Tom Holland’s Role in Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie Can Show He’s More Than Just Spider-Man

Key Takeaways

• Holland faces career challenges outside Spider-Man
• Audiences drawn to movies by directors, not actors
• Working with Nolan could elevate Holland’s career

It’s been revealed that Tom Holland has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie, which could be exactly what he needs to distance himself from Spider-Man. Holland has played Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2016, when he first appeared as the wallcrawler in Captain America: Civil War. Since then, the actor has struggled somewhat to establish himself outside the Marvel films.

Holland’s career has been interesting to watch develop over the past few years. The British actor started in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End, then starred in The Impossible alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. However, his big breakthrough didn’t come until 2015, when he was cast as the MCU’s Spider-Man after Marvel Studios conducted a worldwide casting search to find the perfect actor for the iconic superhero.

Holland competed against 1,500 other teenagers for the role, and he stood out as the ideal candidate—one that Robert Downey Jr. himself believed was perfect for the part. Downey Jr. assisted in the audition process by reading lines with the final contenders, and he was impressed by Holland’s energy and the fact that he was the only young actor not visibly intimidated by reading lines with Tony Stark himself.

Tom Holland’s Struggling Career Outside of Spider-Man

Since then, Holland’s career has both skyrocketed and stagnated. It’s a difficult situation to explain, but over the past few years, it has become apparent that outside the Spider-Man movies, Holland hasn’t consistently been able to draw large audiences. People don’t seem motivated to see a movie in theaters simply because Tom Holland is in it. On his own, Holland isn’t a big enough box-office draw. That said, this seems true for most actors nowadays.

Looking at the movies Holland has starred in outside the Spider-Man films—The Devil All the Time, Cherry, Chaos Walking, and Uncharted (which has a sequel in the works but didn’t perform as well as expected)—the actor has struggled to attract a substantial audience. The reason isn’t entirely clear. However, one thing’s certain: the movie industry no longer revolves around big-name actors; it’s now more about intellectual property (IP) and, interestingly, big-name directors. Audiences are more likely to watch a movie based on the director rather than the star.

Audiences Care More About Directors Than Actors

Good examples include directors like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and notably, Christopher Nolan. It seems that some actors working in Hollywood today have recognized this trend. Robert Pattinson, for instance, has spoken about having a list of directors he wants to work with, regardless of the projects they’re working on.

Pattinson’s strategy allowed him to move beyond being known as “the guy who played Edward in the Twilight movies” to landing the role of Batman in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Today, Pattinson is widely regarded as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, and much of this stems from his understanding that directors play a crucial role in drawing audiences, elevating his status among peers, producers, and filmmakers.

Tom Holland Should Replicate Robert Downey Jr.’s Career Move

Another actor who recognized this trend is Holland’s MCU co-star, Robert Downey Jr. Despite earning millions from Marvel movies, Downey Jr. struggled to get audiences to watch his other films. His movie Dolittle, for instance, was a box-office flop. He wasn’t receiving Oscar nominations, despite his efforts to secure an Academy Award. But that changed when he was cast as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

Downey Jr. finally ended up winning an Academy Award and starred in one of the year’s biggest box-office hits that wasn’t a Marvel movie. Oppenheimer and working with Christopher Nolan marked a turning point in Downey Jr.’s career, which is remarkable considering his past success. Nolan offered him something he’d long sought: respect and recognition beyond his role as Tony Stark and major IPs like the Sherlock Holmes movies. This is something Tom Holland is undoubtedly seeking now. It has become clear, especially given Holland’s hesitance to start work on Spider-Man 4 until he’s assured he can have more creative control and build a reputation outside the Marvel franchise.

How Can Christopher Nolan Help Tom Holland Move Beyond Spider-Man?

Many actors in Hollywood face a similar challenge: they gain fame and fortune, but lack the recognition they desire. Working on major franchises and big IPs is fantastic for an actor’s career, but creative fulfillment often comes from more nuanced roles. This is where working with someone like Christopher Nolan can be transformative. Nolan pushes his actors and allows them to be part of something more rewarding than a superhero film.

It certainly seems Holland is looking forward to working with Nolan. During an interview with Good Morning America, he revealed, “When the opportunity came, it was the phone call of a lifetime.” He added, “[It was] reminiscent of getting that call about Spider-Man 10 years ago. It’s an amazing thing for me. I’m super proud and really, really excited.”

“When the opportunity came, it was the phone call of a lifetime.”

Though we still don’t know what Nolan’s next project will be, what we do know is that Tom Holland will be a part of it, which is thrilling news for him and for moviegoers. Holland is an incredibly talented actor, and it’s time for him to demonstrate that talent beyond the Spider-Man movies.

Tom Holland will still be starring in Spider-Man 4.