Nine years after he was announced to play Spider-Man, I think Tom Holland’s next chapter as the Marvel Cinematic Universe hero could be even better than what has come before. While Captain America and Iron Man might be the fan-favorite characters of the MCU, Spider-Man is the most popular Marvel hero overall. I think a very clear sign of that was the massive event that was Spider-Man: No Way Home. The movie showed the true power of Spider-Man’s cinematic legacy, with Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield uniting for a unique entry in Spider-Man movie history.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was the only MCU solo movie to nearly cross the $2 billion mark, and it would have done quite a bit over that if the film had been released in China. While the film benefited from the return of characters from past Spider-Man franchises, Holland did a phenomenal job himself. The actor has been dubbed by many as the ideal Spider-Man, and I think there’s some truth to that statement, as he gets the Spider-Man banter and the Peter Parker awkwardness just right. That said, Holland’s best as Spider-Man is yet to come.

I Love What We Have Gotten From Tom Holland’s Spider-Man So Far

The MCU Has Been Great For Peter Parker

Before explaining why Holland’s Spider-Man can become even better nine years after the actor was cast in the role, I have to make it clear that what Holland has shown as Spider-Man so far has been amazing. Seeing Spider-Man interact with the Avengers and hold Captain America’s shield in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War left me in awe. Then we got to follow Holland’s fun but intense journey as Peter Parker. I’m happy to say that Spider-Man’s MCU trilogy is my second favorite for a solo hero, standing behind Chris Evans’ Captain America.

Throughout his time in the MCU, we have seen different sides of Holland’s Spider-Man. The character went from an innocent high schooler to a hero who carries a lot of grief. Spider-Man also went from not wanting to wear the Iron Spider suit and staying as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man to donning the suit Iron Man made as he went to space to battle Thanos, joining the Avengers. Holland’s Spider-Man has gone through a lot, with some spectacular adventures and heartbreaking moments, but nine years after his casting, I can’t help but think his Spider-Man future could be even better.

I Am Excited For A Classic Spider-Man Setup For Tom Holland’s Possible Next MCU Trilogy

Spider-Man Goes Back To Basics

It is known that Iron Man as Spider-Man’s mentor in the MCU has proven itself controversial among fans of the wall-crawler. While I liked the connection between Tony Stark and Peter Parker, and the impact of Spider-Man’s death scene in Avengers: Infinity War is a clear sign of how well that worked, I can’t help but miss the independence the character had in the Maguire and Garfield movies. Enter Spider-Man: No Way Home. By the end of that movie, Holland’s first act as the Marvel hero is over, with a new future ahead for Spider-Man in the MCU.

Due to Doctor Strange’s spell, the MCU Spider-Man has essentially been rebooted. No one remembers who Peter Parker is, and with Aunt May and Tony Stark both dead, Peter is completely alone. Fans have been asking for a down-on-his-luck Spider-Man in the MCU for years, and Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending could lead to just that. While I don’t feel like a depressed Peter Parker is necessary for a good Spider-Man story, I want to see Holland in a classic Spider-Man setup, crafting his suit on his own and trying to make ends meet in a small apartment.

I Want Tom Holland To Play Spider-Man For Another Decade

The Actor Is Young Enough To Do It

While Holland was cast as Spider-Man nine years ago and has made several appearances in the MCU, there is so much left to do with Spider-Man. At 28, the actor could easily stay on as Spider-Man in the MCU for another decade. Holland could have another solo trilogy as the Marvel hero, this time showing Peter Parker in college and perhaps after he graduates. In Marvel Comics, college was where Peter met classic Spider-Man characters like Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn for the first time.

With Zendaya’s MJ and Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds seemingly out of Peter’s life, I want to see the MCU go back to those classic characters and make Holland’s Spider-Man feel even more connected to the comics. After the success of the Spider-Verse movies, it is also inevitable that a live-action Miles Morales will debut soon, and I hope that happens in the MCU rather than Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. This way, Holland’s Peter Parker could become a mentor himself, bringing his Spider-Man full circle.