Hollywood has a long history of nearly casting Spider-Men, from Leonardo DiCaprio and Jake Gyllenhaal in early conversations to a wave of younger contenders before Tom Holland ultimately landed the suit. But one of the more intriguing ones was Charlie Rowe, a British teen actor who got much closer than most people realize.

He may not be the face fans know today, but for a moment, Marvel could have gone in a very different direction.

Charlie Rowe was one of the lesser-known names in the Spider-Man casting race, but he stood out to fans because he already looked like Peter Parker to many online. His name kept showing up in fan cast edits and internet debates, and he actually made it all the way to a full-screen test for the MCU role. Rowe was 19, and according to coverage from the period, Marvel and Sony narrowed the field to just a few final contenders before choosing Holland.

Rowe handled losing the part with unusual grace. He publicly congratulated Holland on X, while also saying he believed he would have made a strong Spider-Man himself. That reaction helped cement his reputation as one of the more mature runner-ups in the entire casting process, especially since he had come so close after multiple screen tests.

So where is he now? Rowe has continued working steadily in film, television, and theater rather than chasing the kind of mega-franchise spotlight Spider-Man would have brought. His credits include early roles in The Golden Compass, Never Let Me Go, Red Band Society, and Salvation, and more recently he has appeared in projects like Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and Let It Come Down.

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That near miss now feels even more interesting as Spider-Man prepares for another massive chapter.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is already being framed as a huge box office event, with early tracking pointing to a potentially massive global launch for Tom Holland’s return as Peter Parker. The film’s advance sales and franchise momentum have put it in rare company, with projections suggesting it could land among the biggest openings in modern superhero history.

If those numbers hold, the movie could open to about $800 million worldwide, which would put it just behind Avengers: Endgame for the second biggest global debut ever. Reports also say North American pre-sales have climbed past $60 million, while worldwide advance bookings have gone beyond $120 million, showing just how strong audience demand already is.

That kind of launch would not just be a win for Marvel, it would also be a major threat to the current box office reign of The Odyssey. Nolan’s film has been holding incredibly well, but a Spider-Man release of this size would likely slow its momentum and shift attention back toward franchise spectacle.

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What do you think about Charlie Rowe almost becoming Spider-Man and the massive expectations for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Let us know in the comments.