Tom Holland has showcased remarkable versatility throughout his 15-year career, spanning from his debut in the stage production of Billy Elliot to his breakout film role in The Impossible. From dramatic portrayals in films like In the Heart of the Sea to complex characters such as a PTSD-stricken veteran in Cherry, Holland has consistently challenged himself in diverse roles.
While he gained widespread recognition as Peter Parker in Marvel’s Avengers and Spider-Man movies, the 27-year-old actor is determined not to be confined by his iconic alter-ego. During the promotion of his latest project, the Apple TV+ thriller series The Crowded Room, where he plays the role of Danny Sullivan, a seemingly harmless man arrested for a 1979 shooting in New York, Holland expresses his perspective on his career.
“I’m not really concerned about being pigeonholed,” Holland tells us while promoting his latest project, the twisty Apple TV+ dramatic thriller series The Crowded Room, in which he plays Danny Sullivan, a seemingly harmless young man arrested for a shooting in 1979 New York. “I really look at my career from my own set of eyes and I worry less about what people think about whether or not they see me as Spider-Man or whether or not they see me as Danny. I see each and every film as a personal achievement. Whether I’m proud of a film or not is really how I kind of weigh up my emotions about something. I try not to look at reviews. I try not to hear what people say around the world. So it’s not something that I actively do.
“I feel like my agents and I have navigated the industry in a really good way over the last 10 years. But that said, if I just play Spider-Man for the rest of my life, I’d still be the luckiest kid alive. So there’s no complaints from me here.”
Holland emphasizes that he evaluates his career based on personal fulfillment and doesn’t dwell on how others perceive him as Spider-Man or any other character. Each film represents an individual accomplishment, irrespective of external opinions or reviews. While he acknowledges the guidance of his agents in navigating the industry, he remains grateful for the opportunity to portray Spider-Man indefinitely, considering it a privilege.
Although nothing is officially confirmed, there is a strong likelihood of Holland continuing as Spider-Man for several more years. Amy Pascal, a producer on Spider-Verse projects, revealed that a fourth MCU Spider-Man film, potentially starring Holland, is in progress but delayed by the Writers Guild of America strike. Holland himself has been engaged in early discussions with the studio but paused them in solidarity with the writers’ strike.
“I’m going to have to plead the fifth there because I’m not prepared to start talking about the future of Spider-Man,” he told us.
“As everyone knows, I love him. He changed my life. I love the character. Should we find a way to tell his story and do justice to him, we will do so. But if we can’t find a way to do that, and if we can’t find a way to compete with the third one [2021’s mega-hit Spider-Man: No Way Home], then you know, he’ll swing off into the sunset.”
When asked about the future of Spider-Man, Holland refrains from divulging details, expressing his reluctance to discuss it. He expresses his love for the character, how it transformed his life, and his willingness to tell Spider-Man’s story with justice. However, if they are unable to deliver a satisfying continuation or compete with the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Holland suggests that Spider-Man may gracefully exit the scene.
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