5 Actors Who Auditioned for Spider-Man Before Playing Other Marvel Roles

Pretty much everyone in the world has heard of the arachnid-themed superhero known as Spider-Man. The web-swinging and wall-crawling Avenger from Marvel debuted in comics in 1962. And has since appeared in other forms of media, such as cartoons and video games. That also includes movies, especially the live-action films from Sony and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In those movies, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland portray Spider-Man. But would it surprise you to know that other actors auditioned to play the web-slinger? This article will reveal five who tried out for Spider-Man before landing different Marvel roles. Chances are, at least one name on this list might stun or shock you.

5. James Franco

Appearing in the Sam Raimi movies, James Franco plays Harry Osborn, Peter Parker’s best friend. The two characters share a brotherly bond, which eventually crumbles because of Peter’s alter ego. Things escalate further when Harry swears vengeance upon Peter and embraces his father’s Goblin past. Initially, Franco auditioned for the role of the wall-crawler but lost it to Tobey Maguire. Though that didn’t stop him from pouring everything into the role he’s now renowned for.

4. Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal was called upon to replace Maguire in “Spider-Man 2.” Maguire suffered from back injuries beforehand, but recovered enough to return to his superhero role. Luckily, Gyllenhaal got another chance by starring in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” He played Quentin Beck, an expert in holographic technology who worked at Stark Industries. Beck sought to achieve superhero status by staging horrific disasters with his team.

3. Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Like Franco, Aaron Taylor-Johnson aimed to star in a Marvel movie from Sony. He set his sights on portraying the titular protagonist in Marc Webb’s “The Amazing Spider-Man.” But he lost the role to Andrew Garfield, and the rest is history. Taylor-Johnson did, however, secure another iconic Marvel role in a separate film in 2024. He played Kraven the Hunter, and the feature showcased the character’s origins, like 2022’s “Morbius.”

2. Jamie Bell

Jamie Bell was another actor vying for the starring role in “The Amazing Spider-Man,” but Garfield proved to be a better fit, thus leaving Bell to pursue other opportunities. His chance to star in a Marvel movie arrived in 2015 with Fox’s “Fantastic Four,” where her played Ben Grimm, who’d eventually turn into the rock-clad hero, The Thing. Sadly, he will never reprise this role since the film didn’t receive a sequel.

1. Joseph Quinn

Last on this list of actors is “Stranger Things” star Joseph Quinn. He tried going after the role of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man. Yet he lost it to Tom Holland, who reprised the character in multiple features. Eventually, Quinn returned in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. His character used his powers of pyrokinesis to protect Earth from a galactic threat.

It’s nice these Marvel actors got a second chance despite not getting to play Spider-Man. It is like that old saying, “When one door closes, another one opens.” It’s also nice to see that they let this one setback weigh them down. They secured other Marvel roles and worked to make them their own.

Admittedly, I cannot help wondering what would’ve happened if these celebrities had become Spider-Man. Or, better yet, if their characters ended up taking the mantle of the web-swinging superhero. Maybe we’ll see something like that in a future MCU Multiverse Saga movie. I suppose we’ll have to see if it happens or not.