Is the star of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thiefdestined to be the new Spider-Man? Just a few days ago, the buzz on the web suggested yes, but now there’s another contender looking to make the casting decision into a tangled web.

Over the weekend, Hitfix reported that actor Logan Lerman was “almost 100% locked,” but not yet in contract negotiations to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the upcoming film, to be directed by Marc Webb. As written by James Vanderbilt (The Losers, Zodiac), this new incarnation is intended to be a reboot that skews younger; it will center around a high school-age Peter Parker who must learn to balance school, girls, and being the amazing Spider-Man.

Shortly after the news broke, however, insiders at Sony reportedly denied Lerman has nearly landed the role. In fact, according toDeadline, their sources were ”very definitive in denying the story,” to the point of stating that Lerman was ”100% not going to be Spider-Man”and that he is not even among the candidates being seriously  considered.This, of course, begs the question: Why not? Lerman, after all, seems fairly well-established for his age; he started his career across Mel Gibson in What Women Want and The Patriot when he was only eight, and to date, his credentials include performances in the critically-acclaimed 3:10 to Yuma and the short-lived television show Jack & Bobby. Not only could one make the argument that Lerman’s qualified, but thanks to Percy Jackson, he‘s proven he can headline blockbusters.

The reason might have something to do with Josh Hutcherson, another young actor who recently starred in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. According to IESB, he’s not necessarily a lock to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but likely one of several candidates on the aforementioned “short list.” However, his name stands out in particular, as Hutcherson has previously worked or will work with a number of people involved with Marvel Comics-based movies, including Iron Man director Jon Favreau.

The site claims sources who say the role is Lerman’s to lose, and others countering that Lerman is already out of the running for it. My initial knee-jerk reaction was to assume Lerman is simply not under contract yet, so Sony is in full denial mode until a deal can be finalized, lest they give his agent too much leverage. Now it appears Marvel has a plan that extends beyond Lerman, and that’s good, since that July 2012 due date for a new Spider-film is looming ever-larger.

Source: Cinema Spy