Tom Holland’s Spider-Man handoff is apparently already on his mind, even as he continues to suit up as Peter Parker. In a new interview with Empire, Holland said he would like to help introduce whoever eventually takes over the Marvel web-slinging franchise, whether that character is Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, or someone else entirely.

“For whoever’s next, whether that is a Miles Morales or a Spider-Gwen or a Spider-Woman or something like that, I would love to be a part of setting up the next chapter,” Holland said. “Whatever that looks like, I don’t know. But if I could do what Downey did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset.”

Why Robert Downey Jr. matters to Holland’s Marvel story

Holland was referring to Robert Downey Jr., whose Tony Stark played a major role in bringing Holland’s Peter Parker into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland made his MCU debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, where Stark recruits the teenage hero into the larger Avengers orbit.

That mentor-student dynamic became one of the emotional anchors of Holland’s early run as Spider-Man, especially as Peter tried to prove he belonged in a world full of billionaires, soldiers, gods, and heavily branded catastrophe. Tony Stark later died in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, leaving Peter to carry the weight of that relationship in the films that followed.

Downey, of course, is not entirely finished with Marvel. He is set to return to the MCU as the villain Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, because comic book universes rarely close a door when a portal will do.

Holland has become one of Marvel’s biggest box office anchors

Since joining the MCU, Holland has grown into one of Marvel Studios’ most bankable stars. His first solo outing, Spider-Man: Homecoming, opened strongly in 2017 and earned $880 million worldwide.

The two sequels climbed even higher:

  • Spider-Man: Far From Home earned $1.1 billion globally in 2019.
  • Spider-Man: No Way Home reached $1.9 billion worldwide in 2021.

That last film became a major theatrical event, helped by the return of previous Spider-Man actors and villains, plus the built-in emotional appeal of watching Peter Parker lose nearly everything while still trying to do the right thing. Light fare, naturally.

The next film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to hit theaters on July 31 and is widely expected to be another major box office draw. Holland’s comments suggest he’s thinking beyond this next chapter and toward how his version of the character could eventually make room for someone new.

What Holland says about Brand New Day reshoots

In a recent GQ profile, Holland also addressed additional filming for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He described the extra scenes as “the icing on the cake,” stressing that the film already works without them.

“I can positively say that the stuff we’re doing, we don’t need,” he said. “The movie works and sings as it is. We’re just adding the icing on the cake in certain areas. We’re finding some ways to add a little bit more humor. We’re layering in a villain plotline in a new way and some really fun stuff.”

That framing is meant to reassure audiences who hear “additional scenes” and immediately begin diagnosing production trouble from a safe distance. According to Holland, the work is additive rather than corrective.

For viewers, the takeaway is that Holland seems to understand the emotional job that comes with Spider-Man. He took over the role with help from a major Marvel figure, turned it into a box office pillar, and is now openly imagining how to offer that same support to the next person under the mask.