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Tom Holland Unveils ‘Whole Plan’ to Pass Spider-Man Torch to New Actor
Tom Holland Reveals Secret Plan to Pass the Spider-Man Torch
The Big News: Spider-Man Has a Succession Plan
Tom Holland — the actor who has played Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2016 — just shared some exciting news. During an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he revealed that there’s already a detailed plan for how he will eventually hand over the Spider-Man suit to a new hero.
Important Point: This isn’t just a vague idea — Holland says the plan has been in the works since they finished filming Spider-Man: No Way Home (released in 2021).
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Journey So Far
Before we talk about the future, let’s look at how we got here. Here’s every time Holland has appeared as Spider-Man:
- 2016 — Captain America: Civil War (first appearance)
- 2017 — Spider-Man: Homecoming (first solo movie, with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man)
- 2018 — Avengers: Infinity War
- 2019 — Avengers: Endgame
- 2019 — Spider-Man: Far From Home
- 2021 — Venom: Let There Be Carnage (cameo)
- 2021 — Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Upcoming — Spider-Man: Brand New Day (next solo movie)
What "Passing the Baton" Means to Holland
Holland explained his vision using a relay race analogy — you know, where runners pass a baton to the next person? He wants to do for the next Spider-Man exactly what Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) did for him when he first joined the MCU.
Important Point: Holland says this mentorship role is "the thing I want to do most in this character, for sure."
Who Could Be the Next Spider-Man?
Holland has mentioned several possibilities for who might take over the web-shooters:
Comic Book Characters Who Could Appear:
- Miles Morales — A popular Spider-Man from the comics (and the animated Spider-Verse movies)
- Spider-Gwen / Spider-Woman — Female versions of the character from alternate universes
Real-Life Actor Suggestion:
- Owen Cooper — Star of the show Adolescence, whom Holland called "super-talented and the talk of the town right now"
Fun Fact: In the comics, multiple people have been Spider-Man at the same time! The "Spider-Verse" concept means there can be many Spider-People across different dimensions.
Holland Supports ALL Spider-Man Projects
Here’s something really cool — Holland isn’t possessive about the character. He celebrated all the different Spider-Man versions out there:
- His live-action movies (the MCU ones)
- Sony’s live-action projects (like Venom and Spider-Noir)
- The animated Spider-Verse movies — which he called "the best Spider-Man movies that have ever been made" with "heart… out of this world"
Important Point: Holland recognizes that Spider-Man is bigger than any one actor — the character belongs to everyone.
What This Means for Fans
| What We Know | What We Don’t Know |
|---|---|
| A transition plan exists | Exactly when Holland will step down |
| Holland wants to mentor the next Spider-Man | Who the next actor will be |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day is coming next | How many more movies Holland will do |
| Multiple Spider-People can exist at once | Whether Miles Morales or others will appear in live-action |
Summary
Tom Holland isn’t leaving Spider-Man tomorrow — he’s filming Spider-Man: Brand New Day next. But he’s already thinking about the future like a responsible big brother. His dream? To welcome the next web-slinger the same way Robert Downey Jr. welcomed him: with guidance, support, and a proper passing of the torch. Whether that’s Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, a new character, or actor Owen Cooper — Holland wants to make sure Spider-Man’s future is in good hands. And in the meantime, he’s cheering for every version of the character, from live-action to animation.
Bottom Line: Spider-Man isn’t going anywhere — he’s just getting ready for his next chapter, with Holland helping write the transition.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Is Tom Holland quitting Spider-Man right now?
No! He’s still playing the character in the upcoming movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He’s just planning ahead for when he eventually steps down.
Who is Miles Morales?
Miles Morales is a teenager from the comics who gets spider-powers in an alternate universe. He’s the main character in the award-winning animated movies Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse. Many fans want to see him in live-action.
Can there be more than one Spider-Man at the same time?
Yes! The "Multiverse" concept (explored in No Way Home and the Spider-Verse movies) means different versions of Spider-Man can exist in different dimensions — or even meet each other.
What did Robert Downey Jr. do for Tom Holland?
RDJ (Iron Man) mentored Holland when he first joined the MCU — giving him advice, making him feel welcome, and essentially "passing the torch" of being a Marvel leading man. Holland wants to do the same for the next Spider-Man.
Will Owen Cooper actually be the next Spider-Man?
We don’t know yet. Holland just said he thinks Cooper would be awesome. It was a compliment, not an official casting announcement. Marvel and Sony will make that decision later.
