Spider-Man 4 star Tom Holland is ready to no longer be Spider-Man

'I would be so content swinging off into the sunset'

Tom Holland's fourth Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is almost here. By the way the star talks, it certainly seems like he's ready for Brand New Day to mark the beginning of the end of his time in the red-and-blue underoos.

Speaking to Empire recently, Holland said he's ready for a new Spider-themed hero to rise up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "For whoever’s next, whether that is a Miles Morales or a Spider-Gwen or a Spider-Woman or something like that, I would love to be a part of setting up the next chapter," he said. "Whatever that looks like, I don’t know. But if I could do what Downey did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset." Disney and Marvel have not publicly announced any plans to add another Spider-themed hero to the MCU.

Bringing Miles Morales or any other Spider-hero into the MCU is undoubtedly a tricky affair due to licensing agreements between Disney and Sony, which holds the live-action rights to Spider-Man characters. So, Holland might not get his wish anytime soon to have Peter Parker mentor a new Spider-Man or a Spider-Woman like Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark mentored Holland's character in his early MCU appearances.

His quote echoes his comments from five years ago in the lead-up to Spider-Man: No Way Home, when he told GQ, "Maybe it is time for me to move on. Maybe what’s best for Spider-Man is that they do a Miles Morales film. I have to take Peter Parker into account as well, because he is an important part of my life." Holland noted that "if I’m playing Spider-Man after I’m 30, I’ve done something wrong." (Holland turned 30 on Monday, June 1.)

Walking away from such a surefire hit franchise — the last Spider-Man movie grossed over $1.9 billion — may seem surprising at first, but this is a role Holland has been playing for a third of his life. He was 19 when Captain America: Civil War was in production (his debut as Spider-Man), and Brand New Day will be his seventh appearance as the web-swinging hero. He might just be ready for a change of pace and a new challenge as an actor.

Holland wasn't part of the Avengers: Doomsday chair reveals last spring and isn't confirmed to be in the film premiering in December. Still, the MCU loves surprises, and he could still pop up in Doomsday or its 2027 follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars. Holland will be 31 by the time Secret Wars comes out.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters July 31.