Tom Holland Vows To Return As SPIDER-MAN; "The Future For Spider-Man Will Be Different"

Tom Holland has finally commented on the Spider-Man situation and it sounds like he fully intends to continue playing the wall-crawler even if that's not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Check it out...

By JoshWilding - Aug 24, 2019 02:08 PM EST

Filed Under: No Way Home

This past week has been dominated by the news that the deal between Sony Pictures and Disney to allow Spider-Man to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has reached its end. While that could change, it seems unlikely, and that means the wall-crawler will soon love in his own world and one where The Avengers don't exist

Now, Spider-Man: Far From Home star Tom Holland had finally commented on the matter and it sounds like he's come to terms with playing Peter Parker outside of the MCU.

“Basically, we’ve made five great movies,” he says, referring to his appearances as Spidey in that shared world. "It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds?"

"But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life," Holland continues. "It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it. The future for Spider-Man will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler."

So, there you have it. Holland will keep playing Spider-Man (at least for now) and it seems he's not taking sides in this apparent war between Disney and Sony Pictures.

The question is, will all this negative press force the studios to change their stance and come up with a new deal that gives fans the Spidey they want in the MCU?

Hit the "View List" button to check out the questions
we have about Spider-Man's big screen future!

How Will Marvel Studios Explain His Disappearance?

Marvel Studios can choose to just ignore Spider-Man's disappearance and pretend he never existed, but how do you explain the absence of a hero who was chosen to be the next Tony Stark by the man who sacrificed himself, in part, to bring Peter Parker back as his replacement?

The world learned the hero's identity at the end of Far From Home, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes were bound to have something to say about the wall-crawler using Stark Industries technology to seemingly attack London and kill Mysterio. Are we supposed to believe that they're just going to let that slide? Is Spidey going to be sent to limbo like The Defenders and just...vanish?

Will Sony Forget Five Movies' Worth Of Character Development?

With this deal at an end, Marvel Studios won't be allowed to reference Spider-Man and Sony Pictures will be unable to talk about characters like Nick Fury and Iron Man, not to mention everything that happened in the Avengers movies.

In many ways, that's easy enough to gloss over (it's not like Far From Home constantly referenced Civil War and Homecoming), but Spidey's arc has been tied to Tony Stark and The MCU, which means Sony will essentially have to start from scratch with a Peter who can't talk about everything he's been through up until this point.

His suits will vanish, as will his access to E.D.I.T.H. and any other Stark tech. Happy Hogan will no longer be around to help out, and if villains like Vulture and Mysterio do return, they're not going to be able to reference their own origin stories.

Is A Venom Crossover Now A Guarantee?

The answer to this question is more than likely "yes." We know Sony Pictures is keen to bring Spider-Man and Venom together, something that was unlikely when the wall-crawler was part of the MCU due to Eddie Brock really not fitting into that world (he could have been retconned in, but that seems unlikely given Feige's lack of involvement in the first movie).

Honestly, in order to escape the negative buzz surrounding them right now, Sony may very well rush straight into this in a bid to provide what they believe fans want. Now, there's no reason to think this wouldn't be good, but there are also a lot of ways a rushed crossover could go horribly wrong.

Will Spider-Man Get A New Costume?

Spider-Man has worn a number of costumes in the MCU, all of which have been designed by Marvel Studios' concept artists. Aside from his homemade suit, they've all been tied to other characters from Marvel's shared world (such as Tony Stark and Nick Fury).

As a result, Spidey's wardrobe is bound to receive a total overhaul as that red and black costume is ditched along with the Iron Spider suit he keeps in his closet. Sony has always done a pretty good job with the hero's costumes (aside from in The Amazing Spider-Man), so this might not be something we really need to worry about.

Is Avi Arad About To Regain Control Of The Wall-Crawler?

This is...terrifying? Avi Arad shoehorned Venom into Spider-Man 3 and, along with Matt Tolmach, he's responsible with pretty much everything that went wrong with The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. It's no secret that he doesn't get on with Feige, so now he's out of the picture, don't be surprised if he worms his way back into the web-slinger's world.

Amy Pascal will reportedly remain on board as a producer, but if Arad makes his presence felt, Spidey's world is inevitably going to become a whole lot more convoluted and messier.

Will That Cliffhanger Be Addressed?

There's nothing stopping Sony from continuing the story that kicked off in Spidey's first two films, and that means the big cliffhanger ending with his identity being revealed to the world is likely to be touched on in some way, shape, or form. Now, it probably won't play out how Feige intended, but that doesn't mean Sony won't still come up with some cool ideas.

However, it's also possible that they'll choose to gloss over this and continue the character's story without referencing anything that came before, just like how The Incredible Hulk ignored Hulk.

So, Who Does Own Avengers Tower?

Well, Marvel Studios must be extremely relieved that they didn't go ahead and name Oscorp the new owners of Stark Tower before sorting out a deal which would extend Spidey's time in the MCU beyond Far From Home. That would have left them in a tricky position, but they're now free to either leave that plot thread unaddressed or to have the Fantastic Four move in and rename it.

The next time we see Spider-Man swinging through the Big Apple, though, don't be surprised if you can't spot Avengers Tower as that building is going to end up disappearing from the city's iconic skyline. Beyond that, there won't really be too many changes to where Spidey calls home, but it will be interesting to see whether Sony continues using the same sets or returns to Los Angeles.

Will Jon Watts And Tom Holland Return?

Tom Holland is almost certainly contracted for more Spider-Man movies, but, for all we know, he may have a clause where he can get out of that. The actor loves the character, though, and he's always worked for Sony so there's nothing to say that will change - assuming he's happy with the script.

As for Jon Watts, he's not currently signed up for the next Spider-Man movie and if Marvel Studios offers him another project set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony could end up looking elsewhere for a filmmaker to take the helm of the franchise. After all, he may not want to work on the character without Feige's overseeing the creative side of things.

Does This Mean Spider-Man Is About To Enter The Spider-Verse?

We know that Sony has a long list of Spider-Man spinoff movies in the works, including films featuring characters like Black Cat and Morbius, the Living Vampire. Now, Peter Parker is free to swing into any and all of those, something which means we won't have to endure any more awkward Spider-Man-less adventures like Venom.

One of the spinoffs we know is being worked on revolves around Kraven the Hunter and reportedly gives Spidey a key role, so don't be shocked if that now becomes the Far From Home sequel...

Can A Deal Still Be Reached?

We never thought we'd see Spider-Man in the MCU, so it's entirely feasible that a deal will be reached despite how bleak things look right now. We know that Sony offered Disney some alternatives, and while they flat out refused to accept those terms, the negative response may very well lead to both parties reconsidering their current stance.

In the eyes of many fans, Marvel Studios can do no wrong, so the last thing they want is to be tarnished with being responsible for Spider-Man leaving the MCU. Sony, meanwhile, will not want to release a movie which is surrounded by negative buzz because the wall-crawler can no longer interact with The Avengers or even appear in any of the team's upcoming adventures.

Is This All Just A Negotiating Tactic?

It may not have started that way, but it could now become one for both Sony and Disney.

Let's assume that Disney leaked the news to try to force Sony to give them what they want. Well, the latter has done a pretty good job of making it look like Disney are the ones to blame, so that might now force them to relent and accept something below 50%.

It's hard to say, but, as of right now, no one is going to come out of this situation looking good.

Who Will Replace Spider-Man In The MCU?

Spider-Man brought something very different to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we got to see a superhero in high school dealing with problems vastly different to those faced by characters like Captain America and Iron Man.

Peter's absence will leave a void in the MCU that doesn't necessarily have to be filled, but does close the door on many of the stories Marvel Studios could have otherwise told. There are a lot of possibilities for who could take Spidey's place, including the Sam Alexander version of Nova, Ms. Marvel, or pretty much any member of the Young Avengers.

Will that be as satisfying as seeing Spidey in action, though? Nope.

What Will Happen To The Rest Of The Cast?

The cast of the first two Spider-Man movies presumably signed deals with Sony Pictures rather than Marvel Studios, but this change behind the scenes could have a significant impact on those contracts and the likes of Marisa Tomei and Zendaya may have the option to not reprise their roles.

On the other hand, it's equally as likely that they're locked in to whatever comes next, and they'll be forced to star in those next two movies whether they like it or not.

What Happens To Dark Avengers?

Well, it's probably not happening for starters! It's no secret that Marvel Studios has a number of rough drafts lying around their offices, and based on countless reports, Dark Avengers is among them. Now, a movie like that doesn't need to have Norman Osborn in it ,but it would certainly help and if this is something Feige had planned, you have to believe it's now been scrapped.

There was no mention of the wall-crawler at Comic-Con, but seeds for the Dark Avengers could have been planted in at least some of the Phase 4 movies and TV shows, while common sense says that another Spider-Man movie would have been added to the slate for a 2021 release.

We may never know what might have been, but Spider-Man's disappearance will send ripples through the MCU.

Can Spider-Man Survive Without The MCU?

Sony definitely ran the wall-crawler into the ground before partnering with Marvel Studios, but Venom was a box office hit and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - made independently of Marvel - won an Oscar. While it's easy to imagine scenarios where the next Spider-Man movie is as messy as The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony could easily continue this story without any references to the MCU.

The MCU will certainly survive without Spidey, and there's no reason to think that Spidey can't survive without the MCU. Things are definitely going to be different, but the character isn't doomed...yet.

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125 Comments

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RageDriver2401 - 8/24/2019, 2:50 PM

I know the MCU influence on his Spider-Man was a little too heavy, I've said it myself countless times, but I'm afraid of Sony. Especially after TASM2 and Venom. I still think Spider-Man is better off with Marvel.

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 2:50 PM

Sounds like he's accepted a deal won't go through? Would be a shame if that's the case.
But if Sony could get Lord/Miller to do the next few Spidey films (gonna guess Watts will still do #3)? One heck of a silver lining. Holland returning too.
Also, if they really put him in the Venom-verse it won't even be the first time he's worked with Hardy; he played his son in the excellent (and under-seen) Locke.

MUTO123 - 8/24/2019, 2:53 PM

Apparently he barely talked throughout the entire Onward panel and then when he said this he sounded upset.

DarthGrizzly - 8/24/2019, 2:55 PM

This is sad man, [frick]. We loved it, and now cause of money disputes, what was working perfectly and well, is just gonna be taken away from us.

Nightwing1015 - 8/24/2019, 2:56 PM

"The future for Spider-Man will be different"

Maybe not if either Disney or Sony caves

bobbo68 - 8/24/2019, 2:57 PM

I feel that Marvel and Sony are going to work it out maybe not right away but they eventually will come to a deal that will make everyone happy.

Spidey91 - 8/24/2019, 2:57 PM

f*ck this

good job Sony and Disney, you won't ever see as much as a cent from me.

Himura - 8/24/2019, 3:56 PM

@Spidey91 - yeah we all know that’s not true

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 2:57 PM

@dacage - I don't think Fincher's ever gonna do one of these movies. If they do a one-off in a different universe though, I'd looooooove to see what a Spike Jonze Spider-Man would look like

TheUnworthyThor - 8/24/2019, 2:58 PM

@tmp3 - Can they even do that? They signed the film deal with Universal. They deal with Sony was only for television.

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 2:59 PM

@TheUnworthyThor - That deal's for first look original content. Matt Reeves has a deal with Netflix, but he's still doing work for WB.

Nightwing1015 - 8/24/2019, 2:59 PM

@TheDoctor1225 - "We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell"

That's such garbage. They wouldn't have ended on a cliffhanger if that were true.

Kumkani - 8/24/2019, 3:00 PM

Oh for [frick] sake

Kumkani - 8/24/2019, 3:01 PM

@SpardaJr - How was that a "[frick] the MCU" statement? He had nothing but good things to say.

Who am I kidding? You just chose to see it that way.

OmegaDaGrodd - 8/24/2019, 3:03 PM

"5 days ago we lost, all of us. We lost a friend. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves"

TexasAvenger - 8/24/2019, 3:05 PM

This whole situation really sucks. Everything was going great. :/

Ah well. At least college football is back tonight!

Comicbookart - 8/24/2019, 3:05 PM

When the new trailer for the sequel shows the logos we'll know the truth. Or a trade announces the studios have worked something out.

The funniest thing about all this is Tom Rothman saying he knows Feige's playbook. lmao!

RageDriver2401 - 8/24/2019, 3:05 PM

Oh boy, Feige's comments pretty much confirm that it's over. No more Spider-Man in the MCU.

I guess the butchers at Sony (looking at you Avi) will now throw him into their godawful Venom-verse.

[frick] these suits man.

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 3:06 PM

To quote a song that showed up in another Sony film from July 2019:
🎶Well, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time 🎶

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 3:08 PM

OT: HOLY SHIT!
EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE will officially release on Netflix on October 11th.
!!!
Written & Directed by Vince Gilligan!!

MUTO123 - 8/24/2019, 3:08 PM

@RageDriver2401

That's gonna be tragic. Science cannot measure the distance in quality between Tom Holland as Spidey and [frick]ing Venom.

Chris827 - 8/24/2019, 3:09 PM

Its over. What do you expect them to say. I'm sure Tom is pissed but he's got a contract and he's not gonna say Sony sucks they are gonna ruin this. He's gonna say all the right things and play the part.

And Feige is gonna say same shit.

OmegaDaGrodd - 8/24/2019, 3:11 PM

I know getting paid millions of dollars is a nice consolation, but I still feel awful for Tom Holland. Dude really went from being one of the faces of the biggest franchise of all time and being in the biggest movie to date..... only to now answer to the guys who basically threw Andrew Garfield in the trash without warning 4 years ago, not to mention everything that happened with Sam Raimi.

Probably one of the most stable, awesome jobs an actor can have turned into one of the most potentially volatile situations one could ask for

DENNISsystem - 8/24/2019, 3:15 PM

The thought of Pascal and Avi Arad back in charge of Spidey fills me with rage. Hey Sony:

tmp3 - 8/24/2019, 3:18 PM

@dacage - Sony wanted Lord & Miller to do TASM 3

An October 21 email from De Luca to Pascal also (potentially) revealed some directors for upcoming superhero films, many of which aren’t even set up at Sony, including Jeff Nichols (Mud) as director of Aquaman, and plans for Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The LEGO Movie) to helm a The Amazing Spider-Man 3 in 2018.

99OPTIMISTPRIME - 8/24/2019, 3:18 PM

Detaching Spider-Man from Iron Man.👍 A potential Spider-verse movie.👍 An acknowledgment of Uncle Ben.👍 A potential solo Aunt May movie.👍

MUTO123 - 8/24/2019, 3:20 PM

If you paid money to see Venom, you basically ASKED for this to happen. And I have no sympathy for you whatsoever.

GhostDog - 8/24/2019, 3:21 PM

Dude prob screamed [frick] right after this when he went backstage haha

Why is everyone assuming Lord and Miller will have hand in it?

I thought they were just overseeing the animated shit? If they do end up being involved that’s at east one good thing. Problem is...Avi Arad is still there too

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