Andrew Garfield

Spider-Man is swinging back onto the big screen with a new movie, a new director, and a new face. Andrew Garfield, a 26-year-old actor from England, may not be as well-known as Tobey Maguire, but the young Brit is taking over as the web-spinning superhero.

Born in L.A., Garfield moved to England at the age of three and was raised in Surrey. He’s appeared in previous films such as The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus with Heath Ledger, Lions for Lambs with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep, and is co-starring in the new Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan film, Never Let Me Go. He also has a key role in The Social Network, an upcoming film about the founders of Facebook. Co-starring with Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake, Garfield will play Eduardo Saverin, one of the network’s three co-founders. Both soon-to-be-released films will hit theaters October 1.

Having acted alongside such well-known actors, Garfield is hoping his own name will become recognizable in Hollywood as he takes his turn as leading man. In his home country, Garfield won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Best Actor award for his emotionally-charged role in a film about an ex-convict, Boy A. He is hoping to gain popularity in America as well with his first star opportunity.

Director Marc Webb, who is responsible for one of last year’s hit films, 500 Days of Summer, has high hopes for Garfield in his new leading role. Of the rising young actor, Webb states, “He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.” The latest Spidey franchise will feature a younger Parker and the movie will be set in high school.

The new Spider-Man cast and crew was assembled after former Director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire opted out of the fourth installment due to scheduling issues. Garfield and crew start filming in December. The movie will be shot in 3-D and is set to hit theaters July 3, 2012. After the lackluster third film in the franchise, Maguire may be happy to pass on the tights to Garfield. He may be a bit more international, but he’s still our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.