Why Marvel Fans Are Calling Out Tom Holland's Spider-Man
By Published May 13, 2026, 3:17 PM EDT Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History.
Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
While Spider-Man is a massive fan favorite hero in the , some fans have been calling him out for his recent lack of presence. Previous adaptations of Spider-Man in live-action have seen the character operate as a solo hero in New York City, who has repeatedly thwarted villains from across the city.
However, the MCU operates on a different playing field, with New York being one of the most densely populated areas when it comes to superheroes. In addition to the web-slinger, Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, Matt Murdock, Frank Castle, and many other characters call New York their home, which means there are plenty of heroes ready to step in when trouble erupts.
However, there is an expectation in this shared universe that when things get a little too chaotic, other heroes would be likely to step up and help one another. And yet, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been on a hiatus since at least 2026, when the .
Fans Have Been Calling Out Tom Holland's Spider-Man
This absence has inspired many fans of Spidey to take to social media and point out the hole that this hero has left, even pointing accusations that podcasters like J. Jonah Jameson might have been right all along.
Meanwhile, some other fans have put together images of scenes where Peter Parker could have been a huge help, but again, he appears to be preoccupied with other things that have yet to be explained or explored in the MCU.
Clearly, these posts appear to be made as light-hearted jokes poking fun at the character and how awkward it is that, despite their proximity, and the fact that the last time they appeared on-screen they recommitted to being Spider-Man and protecting their home, he has been awkwardly silent.
There Is A Reason Why Spider-Man Has Been Missing From MCU Shows
As much as it is challenging to come up with an in-universe reason , avoid conflict, and let other heroes do all the heavy lifting, there is a much more boring reason that the character has been absent for so long.
While the Sony Marvel deal allows Marvel to use characters like Tom Holland's Spider-Man in the MCU, there are strict rules and guidelines about how the character can be portrayed. For example, Spider-Man has only been approved to appear in MCU feature films, not in MCU TV shows, which goes a long way to explaining why he hasn't appeared in shows like Daredevil: Born Again or The Punisher: One Last Kill.
Beyond that, Sony is careful about how they allow Marvel to use the character, even when it's in a feature film. In each of Tom Holland's MCU films, there have been notable cameos from characters like Tony Stark, Nick Fury, and Doctor Strange. This is set to continue in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with Bruce Banner playing a considerable role in the film.
All of this is down to Sony possessing the TV and film rights to the character, which they acquired from Marvel in 1999 when Marvel was struggling financially and selling rights to major characters from their library. However, there is hope for an answer to be delivered in the MCU.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Can Deal With Peter Parker's Absence
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the first time that Peter Parker has appeared in the MCU since 2026. While that evidently means there will be a need to fill in some of the gaps about what's been happening with the character since that time, there are also signs from the trailer that the movie could explore other connections.
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For instance, the film is set to see in this film, and he has already been seen prominently in the trailer for the film. Considering how Frank Castle ties in with other street-level heroes, there is a strong possibility that there will be some sort of explanation for how and why these characters have not crossed paths before.
Whether the explanation is that Peter has been at college or he has been operating as a hero outside of New York for a while, it seems that fans are very keen to know what has been keeping Spider-Man so busy in the MCU, and hopefully, there is a satisfactory answer on the way.
Cast
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Spider-Man / Peter Parker -
Michelle Jones -
Jacob Batalon Ned Leeds -
Bruce Banner / Hulk
Producers Amy Pascal, , Rachel O'Connor, Avi Arad Prequel(s) , , Franchise(s) , Expand Collapse
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