Updated January 19, 2006
Variety is reporting that Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard's daughter whose breakthrough role came in M Night Shyamalan's "The Village," is close to signing on to the cast of "Spider-Man 3."If the deal goes through, Howard would play Peter Parker's new love interest, Gwen Stacy, in the Columbia Pictures film. Howard would be working with returning "Spider-Man" stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco, and newcomers to the Spidey franchise - Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace. Sam Raimi returns as director and will be working from a script by Alvin Sargent.
Bryce Dallas Howard recently completed work on "As You Like It" for writer/director Kenneth Branagh and "Lady in the Water" which reunited her with Shyamalan. Howard also has "Mary Queen of Scots" in the works.
SOURCE: Variety
