Peter Parker may be entering his final era.
Tom Holland has now played Spider-Man for a decade, transforming the teenage Queens vigilante into one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most important heroes across solo movies, Avengers crossovers, and several major changes to the franchise.
His latest appearance, Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), has only strengthened that position. The Marvel and Sony release earned a record-breaking $72 million from previews, the biggest preview gross of all time, while also receiving a positive response from critics and audiences.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The film leaves Peter Parker with more stories to tell, rather than closing the book on Holland’s version of the character. However, the actor is already thinking carefully about how his Spider-Man journey should eventually end.
Holland Already Knows How He Wants to Leave Marvel
Speaking during an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Holland revealed that he has developed a firm idea for passing the Spider-Man mantle to another character.
“I have a really clear vision to the passing on of the baton and I think it’s really exciting,” Holland said.
According to Holland, conversations surrounding his eventual MCU departure began after Spider-Man: No Way Home arrived in 2021. The actor acknowledged that the plan could still evolve, but said he knows what he wants to accomplish before leaving Peter Parker behind.
His comments will likely intensify speculation that Miles Morales could eventually replace Peter as the MCU’s primary Spider-Man. Miles has become an increasingly prominent Marvel character, particularly through Sony’s animated Spider-Verse movies, although Marvel Studios has not confirmed that he will succeed Holland.
It is also unclear what “passing on of the baton” would mean for Peter himself. The character could retire, step away from New York, take on a mentoring role, or die during a future Marvel crossover.
For now, Holland’s departure does not appear imminent. Brand New Day ends with Peter alive, while the credits explicitly confirm that Spider-Man will return in another MCU project.
The movie begins after the events of No Way Home, which concluded with Doctor Strange making the world forget Peter Parker. That sacrifice also erased him from the lives of MJ and Ned, leaving Peter to rebuild his identity without his closest friends.
Brand New Day follows Peter as he lives alone and commits himself to operating as Spider-Man full-time. He watches MJ and Ned move forward without him, while his isolation begins to produce a dangerous change that he struggles to control.
The film stops short of killing Peter, despite fears that Holland’s fourth solo Spider-Man movie could mark his final appearance. Instead, he survives a near-death experience with help from Jean Grey, played by Sadie Sink.
That encounter helps Peter understand that he is not as alone as he believed. By the final scenes, he has entered another phase of his life, giving Marvel room to continue his story before Holland’s planned exit arrives.
Spider-Man’s MCU Future Remains Uncertain
Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Tony Stark recruited the teenage hero to join the airport battle, setting up Peter’s relationship with Iron Man and his wider role within the MCU.
Spider-Man: Homecoming followed in 2017, pitting Peter against Adrian Toomes, better known as the Vulture. The film also forced him to prove that his heroism did not depend on Stark’s advanced technology.
Holland later appeared in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Peter was erased by Thanos, returned five years later, and witnessed Stark’s death during the Avengers’ final confrontation with the Mad Titan.
Spider-Man: Far From Home ended with Peter’s secret identity exposed. No Way Home then brought together multiple generations of Spider-Man before leaving Holland’s Peter anonymous, isolated, and forgotten by everyone he loved.
Marvel has not announced exactly when Holland will make his next appearance. He is not expected to feature in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), but he is thought to have a role in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Some viewers believe the Brand New Day post-credits scene points toward that crossover. Ned’s Spidey Tracker shows Peter moving beyond Earth and the moon into space, prompting theories that Spider-Man is heading toward Battleworld.
The movie is also widely expected to launch another Spider-Man trilogy. Should that plan move forward, Holland could remain in the role for two additional solo films, alongside any appearances in other MCU projects.
Pascal Pictures producer Amy Pascal has previously expressed hope that Holland will remain involved for much longer. “We hope Tom’s going to be our Spider-Man forever.”
Holland, however, is already preparing for the moment when another hero takes over. His exit may still be years away, but the actor now appears determined to give Peter Parker a deliberate ending rather than simply disappearing from the MCU.
