Tom Holland's casting in Christopher Nolan's new movie is the perfect opportunity to prove he's more than just Spider-Man – by following in the footsteps of Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer

Spider-Man 4
(Image credit: Sony)

Whenever there are rumblings about a new Christopher Nolan movie, it’s always something to be excited about. Even if you aren’t a fan of the auteur’s work, the mystery that surrounds his projects is undoubtedly intriguing, especially since the director can often be unpredictable in the creative choices that he makes.

Since the release of Nolan’s Oscar-winning epic Oppenheimer, fans and wider audiences have clung to every update surrounding his next project. The casting of Matt Damon, for example, already feels like a win, given how successful the actor’s previous collaborations with Nolan have been – he was chilling in his brief role as Dr. Mann in Interstellar, whilst in Oppenheimer he was very charismatic as Groves. 

Meanwhile the various plot rumors have been endlessly fascinating, suggesting that the upcoming movie is everything from a 1920s vampire horror film to a story inspired by the 1983 action film Blue Thunder. Until we hear official word from Nolan himself or studio Universal Pictures, truly anything is possible.

However, one thing that is for certain is that Tom Holland will star in the upcoming movie, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. And whilst some may raise an eyebrow at this news, questioning why the Spider-Man star has been cast, for me Nolan and Holland could be the perfect combination.

Finding his feet

The Crowded Room

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

In recent years, it feels like Holland has been taking on projects which are wildly different to his fun Spider-Man films. With his name being synonymous with Peter Parker, the actor has been searching for opportunities to prove that he isn’t just the MCU’s Spider-Man, wanting to showcase his acting chops with a diverse career. 

However, these efforts haven’t exactly been successful, with the likes of crime drama Cherry, psychological thriller The Crowded Room, and Netflix’s Southern Gothic tale The Devil All The Time all failing to make waves, existing as forgotten entries in his filmography. It’s a shame as Holland isn’t bad at all in any of these projects, it’s just not his best work and each of these releases fell off the radar.

Of course, Holland’s take on Nathan Drake in video game adaptation Uncharted was a box office hit, but outside of franchise work the star has struggled to find both commercial and critical success, as well as most importantly, his feet. So much so that following the release of Apple’s The Crowded Room, in which the actor stars as a man who is arrested for his involvement in a shooting, Holland announced that he was taking a year-long sabbatical from acting, saying he needed a break after taking on the strenuous role.

Now that his sabbatical is drawing to a close, Holland is ready for a triumphant comeback. How better to do that than with two of the most highly anticipated movies on the horizon right now – Spider-Man 4 and Nolan’s next mysterious feature? Holland noticed that all eyes are on what the Oppenheimer director would do next and therefore seized the opportunity, taking the hottest ticket in Hollywood.

The perfect opportunity

Spider-Man: No Way Home

(Image credit: Sony)

What’s interesting though is that whilst it does feel like Holland is looking for a way to prove himself as an actor outside of the Marvel movies, with the role of Peter Parker alone he has shown that he is incredibly talented. 

Not only does he effortlessly effuse charm as the web-slinging hero, but the more intimate moments of the MCU films allows Holland to truly shine, with the actor often being the stand-out thanks to his emotional performance. For instance, whilst "Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good" has been memed to death, Holland’s forlornness here left many in floods of tears. 

And of course, who could forget the final scenes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter bids a tearful farewell to best friend Ned and girlfriend MJ – which is so memorable because of Holland’s affectionate yet sorrowful performance.

Holland is certainly a brilliant actor, so it’s no wonder that Nolan was drawn to cast him – every single one of his films is overflowing with on-screen talent. And for Holland’s part, as he looks to make a name for himself outside of being Spider-Man, the next Nolan project provides the perfect opportunity.

A similar trajectory

Oppenheimer

(Image credit: Universal)

In fact, it’s reminiscent of Robert Downey Jr.’s casting in Oppenheimer – a decision which ahead of the film’s release also raised eyebrows. 

After retiring from playing Iron Man, Downey Jr. was searching for a way to prove that he isn’t just Tony Stark, being capable of so much more. Which is exactly what he did with his role of Strauss in the historical epic, deservedly winning an Oscar for his incredible performance, which is arguably the most compelling of his whole career.

It now seems like Holland is pursuing a similar trajectory, although of course we will have to wait and see what exactly lies ahead for him as more details on Nolan’s mysterious project are revealed. But could he next be up on stage at The Academy, winning an Oscar, ensuring that his name is no longer just synonymous with Spider-Man? We can certainly hope so.


Nolan's next movie is currently due for release on July 26, 2026.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming movies that should be on your radar.

Emily Murray
Entertainment Editor

As Entertainment Editor at GamesRadar, I oversee all the online content for Total Film and SFX magazine. Previously I've worked for the BBC, Zavvi, UNILAD, Yahoo, Digital Spy and more.

Read more
Ben Affleck in Air
Ben Affleck isn't in The Odyssey, but he plans to visit the set anyway to watch Christopher Nolan work: "He's one of the greatest filmmaking architects to ever live"
Matt Damon in The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan is "like an indie filmmaker" with a huge budget says The Odyssey star: "He's not doing it by committee"
christopher nolan
After The Odyssey first look confirmed Matt Damon's role, fans are speculating about the rest of the stacked cast in the Christopher Nolan movie
Christopher Nolan / Daniel Craig as James Bond
Christopher Nolan was interested in making a Bond movie but was told he wouldn't have the final cut – so he made Oppenheimer instead
Best Spider-Man movies
Best Spider-Man movies ranked, from No Way Home to Across the Spider-Verse
Elliot Page and Himesh Patel side-by-side
Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie The Odyssey sees its already stacked cast grow, as Inception and Tenet stars reunite with the director
Latest in Drama Movies
Matt Damon in The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan is "like an indie filmmaker" with a huge budget says The Odyssey star: "He's not doing it by committee"
Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another
Leonardo DiCaprio is a gun-slinging ex-revolutionary on a mission in first trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s black comedy One Battle After Another
Zoe Saldana in Emilia Perez
Netflix CEO breaks silence on the streamer's continuing Best Picture dry streak: "We have to make a movie that people love"
Robert De Niro and Debra Messing in The Alto Knights
Robert De Niro talks embodying his "mythological" gangsters in The Alto Knights, whose real conflict inspired The Godfather
Robert De Niro in The Alto Knights
Robert De Niro talks playing dual roles in his new gangster movie from the co-writer of Goodfellas and Casino – and his surprising personal connection to the film
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later
28 Years Later release date, trailer, cast, and everything else we know so far about Danny Boyle's zombie horror sequel
Latest in Features
Patrick Stewart as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
The classic Fox X-Men are returning in Avengers: Doomsday, and I've got a really bad feeling about this
Thor and Loki in Thor: Ragnarok
After 15 years in the making, Thor and Loki's reunion in Avengers: Doomsday could be the perfect MCU conclusion for the characters
Soft Rains logo with frog drawing
"There is an expectation we're gonna make a little Skyrim": Ubisoft and Bethesda veterans form new studio headed by Skyrim and Fallout designer, debuting with first-person sci-fi and "crunchy mechanics"
Witchbrook screenshot of a library in the magical college with witches flying on brooms
Witchbrook: Everything we know so far about Chucklefish's magical new life sim
The village green in Atomfall
My first 3 hours in Atomfall feel playing Fallout 3 for the first time, and if you don't check it out I'm legally obliged to bash you with a cricket bat
The Demon's Hand
League of Legends' take on Balatro is one of its best mini-games yet – and it's also exactly what's wrong with this era of League of Legends