their new Spider-Man in the comment below!

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The Avengers: Age of Ultron is now in theaters, followed by Ant-Man on July 17 2015, Captain America: Civil War on May 6 2016, Doctor Strange on November 4 2016, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 on May 5 2017, Spider-Man on July 28, 2017, Thor: Ragnarok on November 3 2017, Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 on May 4 2018, Black Panther on July 6 2018, Captain Marvel on November 2 2018, Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2 on May 3 2019 and Inhumans on July 12, 2019.

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‘Avatar 2′: Fox CEO Confirms Christmas 2017 Release Planned

James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar quickly became the highest grossing film of all-time, but the legendary director hasn’t been quick to strike when the iron is hot when it comes to making the sequel. Part of that is due to the filmmaker looking to develop technology that would allow him to film mo-cap sequences underwater, and the fact that Cameron is working with a team of screenwriterson three followups at once also has something to do with it. Say what you want about the director, but he’s certainly ambitious when it comes to his craft.

The extended pre-production phase has caused the expected release date for Avatar 2 to change several times over the last few years. When last we heard of the development of the project, Cameron said we would have to wait until 2017 to see what he has in store. But that doesn’t bother Fox executives, who are enthused by Cameron’s ideas for his upcoming film.

While speaking with Variety, Fox chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos simply said that “Jim Cameron has is own pace” when asked about the extended wait between franchise installments. He added that he “fully expects” the first sequel to hit the big screen over Christmas 2017, with the subsequent chapters following suit in 2018 and 2019.

Some may be caught off guard by the studio’s easygoing attitude concerning the prolonged development of Avatar 2, but at this point, Fox has learned it’s best to just let Cameron do his thing. The studio is well aware of the benefits his vision can bring, having also handled the international distribution of Cameron’s Titanic in 1997. Since the director’s last two movies brought in a combined $4.8 billion at the worldwide box office (with 12 years between their respective releases), a hands off approach better serves all parties involved. Audiences are always craving new entertainment from Cameron.

It also doesn’t hurt that the auteur is impressing Fox bosses with his concepts for the next adventure in Pandora. Gianopulos spoke highly of a meeting he had with Cameron in the director’s New Zealand office:

“It’s a room…which is covered floor to ceiling with images, characters, worlds, settings. It’s the most amazing, breathtaking thing you’ve ever seen. His challenge is to put all of that in a movie.”

Few will deny that Avatar is a visually stunning film to look at and had a great impact on movie special effects, but the substance behind that style has been a complaint for some. Though Avatar scored much critical acclaim (including a Best Picture nomination) and broke records at the box office, the film’s core narrative was seen as very derivative of other works, and in a way hypocritical (given the amount of money and technology needed to make it a reality). If Avatar 2 is to stand out in an age where major tentpoles of all genres will be flooding the multiplex, Cameron will need to deliver a breathtaking story too.

The director has gone on record saying that he will continue to explore real-world themes with the sequels, which was one of the more controversial elements of the first film (due to Cameron’s somewhat heavy-handed approach). Hopefully he’s learned from the criticisms Avatar has faced since its release six years ago, and has crafted a series of interesting and compelling stories that harken back to his groundbreaking projects earlier in his career.

Avatar 2 is expected to hit theaters in December 2017, followed by Avatar 3 in late 2018 and Avatar 4 in 2019.

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Marvel ‘Spider-Man’ Casting: Asa Butterfield No Longer In Consideration?

The race to cast a new Peter Parker for Sony’s latest Spider-Man reboot, which will finally tie-into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appears to be winding down. Following hot on the heels of news that Walking Dead actor Chandler Riggs may have auditioned for the lead role – but ultimately been turned away, we’re now getting word that a long-considered front runner for Peter Parker is also out of the running.

It remains unclear how far Riggs was into the audition process before he was dismissed, he could have been cut months back and, knowing that a Spider-Man casting announcement was imminent, decided to make his involvement public; however, the same cannot be said for Tom Holland and Asa Butterfield – who, for months, have been the presumed front-runners for a lead turn as the new web-slinger. Now, one of those front-runners has, reportedly, been let go as well.

The Wrap correspondent Jeff Sneider took to Meet the Movie Press, a show he co-hosts with Schmoes Know editor Mark Reilly, to reveal that Asa Butterfield will not portray Spider-Man in the 2017 reboot. According to Sneider, Butterfield’s exit narrows the casting nominees to Tom Holland (as mentioned), Charlie Plummer, and Matthew Lintz.

You can hear Sneider discussing the Spider-Man reboot casting in the episode below (starting at the 10:30 mark):

According to Sneider, the partnered studios, Marvel and Sony, are at odds over who should take-on this new iteration of the web-head. If Sneider’s sources are accurate, Marvel wants Charlie Plummer but Sony would prefer Tom Holland. Marvel is serving as creative lead, bringing Peter Parker into their increasingly complicated shared universe plan, but Sony still retains ownership of the character subsequently paying for production of the movie.

For that reason, both studios have significant skin in the game: Sony can’t afford to fumble the highly profitable brand again (so they want to be comfortable with the new actor that will lead a multi-picture franchise they’re bankrolling) while Marvel needs to ensure that if they do bring Spider-Man into their critically-acclaimed shared universe, the character (and the actor in the lead role) is a fit with their lineup of established stars.

Assuming that Sneider’s sources are correct, and the reporter has a pretty solid track record, Sony and Marvel have about one month before their new Peter Parker is due on set for Captain America: Civil War. It’s still unknown how large a role Spider-Man will have in the Captain America sequel but prior details have suggested that whatever part Peter Parker will play in the movie, he’s supposed to start filming in July.

Given that prior sources had claimed Asa Butterfield was a lock for the part, it’s unclear whether the actor bowed out (due to contract negotiants) or was outright cut by Marvel and Sony – either becauseboth studios preferred other candidates, or one side of the partnership was strongly against Butterfield. Either way, with Butterfield out, attention now turns to the actors that remain in consideration.

Is Asa Butterfield out of the running for Spider Man?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the young actors that Sneider claims are still in the running:

• Tom Holland: A 19 year-old English actor. Allegedly Sony’s top choice, Holland is best known for starring in 2012’s The Impossible but is also set for a high profile part in Ron Howard’s upcoming film, In the Heart of the Sea.
• Charlie Plummer: A 15 year-old American actor. Allegedly Marvel’s top choice, Plummer is best known for his work on the series Boardwalk Empire and Granite Flats.
• Matthew Lintz: A 14 year-old American actor. It is unknown, at this point, whether Lintz is third in line after Holland and Plummer, or somewhere in between, but the actor has a solid filmography, including last year’s Kill the Messenger as well as an upcoming part in Pixels.

Given the early high school setting of the upcoming Spider-Man reboot, coupled with plans for longterm appearances in the MCU and standalone Sony movies, it’s understandable the studios might be struggling to find an actor that fits both of their respective wishlists. A young-looking high school kid like Plummer makes sense for Marvel – since he’d be a fun addition to an ensemble that is overstuffed with muscly superheroes; yet, Sony may want to find a slightly older actor that can play a high schooler but will still be on the verge of adulthood – so that their Peter Parker won’t look quite as young when he takes center stage in a 2017 solo movie.

Will Tom Holland be the next Spider-Man?

Of course, for a lot of Spider-Man fans that were hoping to see a more diverse actor in the lead role, either as the character of Miles Morales or a non-white version of Peter Parker, the remaining shortlist plays it, comparatively, safe. Those moviegoers will have to wait for a drastic change in the lead Spider-Man role; yet, the remaining set of young actors is solid – and any one of them has the potential to embody the characteristics (courage, charm, and playfulness) that have kept the webslinger a fan-favorite among comic readers and movie viewers alike.

The clock is ticking – so Marvel and Sony will likely make an official announcement in the coming weeks (if not much sooner).

Ant-Man opens in theaters July 17, 2015; Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016; Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man reboot – July 28, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Black Panther – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – November 2, 2018; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; Inhumans – July 12, 2019.

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