Andrew Garfield has hung up his superhero suit and will no longer play the role of Spider-Man, according to new reports. The actor, who has starred as the much-loved Peter Parker in two of the Spider-Man films, has allegedly been dropped by producers and his role recast.
The announcement was made by Linda Ge, a reporter for film magazine The Wrap, who took to Twitter to post: "CONFIRMED: Andrew Garfield is NO LONGER Spider-Man. Someone new will be cast. First appearance in MCU, then solo film."
The news comes after a partnership between rivals Sony and Marvel was made.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAndrew Garfield has starred as Peter Parker in two Spider-Man films
Sony, who currently own the rights to the Spider-Man films, will introduce the superhero in a new Marvel Cinematic Universe film, which effectively means that fans will be able to see Spider-Man appear in other comic movies such as Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and X-Men.
Sony will then release a new stand-alone Spider-Man film, to be released in July 2017, which will not star protagonist Andrew.
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, said: "I am excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years."
© Photo: Getty ImagesWith Sony and Marvel's collaboration, Spider-Man will now appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Reactions to the news that Andrew, 31, had been dropped, however, were mixed on Twitter.
"One last Spidey thought: I'm a HUGE Andrew Garfield fan and loved his portrayal. But let's be real, today's news is a win-win for everyone," wrote film reporter Linda, while one Twitter user posted: "As awesome as it is for Spiderman to be joining the MCU, it's a shame about Andrew Garfield."
The more zealous of Andrew's fans expressed their torment online. "Andrew Garfield was so good as Spider-Man, make the madness stop," wrote one, echoed by another Twitter user who commented: "Andrew Garfield was a perfect Spiderman, this is such a tragedy."
