Fan-Casting... A Live Action Spider-Man TV Show

I know a lot of fans have probably campaigned for this over the years, but they’re right to do so!

The last time we got seasons of Peter Parker and his alter ego in real life on TV was back in the Seventies. Back then, they also didn’t really have the technology to pull off the real Spider-Man villains everyone knows. Since then, we have had to put up with two hour films every three or so years, or animated TV shows that everyone forgets about because the only one worth watching was the one in the early nineties.

Maybe not as soon as I’d hoped due to Tom Holland’s version existing in the MCU now, but maybe one day we’ll get a REAL TV show for the web-slinger. Shows in the vein of Netflix’s Daredevil and The CW’s The Flash. So, in honour of the hope for it to happen in the future, here is some fan-casting.

Dylan O’Brien — Peter Parker/Spider-Man

O’Brien has been a top contender for this character for years. I remember his name being thrown around before Andrew Garfield was cast, and I remember his name being thrown around before Tom Holland was cast. There is even a compilation of interviews he has done where he has said he wants to play Spider-Man.

From looking at O’Brien’s work in projects, such as The Internship, The Maze Runner franchise and Teen Wolf, he definitely has that ability to be quirky, action-based and also troubled. If I had it my way, I’d make this guy the next guy to don the red and blue suit.

The only thing that could pull O’Brein back is his age. Currently he is twenty-six and, yes, in the past people have played the character older than that, and it wouldn’t bother me, but with how they’re trying to make Spider-Man more like a modern day teenager through early twenties Tom Holland, and with how popular that version of the character is, I can see Marvel and Sony potentially wanting to stick with that trend now.

Meryl Streep — Aunt May Parker

Come on, who doesn’t like Meryl Streep? She’s sassy, she’s lovable, and the woman isn’t afraid to stand by what she believes in, no matter what kind of stir it causes in the media!

Yeah, again with the age, the MCU are trying to instill this idea of the characters being played more realistically with people aged around the correct/suitable age of the character in this day and age. Okay, so Streep is probably a tad too old to play the sister-in-law of a teenager's dad. But it's 2018, and age shouldn’t be much of an issue. It wasn’t in the original Spider-Man films in the early nighties. Also, how often do show runners change stories from the source material nowadays? Why couldn’t Aunt May be Parker’s GREAT Aunt, to add up the characters title and age well. It’s possible...

Alden Ehrenreich — Harry Osborn

Ehrenreich has risen to fame in recent years, and unless you’ve been hiding under a very large rock lately, you’ll know he’s due to play a young version of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo this May. Solo is famously a scoundrel, and so has a bit of a dark streak in him. It’s the dark streak that I can imagine Ehrenreich to portray well that would get him cast as Harry Osborn.

To be able to play Han Solo, you need to be able to play likable and cheeky, then also be able to play menace and hardened. To me, these are the same traits needed to play the young Osborn. He’s very close to Peter and Mary-Jane, being able to forget he’s this famous rich kid when he is around them, and sometimes he’s over-looked by his father and eventually loses said father. That could be a story that sets the young man on a dark and gloomy path, something I reckon Ehrenreich could portray in a scary and menacing way. Plus, have you seen the guy scowl? It’s a wonder he’s not typecast for playing a villain already.

Olivia Cooke — Mary-Jane Watson

Olivia Cooke has become a big name nowadays, going from TV show Bates Motel fame to even bigger fame, being the leading lady in Spielberg’s Ready Player One.

To see her as Mary-Jane Watson? I think it would work only too well. Cooke has shown in her work that she can be feisty, funny and protective when called upon. Are they not pretty good traits in acting to play a character like M.J? Yeah, I thought so, too.

William Fichtner — Norman Osborn/Green Goblin

Fichtner has a filmography full of villainous roles. But he also tends to be playing a man of business. That’s what is needed for Norman Osborn. The guy needs to come off as a CEO, but also have a sinister edge. He looks quite fitting for the part and doesn’t look oh so different from Ehrenreich, who would be portraying his son. No complaints from me on this one. One of my favourite casting ideas.

Jeff Bridges — Uncle Ben Parker

Something about Jeff Bridges just tells me he’d make a great Uncle Ben. If you haven’t read the Ultimate Spider-Man comics and haven’t seen the artwork for the character, go and look and you will see a part that is made for this guy.

His age isn’t too far off Streep and to see them acting alongside each other would be a dream. A lot of people will still only imagine Bridges as The Ironmonger from the first Iron Man film, but if Human Torch can suddenly be Captain America... you see my point. Get over it.

Bryan Cranston — Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard

This guy just IS Curt Connors. Cranston has played a comedic dad, a sinister meth dealer and... he’s Bryan Cranston. He could play the role of the genius ally/dangerous reptilian villain with ease.

Also, with Cranston in the role, you could possibly go on to see the character become an ally. In some iterations of the Connors, he has seen sense and thought of The Lizard alter-ego as true villain. This shapes up Curt Connors to be a sort of mentor to Peter if the show were to progress.

Jared Harris — Dr. Otto Octavius

Now, who says Doc Oc needs to be chubby with a weird bowl cut? If you’ve seen the comics, you know that Octavius has evolved throughout his different versions.

For anyone who hasn’t seen Harris in the second Sherlock Holmes film, opposite Robert Downey Jr, you know that he can play subtle evil quite well. I have always seen Otto Octavius as a subtle villain. A man of science who will do what is necessary to achieve his end goal in the name of his field. For Harris to host the robotic claws, I think, would be a master stroke.

Wyatt Russell — Eddie Brock/Venom

Wyatt Russell. Not a bad looking guy. Blonde. Could pull off being a tad older than our chosen Wall Crawler. A perfect fit for the Ultimate Spider-Man version of Eddie Brock.

With Russell in the role, I think we would get a strong interpretation of that take on the character. In that take, Eddie Brock was a childhood friend of Peter Parker’s, whose fathers both worked on the symbiote suit that ultimately created Venom. Its a version of the character that has never made it onto the screen and would be fresh and interesting for screen adaption that sees Peter having to fight a friend that isn’t Harry Osborn.

Matt Smith — Spencer Smythe

No one else would suit this character more. Spencer Smythe is slightly odd, intelligent and could turn on you as quick as the flick of a Tardis control. Just imagine Smith’s version of The Doctor, but darker and murkier.

Smith definitely has the look of a character, but from how he is in he media is very much a likable person. For Smythe to maybe be introduced as a sort of big brother for Peter Parker, then having the loss of his father be blamed on said Parker, would be cool to see.

Neil Sandilands — Max Dillon/Electro

I know what you’re thinking. Sandilands is fresh off his take of a superhero villain, having literally just finished playing Clifford Devoe/The Thinker on The CW’s The Flash. But for an actor of this talent, and that ability portrayed in playing The Thinker, I think this is a role Sandilands would be suited for. To have him in another cool design for Electro, CGI’d up majorly, it would be interesting to see him as a different type of villain. Max Dillon is usually portrayed as a sympathetic character, and after us feeling no sympathy for Clifford Devoe, Dillon would be a cool character for Sandilands to take on.

Alfred Enoch — Robbie Robertson

It’s a new direction, but a cool one, I’d think. In pretty much every iteration of the character, Robbie Robertson is middle aged and usually at odds with his boss, J. Jonah Jameson.

One thing I have usually noticed with the Daily Bugle angle of Peter Parker’s life is he has no one on the same level as him really whilst there. Betty Brant is there, of course, but with her not being as much involved in Peter’s work, it doesn’t relate to her. With Robertson, it would be good if he was brought in as a sort of young big shot tasked with changing Jameson’s vision of what The Bugle should be. This adds to those two characters constantly being in conflict and would add to Robertson alway having Peter’s back in terms of how he is treated and what the both think should be reported in terms of Spider-Man’s activities that Jameson will usually try to slander.

Alexandra Daddario/Betty Brant

Brant is classically a big character in the Spider-Man world. Acting as an assistant to J. Jonah Jameson, Betty may not be involved in Spider-Man’s goings on, but it would be good to bolster the character. Maybe she could be an assistant aspiring to be a reporter, explaining how she would be getting in the crosshairs of Peter’s web-swinging activities. Yeah, that draws to close the Lois Lane/Superman dynamic, but it would work as an appropriate update for this character. As for Daddario's casting, she doesn’t get enough credit. A really fun, interesting actress who has a lot of potential to get a lot more screen time that she has been given, thus far.

Seth McFarlene — J.Jonah Jameson

Come on. You know this is gold. Imagine him with grey streaks. A Hitler-esque moustache. A cigar (E-Cig for the new age?) and that famous Carter Pewderschmidt voice from Family Guy. Nothing more needs to be said. THAT is the perfect Jameson. Seth, please read this. I believe in you.

Victoria Justice — Gwen Stacey

It’s something a bit different, but it would work. Victoria Justice has a lot of potential for a role like Gwen Stacey. Attractive, smart and, believe it or not, can pull off the blonde look (Google it).

For Justice to play Peter’s true love, I think would be a good bit of casting.

Dean Cain — Captain Stacey

Dean Cain will always be TV’s Superman. Never forget that. But, he could play a character like Captain Stacey, very interestingly. Watch his work on Supergirl, and you see Cain play a man who will do whatever to protect his daughter. Whatever. Doesn’t that sum George Stacey up quite well? To watch a live action version of Stacey that is determined to keep his daughter out of her usual trouble, and also go over the edge to stub out evil in he city as an out of the box police captain, would be a revelation.

Imagine these castings, and let me know what you think! A live action Spidey series is long overdue and castings like this should get you excited for the prospect of it!

Happy nerding.