Tom Holland has confirmed that he immediately shared the secret of Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom with his wife and co-star Zendaya. In an interview with Spain's Cinemania, Holland revealed that after receiving a call from Downey about reprising his role in Avengers: Doomsday, he could not contain the news.
“I think I hung up the phone and said (to Zendaya), ‘Downey is coming back,’” Holland stated. “We’ll just have casual catch-ups every now and then. He called and told me. It’s really exciting.” Zendaya confirmed that Holland blabbed the information “right away.”
Holland’s History of Spilling Secrets
The Spider-Man star is well-known for his difficulty keeping Marvel plot details under wraps. A YouTube compilation video featuring Holland spoiling Marvel storylines for 13 consecutive minutes has amassed over 21 million views. Reflecting on his reputation, Holland acknowledged that studios now deliberately keep him in the dark about upcoming projects.
“I don’t know a lot about those movies, I think by design,” he said. “I have a reputation for spoiling certain things, and I think the studios are keeping me from the juicy details.” This echoes his 2017 comment to the Sun: “(Marvel doesn’t) let me read anything because I’m so bad at keeping secrets.”
Curiosity About Spider-Man’s Role
Holland expressed curiosity about how his character Peter Parker will interact with Downey’s villainous Doctor Doom, given their previous father-son dynamic with Tony Stark. “When I do get to grace that set, I’m so curious — you know, what does that mean for Peter? And how does that work? I’m very excited about whatever it is they’re doing,” he said.
In a separate interview with Empire, Holland shared his hope that his Spider-Man could mentor future heroes, much like Downey’s Iron Man did for him. “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,” he said. “If I could do what Downey did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset.”
Downey’s Return as Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to Marvel as Victor Von Doom at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, stating, “New mask, same task.” His co-star Benedict Cumberbatch praised the decision, calling it “brilliant.” “Who doesn’t want more of him in a world which he made globally dominant? He’s a master at it. He’s so extraordinary to work with. I’m so excited for fans,” Cumberbatch told the Sun.
The Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony, are also returning to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Anthony Russo explained that the story involving superheroes from parallel universes was something they “really needed to tell.”
Holland Confirms Marriage to Zendaya
During the press tour for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Holland confirmed his marriage to Zendaya in an Esquire interview, noting that their families “were all there” on their wedding day. He described their relationship as a bedrock: “Our business can present very stressful situations and it’s really nice to have a bedrock of a relationship that will stand the test of time. We can support each other in ways that only we can, because only we understand really what it’s like to live this life.”
“I found my person. She’s my best friend, and I’m the happiest I ever have been when I’m with her, but I also have never felt so supported and safe, ever. Period,” he added.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set for release on July 31.
