Tom Holland talks Spider-Man 4 script, Miles Morales, and more

In the Rich Roll Podcast, Tom Holland talked about what's like being Spider-Man, the script for the next arachnid movie, the creation of his new brand, and more.

Marvel Studios' AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland)

Photo: Chuck Zlotnick

©Marvel Studios 2018
Marvel Studios' AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) Photo: Chuck Zlotnick ©Marvel Studios 2018

It's almost three years since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and we still have to learn what its successor will be about. Very few things have been officially said about Spider-Man 4 other than Jon Watts won't be returning for the fourth time in a row, and Destin Daniel Cretton is in early talks to replace him. Even if rumors have been going rampant over the last few weeks; having information from official sources will always be better - regardless of how little they reveal. Fortunately, we now have a few new details about the highly anticipated wall-crawler movie thanks to Tom Holland himself.

Spider-Man 4 pitch and draft are excellent, but they still need work

Tom Holland was the special guest on the latest episode of the Rich Roll Podcast (which you can watch above). The English actor discussed multiple topics including how sobriety has benefited his life, what's it like working with A-class actors such as Robert Downey Jr, and, of course, the highly-anticipated Spider-Man 4. Tom revealed he read an early draft of the script three weeks ago, and it's coming along "pretty well":

"We have (...) a pitch and a draft, which is excellent. It needs work but the writers are doing a great job, and I read it three weeks ago, and it really lit a fire in me. Zendeya and I sat down and read it together, and we at times were like bouncing around the living room like “This is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect”. But there’s a few things we need to figure out before we can get that really going."
Tom Holland

Tom also commented how he'd like to do "many more" Spider-Man movies, but not just for the sake of it. Instead, he wants to do what's best for the character and fans. As a result, he explained there were situations where he had to put his foot down in favor of doing the right thing for the iconic hero. It's worth remembering Tom Holland himself is a massive Spider-Man fan (as he emphasizes in the podcast), so it's exciting to hear he has a bit more control in the creative process of the movies, and that he's looking to create something memorable for the fans.

BTS;Crew;Jon Watts - (Director);Tom Holland
Director Jon Watts with cast and crew on the set of Columbia Pictures' SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.

Production needs to start soon

However, there seems to be a problem in the form of the deadline. Spider-Man 4 is rumored to be released in June 2026, which means there isn't much time left to start recording. However, at the time of writing this, there isn't even a director on board just yet. Destin Daniel Cretton, better known for his work in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is in early talks to helm the wall-crawler's upcoming adventure but nothing is set in stone just yet. Tom commented on the deadline dilemma, and while it seems things are going well, there are still some aspects that need to be resolved before shooting starts:

"We’re working now with... the pedal is to the metal. We’re trying to get it going as soon as possible. Things are looking great, but there’s still a lot of moving pieces that need to come together for us to hit the ground running."
Tom Holland

If rumors are to be believed, audiences should expect to see Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Peter Parkers appear in Spider-Man 4. With that in mind, there's the problem of being able to schedule all the big-name stars at the same time to shoot the movie. Fortunately, it seems like it won't be long before we finally start to hear more official information about Peter Parker's next adventure from Marvel and Sony.

11022640 - SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

Tom Holland wants to be a mentor to Miles Morales' actor

Tom also had the chance to talk about what's it been like to have Robert Downey Jr. as a mentor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor behind the Iron Man suit was present in Tom's auditions for the role of Peter Parker. Furthermore, he convinced the Russo brothers to shoot more Spider-Man scenes for Captain America: Civil War, which were eventually used in the final cut. When reminiscing about this experience, Tom mentioned he wants to do the same for the actor who takes on the role of Miles Morales (if that ever comes to happen):

"I’d love to one day do that. If I’d be lucky enough to somehow bring Miles Morales into my Spider-Man universe and into the MCU, I’d love to do for a young kid what Downey did for me."
Tom Holland

Recent reports suggest audiences could see Miles Morales' live-action introduction as early as Spider-Man 4. No details about his role have been revealed, but the likely scenario is his character will be merely set up for future entries in the franchise. That means we could just see him as a "powerless" teenager living in Brooklyn, and his transformation into a superhero may happen at a later point. Of course, these are all just rumors at this point, but it's nice to know if it ever were to happen, Tom Holland would be there as a mentor to the next actor who takes on the Spider-Man mantle.

Tom Holland - Actor
29th Annual Critics Choice Awards - Arrivals | Lionel Hahn/GettyImages

Being a hero in real life

A major talking point throughout the whole podcast was how Tom Holland once struggled with alcohol, and how his life has been better now that he quit it. To support everyone who's going through a similar situation, he launched Bero; a non-alcoholic beer brand. His mission is to create a "good enough replacement" for people who want to enjoy the social aspects of life, and share quality time with their friends without needing to drink alcohol:

"I’m really proud to have a product that I can stand ten toes down, and represent, and believe in the message... and know there’s more to this product than making money (...) I really want people to have something that helps them feel included."
Tom Holland

Just like Peter Parker helps others even without needing to put on the Spider-Man mask, it looks like Tom Holland is doing the same. And hopefully, it won't be long before we watch him save the day on the big screen as well.

Are you excited for Spider-Man 4? Let us know on our social media pages! And stick around with Whatever A Spider Can for everything Spider-Man-related.