Tom Holland says the part of the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day he is most proud of is not the action, effects, or scale, but the deeper message behind the story.
During an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, Holland explained that the film is designed to speak directly to younger audiences growing up in a world dominated by phones, social media, and constant digital distraction. He said the goal is to highlight how important real human connection still is, even in an increasingly online lifestyle.
"I think my proudest thing about this new movie is the message of it," Holland said. "You know, it's a superhero movie at the end of the day."
Holland also shared how Sony Pictures executive Tom Rothman describes the project, noting that the studio sees it as more than a traditional superhero film.
"Tom Rosman, the studio head, kind of describes it as a ‘superhuman’ movie because I think the message is so important for young people in this digital age," Holland said.
He went on to explain the core idea behind the story, pointing out how modern habits can quietly disconnect people from the real world. According to him, the film explores how easy it is to lose time and awareness through constant scrolling and digital overload.
"It's so easy to sit at home for an evening and just scroll through your phone and just turn your mind to mush and forget about how important socializing is," Holland said.
Holland’s comments come as anticipation continues to build for the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise. The film has already generated major attention following the release of its first trailer, which brought back Holland as Peter Parker alongside returning cast members Zendaya and Jacob Batalon.
The movie also introduces new characters to the franchise, including Sadie Sink, Tramell Tillman, and Jon Bernthal, who returns as Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher. Early reactions to the trailer have been overwhelmingly strong, with massive engagement across social platforms.
According to WaveMetrix, via Variety, the trailer reached around 1.1 billion views across platforms, including more than 718 million in its first 24 hours. That performance reportedly makes it one of the biggest trailer launches ever for any film or video game.
The trailer’s performance surpassed previous records set by Deadpool & Wolverine, which recorded 365 million views in its first day after its Super Bowl debut. It also outpaced the reveal of Grand Theft Auto VI, which had previously been one of the most viewed entertainment announcements online.
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day arriving after the massive success of No Way Home, which earned nearly $1.9 billion globally, expectations for the new film are extremely high. The franchise now enters its next phase with both commercial pressure and creative curiosity from fans worldwide.
