With Spider-Man 4 officially scrapped by Sony and a reboot already on the way, the big question heading into it is who will be replacing Tobey Maguire as our favorite web-slinging superhero? Naturally, there has been wild speculative rumors flying around about who will get the role - including the inevitable rumors of Twilight stars, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, as well as High School Musical heartthrob, Zac Efron.

Of course, none of these have turned out to be true, although IESB got a scoop saying Lautner had met with studio execs about an unknown role. I can just see it now: Twilight fans ecstatic, and Spider-Man fans less than content...

Now we have a new Spidey casting rumor to add to the list, in the form of Jim Sturgess. AceShowbiz reports the rumor that Sturgess has been offered the role of Peter Parker: his possible attachment came to light when Hollywood News noticed a retweet by Adulthood director, Noel Clarke, to actor Arnold Oceng in which he stated, "Got inside track. jim sturgess has bin offered the new spiderman in spiderman reboot, U know I always get da inside scoop." This was written two days ago and when asked by Hollywood News if what he said was true, Oceng replied, "Of course it is."

In case you're not familiar with Sturgess, he's appeared here and there over the last few years in such films as The Beatles musical homage, Across The Universe, the entertaining gambling film, 21, and most recently the Harrison Ford film, Crossing Over. He also appeared in a gritty British crime film called Fifth Dead Men Walking, in which he put on one of the greatest Irish accents I've ever heard done by an non-Irish actor.

Fifty Dead Men Walking still

Jim Sturgess in 'Fifty Dead Men Walking'

Of course, there's no official confirmation of Sturgess' involvement, so until we get confirmation take this strictly as a RUMOR. But just for arguments sake, say Sturgess is attached to the role of Peter Parker - is he right for it? He's more than a decent enough actor and he's not really that well known, so it would be easier in way to see him wearing the Spidey suit.

However, word is that the untitled Spider-Man reboot will see Peter back in high school; Sturgess is currently 28 years old and although he looks pretty young for his age, he doesn't look THAT young. Is Sony expecting us to suspend our disbelief, are they not going back to high school with Peter Parker or is it simply that Sturgess isn't in the running for the role? I'm inclined to believe the latter.

Would you like to see Jim Sturgess take up the Spidey mantle? Does it sound like this rumor has any truth to it or it just another rumor and nothing more?

The Spider-Man reboot is scheduled for a release in the summer of 2012. Stay tuned to Screen Rant for Spidey news as it comes out.

Source: AceShowbiz and Hollywood News