Tom Holland Names His GOAT Superhero It’s Not His Own Character

Tom Holland has spent nearly a decade swinging through the Marvel Cinematic Universe as ‘Spider-Man’, a tenure long enough for him to argue that his character deserves to top any superhero debate. However, while promoting Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ alongside co-star Matt Damon, Holland chose to crown a different hero altogether.

During a Complex ‘GOAT Talk’ interview with Damon, the two actors exchanged playful banter while tackling a rapid-fire list of favorites, including superhero movies. When asked to name the greatest superhero of all time, Holland immediately responded that it would have to be Robert Downey Jr’s ‘Iron Man’.

This choice aligns with sentiments Holland has shared for years regarding his former on-screen mentor. In a 2019 interview with IMDb alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Holland praised the original ‘Iron Man’ as one of the greatest superhero films ever made, noting that it was his personal introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe before he joined as an actor.

Holland has also expressed admiration for Downey Jr. as both a scene partner and a friend, stating that no one should ever attempt to portray Tony Stark again, emphasizing how definitive he believes Downey Jr’s performance was throughout the franchise.

The GOAT Talk interview also highlighted Damon’s own favorite superhero, which is Spider-Man. He shared a bit of history, revealing that he used to dress up as the web-slinger as a child, humorously noting that he had aged out of the character by the time Tobey Maguire’s first live-action film premiered.

This revelation led to some light-hearted teasing between the two ‘Odyssey’ co-stars, with Damon joking about the esteemed actors who have portrayed Spider-Man, suggesting that the quality dipped once Holland took on the role. Holland quickly retorted, playfully questioning Damon’s slow response and joking about whether he was envisioning Andrew Garfield in his infamous Superman-style costume from an earlier part of their conversation.

Beyond their superhero discussions, Holland has been using his ‘Odyssey’ press tour to commend Nolan’s filmmaking style, suggesting that the director’s techniques could serve as a model for future Spider-Man films. This theme of cross-pollination between the two projects has been prevalent in Holland’s recent interviews as he balances his ongoing Marvel commitments with his burgeoning collaboration with Nolan.

With Holland set to reprise his role as Peter Parker in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ later this month, and Downey Jr. preparing to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, the mutual respect between these two Spider-Man eras is likely to be a recurring topic in the upcoming press cycles.

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