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No actor has every played a superhero on the big-screen longer than a decade. Christopher Reeve played Superman for nine years and through four films. Since then, most superhero movies have a new rotation of actors every few years, Batman notwithstanding.

In the MCU, things might be a little different, particularly for Spider-Man. This might sound unbelievable when Spider-Man has already had three young actors play the role in live-action form over the last 18 years.

If one can say Robert Downey Jr. broke the mold for playing a superhero (Iron Man) beyond 10 years, all possibility exists Tom Holland may do the same.

Fans are speculating just how long he can play the part. A triple trilogy is already a fan wish list.

Tom Holland has said he would play Spider-Man for years to come

Tom Holland on the red carpet
Tom Holland | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney

Nobody needs to worry about Holland voluntarily moving on from playing Spider-Man. He was absolutely born to play the role of Peter Parker, and he seems to almost own it.

His emotional reaction to the Marvel-Sony split this last year is a good example of how important playing Spider-Man is to his creative well-being. Maybe some will think this a tad obsessive to place the Spidey role in such a profound context.

Then again, Holland personifying the role is what makes him more believable on an emotional scale. No doubt fans are going to see some powerfully dramatic scenes with Holland as Parker tries to navigate being exposed in Spider-Man 3.

Playing the role beyond there, though, is something fans on Reddit think should go on even longer than Downey played Iron Man.

Should there really be a triple trilogy for Spider-Man?

As one Reddit user says about additional films:: “Ideally: Nine. Three high-school, three college, three adult. Let Tom age naturally into the role and become the new RDJ.”

Yes, there is a good argument there for letting Peter Parker finally move out of his high school years. Considering Holland is already 24, having him continue to be in high school will soon start to become a joke. Seeing him evolve as he becomes older would be a major asset to the MCU (and Sony) anyway.

Regardless of whether future films would be done for the MCU or at Sony (or both), no one should doubt Holland’s version of Spider-Man is the most interesting ever. Seeing him go to college and eventually become an adult would offer some of the best character development ever seen in a superhero franchise.

Much like everyone saw with Iron Man going from egotistical killing machine to a thoughtful and sacrificial figure, such long arcs are more than worth doing.

Will Marvel let Tom Holland play Spider-Man for life?

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Something even more potentially interesting is the idea of Tom Holland being the only Spider-Man for the foreseeable future. Movie studios have always balked at this, merely out of fear of thinking audiences would become bored with the same actor in a role.

Thanks to the MCU having the power to do whatever they want creatively, things might work out differently. If Peter Parker still feels lost without Tony Stark around as mentor, seeing how he grapples with it and evolves into becoming a leader like Stark would interest numerous fans.

All possibility exists Parker will interact with Stark again anyway, or maybe an AI version if Robert Downey, Jr. returns to the role. With or without him, seeing Parker go at it alone and taking on the Sinister Six eventually would provide years of great character exploration.

Perhaps the MCU will go beyond what has ever been done and have Holland play Spider-Man into old age. Seeing him portray the issues that come with being a superhero while dealing with aging is still a daring concept waiting to be created.

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