Tom Holland finally updated his MCU cutoff date for Spider-Man 2 years after establishing it. Now that Spider-Man 4 has been confirmed, Tom Holland will have been portraying the titular hero for ten years when it releases in 2026. If rumors are to be believed, he may be joined by either or both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in another multiversal collaboration after Spider-Man: No Way Home banked nearly $2 billion for Marvel Studios and Sony. As much as I wanted Spider-Man 4 to be a street-level outing for Holland's Spidey, it's hard to argue that this doesn't make sense.
Alongside the veteran Spider-Man actors, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is practically a spring chicken - but he will be 30 by the time the movie releases. It isn't as if Peter Parker is permanently a teenager in Marvel Comics, but Holland has expressed trepidation about his age after being a part of the MCU for 8 years. Thankfully, this trepidation may have subsided, and I'm happy to hear it.
He Wants To Make Many More Spider-Man Movies
Tom Holland revealed a personal deadline for portraying Spider-Man, which he elaborated on in an interview with Esquire Middle Eastback in 2022. He was questioned on previous comments made about doing "something wrong" if he was still playing Spider-Man at 30, at which point he clarified that he wished to have "passed on the baton" to a successor at that time. His full quote is as follows:
"What I was basically trying to say is that if I am 30 and still playing Spider-Man and I haven't passed on the baton to a Miles Morales or a Spider-Woman or something more diverse, then I will have done something wrong in the sense of duties that I have to the character."
Spider-Man: No Way Home
was released in 2021, at which point Tom Holland would have been around 25 years old.
In a recent interview on the Rich Roll Podcast, however, Tom Holland seems to have walked back the notion that he wouldn't play Spider-Man past 30. Holland stated he is happy to make "many more" Spider-Man movies past Spider-Man 4. Considering Spider-Man 4 will be released when he is 30, this suggests that he's more than happy to continue embodying the iconic role for many years to come. He also clarified, however, that he would only do so "For the right reasons," a sentiment that he shares with many actors who might reprise their MCU roles in the Multiverse Saga.
Tom Holland will be returning as Peter Parker in Spider-Man 4, and the film may be the perfect opportunity to introduce his eventual MCU replacement.
Taken in tandem with his previous comments, I'm reading this as Holland suggesting that he could appear alongside his successor in subsequent movies. This could manifest as a Miles Morales-led Spider-Man 5 with Holland's Peter Parker appearing alongside him as a mentor like Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Even Spider-Man 4 might debut his successor, given it will likely take place in a multiversal setting. Whatever the case, it isn't as if Marvel Studios and Sony are about to drop Tom Holland any time soon.
Why The MCU Needs Tom Holland's Spider-Man Now More Than Ever
Spider-Man Is Extremely Valuable To Marvel Studios
Tom Holland's Spider-Man movies are one of the MCU's most successful franchises, beaten only by Black Panther and the Avengers. They are additionally among the MCU's top-rated installments, with fans rating Spider-Man: No Way Home higher than any other MCU project on Rotten Tomatoes. In the wake of a particularly agonizing 2023, in which the MCU released both its worst-rated show and movie (according to critics), and its biggest box office flop, Marvel Studios could really use the near-guaranteed win that Tom Holland's Spider-Man promises.
Sony still retains the movie rights to Spider-Man, meaning all solo Spider-Man movies in the MCU are a collaborative effort between Sony and Marvel Studios.
Spider-Man is additionally one of the most recognizable characters in the MCU. Recent attempts to introduce new characters like the Eternals, Shang-Chi, and Ms. Marvel haven't quite struck the same chord as the then relatively unknown Iron Man back in 2008. MCU veterans like Doctor Strange and Thor, meanwhile, have provided dependable movies in the Multiverse Saga that raked in enough at the global box office to ensure that the MCU is still viable - something I'm certain Spider-Man can contribute to.
Tom Holland Cares About Quality Over His Own Involvement
To be honest, I think Tom Holland has a very good point. His suggestion that Spider-Man needs to have passed the torch soon is a promising indication of where his priorities lie - specifically showing that he cares more about the quality of the franchise than his involvement in it. I think he's proven multiple times now that Peter Parker is an exceptionally valuable asset for the MCU, but it is also one character he refuses to overdo.
I know I'm not alone in hoping that this is where Marvel is headed - and it seems Tom Holland agrees.
It also proves that Tom Holland is admirably aware of the precedent set by Marvel Comics. The Secret Wars run of comics ended with certain characters from alternate universes - particularly Miles Morales - joining the newly formed Earth-616, at which point Peter Parker mentors him. It stands to reason, then, that Tom Holland's 30-something Spider-Man would continue in a post-Avengers: Secret Wars landscape as that figure as part of a faithful adaptation. I know I'm not alone in hoping that this is where Marvel is headed - and it seems Tom Holland agrees.
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
First Appearance Amazing Fantasy
Alias Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
Alliance Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
Custom image by Ollie Bradley
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