Tom Holland and Zendaya Address the Possibility of a ‘Spider-Man’ Sex Scene: ‘No One Wants to See Peter Parker Having Sex!’

Romance within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is usually appropriate for all audiences, but Eternals left fans wondering whether the franchise could embrace more explicit content in the future. If it does, it won’t be in its Spider-Man movies. Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland and Zendaya addressed the possibility of another sex scene in the MCU, making it clear that it won’t be between their characters.

‘Eternals’ changed the game for Marvel romances

Marvel has no shortage of romances throughout its first few phases, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) being the most notable pairings.

Of course, the relationships between these characters have always been PG. Kissing is about as much as fans see from MCU romances, leaving what goes on behind closed doors to the imagination. That changed when Eternals hit theaters.

Although the sex scene between Ikaris (Richard Madden) and Sersi (Gemma Chan) can hardly be called explicit, it did suggest that Marvel is interested in portraying its couples in a more mature manner. That may leave fans wondering which duo will be in the spotlight next.

Tom Holland & Zendaya don’t think a ‘Spider-Man’ sex scene is ‘appropriate’

Eternals setting the stage for more sensual moments between Marvel characters raises new possibilities for the MCU’s on-screen relationships.

Of course, Spider-Man: No Way Home — and really, any Spidey film that takes place while Peter Parker is still in high school — isn’t the best place to explore those possibilities.

Tom Holland and Zendaya said as much during an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment. Holland emphasized that the current trilogy of Spider-Man films is “about celebrating friendships and young love.”

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the Spider-Man franchise,” he explained. “We are still very much young kids. Should there be a future for this character, maybe one day we will explore that.”

Zendaya agreed with her co-star, sharing a relatable sentiment about Holland’s hero: “Peter Parker is like a little brother.”

Jumping off of that, Holland added, “No one wants to see Peter Parker having sex! That would be horrible.”

Of course, as Holland points out, the Spider-Man franchise could see some massive changes after Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters. And it’s possible it could take a more mature turn later on.

Will Tom Holland and Zendaya tackle more mature topics in future films?

Although Tom Holland and Zendaya will be sticking to high school narratives in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Holland admitted the franchise could embrace more mature relationships down the line.

Sony and Marvel Studios have made it clear that they want Holland around for another batch of Spider-Man movies. Those could take his Peter Parker to college and into early adulthood. Such scenarios are likely to see some awkward attempts at adult relationships, as well as efforts to embrace other more mature subjects.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean Zendaya’s M.J. will be involved in those storylines. The future for most of the Spider-Man: No Way Home cast remains up in the air. And Marvel Comics sees Peter Parker embracing flings with plenty of other women within the franchise.

For now, fans can enjoy the lighthearted first love between Peter and M.J. — though with everything else happening in No Way Home, that may not be what they’re focused on.

Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters on Dec. 17, 2021.