AceShowbiz -

Sony and Marvel have found a new Spider-Man in Tom Holland. The 19-year-old actor is cast by the two studios to assume the coveted role of Peter Parker in the rebooted superhero franchise, following the footsteps of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

Holland beats contenders that include Asa Butterfield and Nat Wolff. The studios and producers were impressed by his performances in "The Impossible", "Wolf Hall", and the upcoming "In the Heart of the Sea", and by a series of complex screen tests.

The studios have also tapped a director for the upcoming standalone movie. Jon Watts, director of Sundance movie "Cop Car", wins the job. The film is slated for July 28, 2017 release with Kevin Feige representing Marvel as a producer and Amy Pascal overseeing it for Sony.

"It's a big day here at Sony," said Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group Chairman. "Kevin, Amy and their teams have done an incredible job. The Marvel process is very thorough, and that's why their results are so outstanding. I'm confident Spider-Man will be no exception. I've worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent. For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom's screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start."

Feige commented, "As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life. We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring."

Pascal added, "Sony, Marvel, Kevin and I all knew that for Peter Parker, we had to find a vibrant, talented young actor capable of embodying one of the most well-known characters in the world. With Tom, we've found the perfect actor to bring Spider-Man's story into the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

Before getting his own solo movie, the new Spidey is expected to be introduced in "Captain America: Civil War" which has started production to get released on May 6, 2016. He will join Marvel's mainstays like Chris Evans (The Cap) and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man). Anthony and Joe Russo serve behind the lens.