Tom Holland says Spider-Man: Brand New Day is darker and more mature
Tom Holland told Deadline the fourth Spider-Man film has a more mature theme tied to loneliness, friendship and starting over.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Tom Holland is putting a grown-up spin on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, telling Deadline at the Sony Pictures film’s Los Angeles premiere that his fourth outing as Peter Parker heads into darker emotional territory.
Holland said on the red carpet that this chapter stands apart from his previous three Spider-Man films because it is “more mature” and carries what he called a “darker theme.” He also told Deadline that the idea behind the movie is one he believes will hit home with younger audiences.
The actor described the story as touching on the loneliness of landing in a new city and feeling cut off from the people around you. He said the film also looks at missing what is already close by, including the people who matter most.
Holland credited director Destin Daniel Cretton with carrying that theme through a movie built on a blockbuster scale. He told Deadline he was excited by the chance to tell a relatable story inside a superhero film of this size.
Why does Tom Holland say Spider-Man: Brand New Day is more mature?
According to Holland’s comments to Deadline, the maturity comes from Peter Parker’s emotional situation as much as from the action. The film’s official logline says Peter is fighting crime full-time in a world that no longer remembers him, while his old friends continue their lives without him.
That premise puts Peter in a rough spot: he is still acting as Spider-Man, but the people and city around him have shifted. The logline says that pressure sets off a change in Peter that he may not be able to control.
The same description also points to a threat facing the city and the people Peter loves. Sony’s logline describes the villain as powerful and unseen, and says Peter’s transformation may be the thing that can stop that danger.
Who is in Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers wrote the film, according to Deadline.
Holland leads the cast as Peter Parker. The film also features Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando and Mark Ruffalo, according to Deadline’s report from the premiere.
The movie follows Holland’s first three Spider-Man chapters and marks the fourth installment centered on his version of the Marvel hero. Deadline reported that Holland discussed the new tone while attending the Los Angeles premiere for the Sony release.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to open in theaters on July 31.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.