Emma Stone to play Gwen in new Spider-Man

U.S. actress Emma Stone, currently the toast of movie theatre with her teen comedy Easy A, is the latest casting coup for the upcoming reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise.

Sony Pictures has announced that Stone will portray Gwen Stacy, one of Peter Parker/Spider-Man's original love interests, in the revamped superhero tale.

Andrew Garfield, currently earning high praise for his turns in the new films The Social Network and Never Let Me Go, was previously tapped to portray Parker/Spider-Man for the reboot project.

"The chemistry between Andrew and Emma was stunning and made Emma the clear choice," director Marc Webb said in a statement.

"Much to my surprise, it was fun to find out that our choice for Gwen [Stone] is also a natural blonde," he added, a reference to Stone's best known film roles all as a redhead including Easy A, Zombieland and Superbad. The character of Stacy is a blonde.

Recent rumours had mentioned Stone as the prime candidate to portray Mary Jane Watson, Parker's later scarlet-haired girlfriend (and eventual wife). That role was played by Kirsten Dunst in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films.

Production of the rebooted movie series, which returns the webslinger to his school days, is slated to start in December.

In the original comics, fellow science student Gwen Stacy is Parker's girlfriend and is kidnapped by one of his arch villains, the Green Goblin. During a battle on New York's George Washington Bridge, Stacy is thrown off the bridge and dies despite Spider-Man's attempt to save her. Her death which caused ripples in the comics community for its shocking, sudden nature goes on to haunt the young superhero for years.