While attending the Sands International Film Festival to promote his brother Harry’s short film Last Call, Tom Holland inevitably faced questions about the future of his iconic Marvel role as Spider-Man/Peter Parker. The 26-year-old British actor has portrayed the beloved web-slinger in six films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, garnering critical acclaim and massive fan love.
However, Holland made it clear that he and the creatives at Marvel Studios are taking a cautious, meticulous approach to developing the 4th film in his Spider-Man series. This is out of a desire to properly follow up on the massive success and emotional impact of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
“The simple answer is that I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films,” Holland stated. “I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.”
But the actor acknowledges there is a “more complicated answer” when it comes to crafting the next chapter in the story. Holland explained, “We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing.”
No Way Home was a critically acclaimed blockbuster that featured Holland’s Parker teaming up with past Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The multiverse-spanning adventure paid off storylines from the previous 20 years of Spider-Man films in an epic crossover event. Its $1.89 billion global box office haul also cemented Holland’s take as the most commercially successful live-action Spider-Man yet.
With such monumental achievements, Holland is grateful to be more involved in the creative process for the 4th film than ever before. “This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early,” he revealed. “It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me.”
Ultimately, Holland reiterated his enthusiasm and commitment to continuing in the role, while ensuring the quality isn’t diminished. “Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.”
After saving the universe multiple times over, Holland’s Spider-Man will likely have to overcome new obstacles and adversaries in his next outing. By taking their time and not rushing into production, Marvel can hopefully craft a story worthy of following up No Way Home’s game-changing events.