Spider-Man in film end of May 2015, Asa Butterfield, Tom Holland, Judah Lewis, Matthew Lintz, Charlie Plummer and Charlie Rowe screen tested for the lead role, against Robert Downey Jr., who portrays Iron Man, for chemistry. The six were chosen out of a search of over 1,500 actors to test in front of Feige, Pascal and the Russo brothers. In June, Feige and Pascal narrowed the actors considered to Holland and Rowe. Both screen tested again with Downey, with Holland also testing with Chris Evans, who portrays Captain America, and emerged as the favorite. On June 23, 2015, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios
Iron Man (2008 film) end of the day it's Robert Downey Jr. who powers the lift-off separating this from most other superhero movies". A. O. Scott of "The New York Times" called the film "an unusually good superhero picture. Or at least – since it certainly has its problems – a superhero movie that's good in unusual ways." Among the specialty press, Garth Franklin of "Dark Horizons" commended the "impressive sets and mechanics that combine smoothly with relatively seamless CG", and said, "Robert Downey Jr., along with director Jon Favreau ... help this rise above formula. The result is something that, whilst hardly original