Garfield says he has Maguire's blessing

LONDON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- British actor Andrew Garfield says Tobey Maguire wrote him a letter wishing him luck in taking over the Spider-Man role on the big-screen.

Maguire portrayed the superhero in three movies and Garfield is set to play the part in a reboot of the franchise.

"(Maguire) sent me a lovely message through a mutual friend. He gave me his support and it meant a great deal of course because a part of the reason I loved this character was because of his portrayal," Garfield told the BBC Wednesday. "To step into those shoes is no mean feat. It was generous of him to reach out and say something, so I'm thankful."

Garfield can currently be seen in "The Social Network."