For a while, Spider-Man: No Way Home seemed to be the end for the eponymous hero, at least in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Though the 2021 film was a high point for the franchise and character that brought him back to basics in the most literal sense, star Tom Holland has been vocal regarding his reservations about a fourth Spidey film.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Holland confessed to feeling “a little apprehensive” about continuing Spider-Man’s story. “There’s a bit of a stigma about the fourth one in all franchises,” he said. “I feel like we hit a home run with our first franchise and there’s a part of me that wants to walk away with my head held high and pass the baton to the next lucky kid that gets to bring this character to life.”
Those comments felt like a blow to all the momentum Holland built up as the webslinger, but he hasn’t completely walked away from the series. Quite the opposite, actually: since No Way Home hit theaters three years ago, he’s been more involved than ever before. He’s sat in on development meetings with “a bunch of notes and ideas,” and expressed a new commitment to the franchise in a recent interview.
“I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films,” Holland told Deadline this week. “I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.”
It seems like the actor has overcome the need to pass on the baton (though he wouldn’t say no to a team-up with a new Spider-Man, like Miles Morales, in a future film). That said, there are still a few complications to crack before Spidey can swing through the streets of New York again.
“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,” Holland said. “The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing.”
The MCU’s take on Spider-Man is the third big-screen incarnation we’ve seen, so Holland and his collaborators have to be mindful about retreading familiar territory. But with over 60 years of material to pull from, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a new way forward. Holland, at least, is optimistic about taking on a more active role:
“This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.”
With Holland working behind the scenes to create the best story possible, it seems less a matter of if he’ll ever return as Spider-Man than when. That aligns with his most recent sentiments about the franchise, but he seems even more committed now than ever before. Though ideas for Spider-Man 4 are still taking shape, at least the MCU won’t be losing its leading man any time soon.
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