Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man is probably the most popular active MCU hero. The depth of love for him was proven in 2019 when there was a global outcry upon a report positing the Marvel Studios/Sony deal had broken down and he’d be leaving for pastures new.
Next month, the hugely anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home will hit theaters, and Holland has been reflecting on how far he’s climbed in advance of that release.
In an interview with Total Film, he talked about how he’s developed as an actor since Spider-Man’s first MCU appearance in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War:
“I’ve grown and changed in the best ways possible. I really learned how to stand up for myself. When you first start making these films, you’ve got to do as you’re told, and you don’t think anything of it. But as time goes on, you realize that you’re an actor in your film, and you need to protect yourself. Sometimes I’ll say ‘No’ as a full sentence. I’ve learned how to stand up for myself, how to behave in a professional capacity when you’re the leader. I’ve learned how to enjoy my fame, rather than run away from it.”
He went on to say that playing Spidey is still an enormous amount of fun for him:
“It’s been an amazing experience, and as an actor, I’ve found so much confidence in my ability, through having this safety blanket that is Spider-Man. It’s like a playground for me. Somewhere I can play freely, and make mistakes. And sometimes those mistakes are the birth of the best idea, and that’s where the character’s growing from.”
But perhaps categorizing Holland’s decisions as “mistakes” might be a bit harsh. After all, he’s one of the most loved celebrities in the world so he must be doing something right. But he does have some advice for his younger self:
“I would basically say, ‘Don’t do anything for the money.’ I would really, really try to teach my younger self that money means nothing. Money is just a number on a screen. Then again … You know what? Scratch that. I wouldn’t tell my younger self to do anything differently.
You only learn from mistakes, you don’t learn from winning. All the things I’ve done wrong have helped me end up where I am today. I haven’t done anything terrible that I would go back and change. So yeah, I would probably just let him get on with it, if I’m honest.”
After No Way Home, it seems Holland will take on a number of non-MCU projects while making cameos in other MCU movies. The long-term goal is apparently to position him as “young Tony Stark” and lead a new generation of heroes. This would nicely complete his arc, taking him from an over-excited and starstruck new hero to a trusted veteran who can advise a Young Avengers team.
Let’s hope the new status quo post-No Way Home gives us some hints on Spider-Man‘s next appearance (hopefully alongside Tom Hardy’s Venom).
Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters on Dec. 17.
Published: Nov 15, 2021 07:32 am