Marvel fans, if your spidey senses have been tingling for a while, there’s a reason for that.
It’s been a long-held theory that “Captain America: Civil War” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” aren’t Peter Parker’s first appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans point to a scene from “Iron Man 2” where a little boy in an Iron Man mask stares down a robot at the Stark Expo. There’s speculation that this boy may actually be a young Peter Parker.
As evidence, “Iron Man 2” was released in 2010. Since Parker is in his mid-teens in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” which comes out July 7, he would’ve been about the right age of the kid at the time. Also, the Expo takes place in Queens, Spidey’s hometown.
But is this really the future web-slinging hero?
Uh, yup.
Congrats, theorists. We asked Tom Holland, aka the real Spider-Man, if the theory is true, and he officially confirmed it. In fact, he triple-confirmed it, and he got the info straight from Marvel boss Kevin Feige.
“It is Peter Parker,” said Holland.
“It is?” we asked.
“I can confirm that, that is Peter Parker,” Holland said.
“No way, for sure?” we asked again.
“I can confirm that as of today. I literally had a conversation with Kevin Feige only 20 minutes ago. Maybe I’ve just done a big, old spoiler, but it’s out there now,” said Holland. “It’s cool. I like the idea that Peter Parker has been in the universe since the beginning.”
We like it, too, Tom. After all, what’s Marvel without a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?
(It’s nothing. The answer is, “it’s nothing.”)
Besides confirming the theory, Holland chatted about what to expect from the new movie, what it was like meeting Tobey Maguire (the original Spider-Man) and, most importantly, which of them would win in a dance off.
For everyone wondering, what’s it like being Spider-Man?
It’s crazy, man. I genuinely could not describe how I’m feeling right now. It’s the most surreal experience I’ve been through. It’s changed my life. I’ve met some of the best friends I’ll keep forever, and I’m so lucky, man. I’m so, so lucky.
Have you met Tobey Maguire?
I have. I met him a few weeks ago, actually in LA, in a screening of “Baby Driver.” He was sitting directly in front of me.
What was that like?
Nice. Super nice guy. He seemed happy to meet me and to pass on the baton. Yeah, it was good meeting.
In “Spider-Man 3,” Tobey becomes evil Spider-Man and dances down the street. I know you have some dance skills. Who would win between you two in a dance-off?
It would have to be me, judging from his dance skills in that movie. I can confidently say it would be me.
Producer Amy Pascal said Tom Hardy’s “Venom” movie is in the “Spider-Man” universe. Then Kevin Feige said it’s not. But what would it be like if you took on Tom Hardy as Venom?
I don’t even want to imagine it because it’s never going to happen, but it would be pretty cool. It would be pretty cool.
Similarly, Deadpool and Spider-Man have a fun relationship in the comics. What do you think about you and Ryan Reynolds possibly hanging out together in a movie?
I haven’t hung out with Ryan Reynolds. I have tweeted him a couple times. I had a tweet I was gonna tweet him the other day, but I didn’t want to do it because it was too rude. I am playing a superhero for kids, and I don’t want them to think I’m some dirty fool. But he’s a very funny dude, and I wish there was some way we could put the two of them together, but unfortunately I don’t think thats going to happen anytime soon.
You and Jacob Batalon have a great secret handshake in this film. Do you have any handshakes with other people in the cast or Avengers?
Jacob is the only lucky member to have a handshake. That is a funny story , actually. We showed up on set, and we did the scene, and then [director Jon Watts] was like, “And then you do your handshake.” Jacob and I were like, “The handshake?” [Jon goes,] “Yeah, did u guys come up with a handshake?”
“Uh, no.”
That was like a 10-minute improvised [shake]. It’s a cool handshake, though.
Since we don’t know exactly what happened to Uncle Ben or Spider-Man’s parents, some people think that Bucky, The Winter Soldier, may have had something to do with it.
Ooohhh!
Yeah, and one of Winter Soldier’s trigger words is “homecoming.” Your movie is “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
Ooohhh!
Have you heard that before?
No, that’s brand new to me. I’m gonna choose to believe that. Bucky Barnes, you bastard! I don’t know. We haven’t spoken about the Uncle Ben thing at all, but that’s very interesting.
It’d kind of be [like,] Bucky killed [Tony Stark’s] parents. He can’t also kill Peter’s parents!
He did kill a lot of people, though.
Yeah, he’s killed all the Avengers’ parents. Not the Avengers. Their parents.
Speaking of the Avengers, we’ve heard you already filmed a lot of your “Infinity War” scenes. What was that like, seeing all the Avengers together?
It’s, like, the all stars of the movie world. It’s crazy. I remember watching “Avengers 1” for the first time and thinking, “God, one day I want to be in one of those movies.” I just want to be in the movie. I never thought I would be Spider-Man in an “Avengers” movie, but it’s such a surreal experience, dude. It’s so crazy.
What can people expect from “Spider-Man: Homecoming”?
New things. Don’t go into this movie thinking you’ve seen it already. It’s so fresh, so unique. It’s so different from every superhero movie you’ve ever seen, and people are going to love it.
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” swings into theaters July 7.
This interview has been edited and condensed.