It wasn't all that long ago that Marvel was searching for a new actor to play Spider-Man for the character's introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and although Tom Holland obviously won the role, there were a variety of other young actors in the running, including Asa Butterfield.
The actor, who is now starring in Netflix's Sex Education alongside Gillian Anderson, was rumoured to be the frontrunner for the role of Spider-Man at one time, and he recently spoke with Collider to say that although losing out on the role was tough, it did present other opportunities which he wouldn't have had otherwise.
Every so often there’s a part [that you really want] and it’s a script you love, and you kind of put your heart and soul into it, and you don’t get it. And it is tough and it is shit, but I often find that something even better comes out of it at the end. And so in the case of Spider-Man, I did Sex Ed, because I wouldn’t have been able to do both of those at the same time.
Tom Holland has gone on to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, and SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, and Asa Butterfield hints that it's probably all for the best as his portrayal of the character would have been something entirely different. "Tom did amazing things with Peter," Butterfield said, "and he had an entirely different portrayal of him and I think it’s worked so well in the universe and in that part, and I don’t think I could do it. So I think all things work out in the end." The second season of Sex Education debuted on Netflix earlier this year, and the series has already been renewed for a third season.