Tom Holland will replace Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to Joe Russo, the co-director of Avengers: Endgame. Fans are reflecting back on Tom Holland’s time as Peter Parker as he prepares to reprise his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But it’s uncertain what will happen to him after the upcoming Jon Watts picture, Russo’s latest comment hints he’ll remain in the world for a while longer.
In 2015, Marvel Studios and Sony announced a groundbreaking alliance to introduce a new version of Spider-Man to the MCU. Holland was cast in the role soon after, and instead of jumping right into another origin narrative, he made his debut in Captain America: Civil War. Tony Stark recruited him into Team Iron Man as Peter in preparation for his showdown with Captain America (Chris Evans). It was evident from their encounters that the performers had a lot of chemistry, so Marvel Studios decided to pair them up in the future. Tony served as his hesitant mentor, while Peter served as his prodigy. However, their bond evolved into more of a father-son dynamic in the end. Downey has officially quit the MCU now that Iron Man is dead, and despite fan demands for him to return, there’s no strong sign that he will – at least not anytime soon.
Russo claimed in a recent interview with GQ that Holland will take over Downey’s part in the franchise. While the filmmaker does not go into specifics, he concludes that Holland, like the MCU’s initial hero, will be the franchise’s heart and soul.
For what it’s worth, Russo’s remark has merit. For openers, he and his brother, Anthony Russo, collaborated on three of Holland’s six appearances as Spider-Man in the MCU. The actor appeared in all of those productions alongside Downey, including their first collaboration in Captain America: Civil War. On top of Watts’ work in Spider-Man: Homecoming, it’s the Russos that established and developed their connection. As filmmakers who have collaborated with both Holland and Downey, the Russos know what goes into creating individually and collectively stories in the MCU. This may annoy fans of Spider-Man and Iron Man’s close relationship in the MCU, but it doesn’t mean Peter exists just to supplant his master. Rather, it demonstrates how important Holland has become in the MCU.
Therefore, would this mean Holland will continue to portray Spider-Man beyond Spider-Man: Homecoming? After all, Downey served as a member of both the Marvel Movies for eleven years, appearing in 10 films. As the narrative progresses, second superheroes such as Holland’s facade appear as the emerging face of the world. It may take some time for someone like him to reclaim his position as the Avengers’ leader. If this is the case, Marvel Studios and Sony will be ready to keep working on this superhero without restriction.
