Spider-Man Isn't Burdened By Being A Hero

Tom Holland is the third live-action Spider-Man, and his take is different from the rest due to his mindset of not seeing his powers as a burden. Holland was a standout among a star-studded Captain America: Civil War, with his youthfulness and fun wit playing major factors in audiences flocking to him. These affections will be paid off in a big way next week when Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters. Even though he is the first Spidey to be inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the success or downfall of Holland and his franchise will undoubtedly be compared to those that came before.

Tobey Maguire lays claim to being the first big screen Spider-Man, and was later followed up with Andrew Garfield's take. Both have been well-praised for their performances as Spidey, but Holland knows what sets his apart even further. Not only is he staying in high school for the foreseeable future, but he also simply enjoys being the friendly, neighborhood hero.

THR spoke to Holland and his Homecoming director Jon Watts about the upcoming Sony/Marvel Studios collaboration, and specifically asked Holland how he is different from Maguire and Garfield. Whereas both of the previous versions showed Peter struggling with the decision to be a hero - and even completely negating his great responsibility - Holland's is just a kid living the superhero dream.

I felt very strongly about the question about what would happen if you gave a 15-year-old superpowers. I think the answer would be he would have the time of his life. Yes, he would probably stop crime, but have so much fun doing it. We really tried to convey that he's enjoying his superpowers. More often than not in superhero movies, the powers are a burden to the superhero but in our case, they're the complete opposite.

Peter's love for his powers has already shined through in his limited role in Civil War, but also in the marketing for Homecoming. He was the one who gave Iron Man a version of the "with great powers come great responsibility" talk in Civil War, but his enjoyment came through in a big way during the airport fight. Whether it was when he was nervously talking to fellow New Yorker Captain America, seeing Bucky's cool metal arm, or cursing at the sight of Scott Lang's transformation into Giant Man, he is without a doubt enjoying every second of the experience.

For Homecoming, the marketing has shown him having fun with the locals or having the fact of getting a free churro for helping an old lady bring him pure joy. With much more of his heroics still in-store for the theaters, seeing Peter enjoy being a hero should be prominent in his character once again. Sure, he'll have some tough times trying to stop Vulture, pushing back on Tony's Training Wheels protocol, or saving his classmates, but at the end of the day, he'll still enjoy doing it.

In fact, it could be this direction that Holland pushed for that has made him such a perfect fit as Spider-Man. His performance has been praised in the early reactions, and should be even further highlighted once the full reviews hit tomorrow. Fans can see Holland himself is enjoying the role just by seeing his interviews, how he makes an effort to visit Children's Hospitals, or by the great way he signs autographs. He's clearly loving this life changing role, which is why he makes Peter loving his life changing abilities so believable.