Tom Holland Explains Why He Changed His Mind on Playing Spider-Man After 30

Back in 2021, a 25-year-old Tom Holland remarked to GQ that, "If I'm playing Spider-Man after I'm 30, I've done something wrong." Now, on the month of his 30th birthday, the movie star is embarking on a two-hander promotional summer tour for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, and his fourth outing as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, both releasing in July.

So, what changed?

"It's funny, I saw that quote pop up somewhere recently and I kind of reeled, because I was trying to remember what I meant," Holland remarked to GQ in a new interview, published on June 2, the day after he turned 30.

Pressed on his previous remarks to the publication, Holland clarified his opinion on playing Spidey - one that, according to him, largely hasn't changed. "I think the point of it is that I would love to pass the baton on, and I haven't achieved that yet," he added.

As for the 30 cut-off mark he gave himself, "It's definitely something that we talk about a lot at the studio," he continued, joking that "maybe I need to change the quote to 37."

The actor did also, however, say the now 5-year-old quote may have been a scare tactic at the time. "I could also have been trying to leverage Sony and scare them into thinking I wasn't going to do Spider-Man 4 now that I had a new deal on the horizon. So I don't know what it could have been. It could've been part of a strategy to create fear."

The fourth live-action MCU Spider-Man film is an unprecedented step for the franchise, with a new, critically acclaimed director, Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12, Just Mercy) at the helm, taking over from Jon Watts, who directed the first three films.

Holland praised Cretton for further developing the script when he took a hiatus from filming to shoot The Odyssey, which he successfully convinced Marvel to permit. "We wouldn't have had the six-month period to develop the script with Destin to get it to a place where it is now," the actor said. "I truly believe that we've made the best version of any Spider-Man movie going."

Also this week, the actor revealed during the Good Hang podcast interview with Amy Poehler that he, along with his on-and-off screen partner Zendaya, were able to have an open conversation with the director about a scene the pair didn't think was quite right.

"'Hey, man, listen, I know we've been shooting for hours and I hate to tell you this, but I just, I don't think that this scene is working,'" Holland recalled of his conversation with the director. "'[Zendaya] and I, like what we're supposed to feel, we're not feeling it in the moment.'"

"We came in the next day, we reshot the scene, and I'm so glad that we did because it sings in the movie," Holland added, praising Cretton for his "calm" demeanor.

It seems that kind of energy and space for fresh ideas had renewed Holland's love for the franchise. As he told GQ, "I think the truth is that playing Spider-Man has been the joy of my life."

"I now kind of stand on the plinth of like, I'll do it for as long as they'll have me."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 1:27 PM.