Happy birthday, Tom Holland! For those who’ve been following the British actor’s career for a long time — perhaps since his breakout movie role in 2012’s The Impossible — the fact that the Uncharted star is now 27 years old is somewhat mind-blowing. But you know what’s even more mind-blowing? The fact that 10 years ago the man (then kid) himself accurately predicted that he’d be playing Spider-Man come the year 2023.
While speaking on the red carpet of the 2013 Empire Awards, an even fresher-faced Holland (sporting a very Peter Parker-like quiff) was asked that age-old question of what kind of superhero would he like to play. His response? “Maybe Spider-Man in, like, 10 years’ time. Maybe.” The interviewer then joked that he could lead “the reboot of the reboot,” something Holland concurred with.
Well, when it comes to manifesting the future you want, Holland is clearly a pro. So much so that he was already donning Peter’s underoos a mere three years after this interview occurred. But, yes, he did star in the “reboot of the reboot,” with Spider-Man: Homecoming relaunching the franchise after The Amazing Spider-Man films. Likewise, something else that 17-year-old Tom couldn’t have foreseen is that he’d already have teamed up with TASM‘s Andrew Garfield, not to mention Tobey Maguire, in a multiversal Spidey flick by the time 2023 rolled around.
Obviously, the question we now want Tom Holland to answer is whether he’ll still be playing the webhead in another 10 years’ time. Ironically, given his interest in doing something lighter-hearted in 2013, Holland’s tastes now appear to have swung back around to the dramatic, hence his upcoming role in Apple TV Plus’ The Crowded Room. The pursuit of these kind of parts could lead him to step away from the superhero gig he so coveted as a teen.
But, who knows. As this interview reminds us, no one can predict the future… Unless your name is Tom Holland.