Shailene Woodley to play MARY JANE in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2?

There has been some news recently regarding the forthcoming sequel to the Amazing Spider-Man, but mostly it’s been confirmations of returning cast or crew members (click here for some more information).  Well looks like we got our potential first new character announcements today.

According to Variety:

Woodley is the studio’s leading choice to join stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the Marc Webb-directed sequel, which is preparing to start casting. Character breakdowns have gone out to talent agencies and Electro is rumored to be one of the villains the filmmakers are considering for the next installment of the hit comicbook franchise.

In addition to Mary Jane Watson and an unspecified villain, the studio is seeking an actor to play Harry Osborn, Peter Parker’s best friend and eventual enemy, who was played by James Franco in Sam Raimi’s original trilogy that starred Kirsten Dunst as M.J.

With production not starting until early next year, the studio still has plenty of time to decide which Marvel villain will battle Spider-Man. One of the options, Electro, is the namesake of Max Dillon, an enemy of Spider-Man who gains the ability to control electricity after being struck by lightning. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #9 in February 1964.

So there you have it, not that the inclusion of these characters is shocking by any stretch of the imagination but I got to say I approve of this casting.  As a longtime Spider fan and movie-goer, this young actress certainly has the chops to pull off this potentially complex character.  Say what you will, but in many ways when written right Mary Jane Watson can be an exceptionally interesting lead.

But enough about my opinion, what do you guys think?  Did you enjoy the Amazing Spider-Man as much as we did (you can checkout our review here)?  Are you anticipating the sequel or dreading it?  What do you think about the potential inclusion of these characters in the forthcoming flick?  Can Shailene Woodley successfully pull-off the character?  Will she be a better or worse fit than Kirsten Dunst?  Sound off with your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

SOURCE: Variety