Tom Holland Ready to Pass the Spider-Man Torch, Following Robert Downey Jr.’s Lead

Tom Holland is already thinking about his Marvel endgame, and no, it is not just more web-swinging. He wants to pay it forward the way Robert Downey Jr. did for him. And while he is not hanging up the suit yet, he is clearly setting the table for who comes after Peter Parker.

Holland wants to be the mentor now

Since crashing into the MCU in 2016, Holland has gone from surprise guest in 'Captain America: Civil War' to full-on franchise pillar with 'Spider- Man: Homecoming' and the rest of his run, plus team-ups like 'Avengers: Infinity War.' If Tony Stark was Peter Parker's on-screen (and off-screen) guide, Holland is eyeing that same role for the next generation of spider-people.

'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. But, if I could do what Downey did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset.'

That Downey piece is not just nostalgia. Back on 'Civil War,' RDJ reportedly looked out for the then-new kid, making sure Holland actually got to shine in a movie stacked with established heroes. It tracks that Holland wants to run the same play for whomever puts on the mask next.

Where he has been, and where he is going

• First MCU appearance: 2016's 'Captain America: Civil War,' then solo with 'Spider-Man: Homecoming.'
• Big team-up stop: 'Avengers: Infinity War.'
• Third big-screen Peter Parker after Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.
• Not done yet: Holland is back for his fourth solo outing, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day, ' in theaters July 31. A new international teaser dropped May 23.

Yes, he pitched 'Spider-Puberty'

Holland told Empire this is the first time Marvel invited him into the writers room. He was in regular meetings with producers roughly every two weeks, tossing around ideas, goals, and potential directions. One of his pitches stuck: he wanted Peter to lose control in a way that felt, well, messy and human. He called the idea 'Spider-Puberty' — the studio vetoed the label, but kept the concept and built it into a major piece of 'Brand New Day.'

As Holland put it, the title got nixed, but the core survived and evolved into what is on screen now. That is a pretty notable shift for him — not just the face under the mask, but someone shaping the story from the ground up.

The big picture

Holland has been the MCU's Spider-Man since 2016, and he is still in the fight. But he is also thinking about the handoff — maybe to Miles Morales, maybe to Spider-Gwen, maybe to Spider-Woman — and he wants to be the guy who sets them up to succeed. If he gets to play the mentor the way Downey did for him, he sounds ready to swing off with a clear conscience.