“I Feel More Pressure”- Tom Holland Doubted His Future as Spider-Man After Working With Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield

Published 07/31/2026, 4:12 AM EDT

Credits: Sony Pictures

Tom Holland was just 19 years old when he was cast as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man introduced him in Captain America: Civil War, Holland began his journey with a series of standalone Spider-Man movies. Later, in the 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home, he had the opportunity to work alongside Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. 

While the movie was a major success, the particular moment where Holland worked with the two actors, who previously played the character, made him question his future in the franchise.

Why did working with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield worry Tom Holland?

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Tom Holland, during his appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, recalled working with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home and shared that the experience made him question whether it was time for him to hang up the Spider-Man suit. However, he ultimately decided to return to the role and went on to work with director Destin Daniel Cretton on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But he revealed that the question about his future as Spider-Man, along with several other elements, put more pressure on him before the release of his upcoming film than his first film did when he was a teenager.

"I feel more pressure and more nerves releasing Spider-Man: Brand New Day than I did Spider-Man: Homecoming. There's something about that kind of childlike naivety of what was happening to my life at 20" he told Josh Horowitz. 

"As opposed to finishing that third movie, sharing the screen with Tobey and Andrew, being really kind of conflicted as to whether or not my time as Spider-Man had come to an end,” he added.

Credits: Sony Pictures

During the interview, he further explained that while he is extremely proud of his upcoming film, he feels more pressure this time because he is more involved in creating the film than ever before. Previously, in an interview with Empire, Holland shared that he was invited into the writers’ room for the first time, allowing him to take part in the decision-making and creative process behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day

He also revealed that he worked closely with the team, sharing his ideas for the character with the director and producers. Interestingly, the core idea of the film, which sees Spider-Man’s powers evolve, was inspired by one of Holland’s suggestions. He explained that he had pitched the idea of “Spider puberty,” which ultimately became the inspiration for one of the movie’s crucial arcs.

Get Ready for Spidey! All Spiderman Movies You Need to Watch Before You Stream the Latest Drop on Netflix

And perhaps that kind of involvement also encouraged Holland to be interested in taking up bigger roles in the Marvel universe.

Tom Holland weighed in on the opportunity to direct a Marvel movie

Tom Holland and Zendaya recently sat down for a conversation with Hugo Travers for HugoDécrypte – Grands Formats. During the rapid-fire question round, Holland was asked whether he would ever be interested in directing a movie. The actor appeared intrigued by the idea of taking on a different role, despite his initial hesitation.

"Yeah, I guess I could," he said after some thought.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Credits: Sony Pictures

While there is no confirmation of Spider-Man 5 yet, rumors suggest that the upcoming film could be part of a new trilogy, with Holland potentially returning for more movies. Moreover, the actor previously said that he would like to continue playing Spider-Man until at least the age of 37. Unless new reports emerge, it remains to be seen whether Holland will return and how much further he could expand his involvement in the Spider-Man films.

Tom Holland and Zendaya Agree Peter Parker Made the Wrong Choice in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home'

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What do you think about Tom Holland's concerns about his future as Spider-Man? Let us know in the comments.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

ADVERTISEMENT

Pritha Debroy

1002 articles

Pritha Debroy is an Entertainment writer at NetflixJunkie who can seamlessly switch between breaking down an NBA play and obsessing over the latest K-drama twist. She has written over 3,400 NBA and NFL articles, but her true joy lies in diving into Netflix’s trendiest shows—unpacking themes, stories, and yes, the occasional celebrity chaos. When she is not writing, you’ll find her devouring thrillers (anything by Freida McFadden is an instant yes), revisiting comfort classics like 10 Things I Hate About You and 27 Dresses, or hunting for her next binge-worthy series.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

EDITORS' PICK