Tom Holland will only return for Spider-Man 4 if it's 'worth the while'

At a press event, Tom Holland was quizzed by Collider (H/T: SuperheroHype) on whether he still wants to be Spider-Man again whilst at the Critics Choice Association.

In response to Collider’s Christina Radish about whether the MCU star will reprise his role as the Webhead in Spider-Man 4, Holland hinted he'd be open to returning to the character but only if it's "worth the while."

"All I can say is that we have been actively engaging in conversations about what it could potentially look like for a fourth rendition of my character. Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy. So, I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character."

Tom Holland’s hesitancy playing Spider-Man

Holland, currently 27, stated at one point in GQ that he does not want to continue playing Spider-Man after he turns 30. That is fair enough, considering he played the character for at least five years and counting since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War having appeared in several films. That does mean the clock could be ticking on his time in the MCU.

While the average comics fan may argue that Holland has not played Spider-Man for anywhere near as long compared to other actors who portrayed Marvel, DC, and other comic book characters with the likes of Hugh Jackman, the late Kevin Conroy, and even in other pop culture such as Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Potter franchise, that is unreasonable.

A movie star like Holland deserves a chance to explore other roles outside the one that made his career and to only portray one character for the rest of his adult career would only do him a disservice.

What is happening with Spider-Man 4?

Despite Holland’s comments, producer and former Co-Chairperson at Sony Pictures, Amy Pascal, who has been carrying the Spider-Man franchise since 2002, has hinted that Holland will remain in the role should a fourth film proceed. In response to whether they are making a fourth installment with Holland starring, Pascal has said: “Of course, we are.”

Zendaya is expected to reprise her role as Michelle Jones but there are no details as to where Jacob Batalon will reprise his role as Ned Leeds. Kevin Feige is rumored to be producing and Spider-Man 4 has been stated to have been in active development since 2021.

Back in February of this year, Feige revealed that the film's story has been completed and the as-yet-to-be-revealed screenwriters began penning the script for Spider-Man 4. Pascal stated script development had paused following the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and will continue once the strike has come to a resolution.

Given that there is no release date, it is presumed the movie has not been officially green-lit even though development is persisting but until a draft has been approved by the studio, there is not going to be as much movement. Though it is possible Spider-Man 4 could be released as early as 2026.