One of the very few criticisms aimed at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man franchise is that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has always been reliant on mentors and father figures, even though the rebooted series started with Uncle Ben already out of the picture.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark was a massive influence on the latest live-action Spidey, and his shadow loomed large over Far From Home despite his death in Avengers: Endgame, and that’s set to continue through next week’s No Way Home. Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan has also been a source of comfort and advice, while Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange is about to step into the breach.
In what would admittedly be a neat sense of continuity, Holland voiced his desire in an interview with the Associated Press that when the time comes for him to step aside as Spider-Man, he’d love to operate in the same capacity as Tony did to his own teenage superhero.
“I’d love to see a more diverse Spider-Man universe which would be really exciting. If I could be a part of that, I could be the Iron Man to the next young Spider-Man or Spider-Woman, that would be great. But at the moment, all I have to think about is the character and what’s best for Peter Parker.”
That would definitely be one way to have Holland stick around as Peter Parker once he hangs up the spandex, and it would also offer a neat sense of continuity that would bring his tenure as Spider-Man full circle, while also allowing a new web-slinger to carry the franchise into the future.