Tom Holland opened up about the audition rejection that left him devastated before Spider-Man.Tom Holland may be one of Hollywood’s biggest stars today, but his journey to the top was shaped by several painful disappointments long before he became Marvel’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Behind the blockbuster success and global recognition were auditions that did not go his way, forcing him to learn resilience at an early stage of his career. Those setbacks ultimately became part of the foundation that prepared him for the opportunities that followed.

One rejection, in particular, left a lasting impact on the actor and showed just how much he had invested in landing the role.

Every time Tom Holland was rejected after audition before Spider-Man fame

Before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland narrowly missed out on a few major projects. He auditioned to play Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy before the role eventually went to John Boyega. He also came close to landing the lead role of Addison in November Criminals, a 2017 film written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, but Ansel Elgort was ultimately cast instead. Speaking to Backstage, Holland admitted that losing November Criminals hit him especially hard because he believed it would launch him into young-adult leading roles.

“I thought that that film for me was going to be, like, my stepping-stone into a young-adult career,” he recalled. “I didn’t get the role, and it really beat me up. I remember being really angry about it.”

His father, comedian Dominic Holland, helped him process the rejection as he told Backstage by reminding him that setbacks are part of success, a lesson that proved invaluable before Holland landed the life-changing role of Peter Parker. Looking back, that moment of disappointment became one of the defining experiences that prepared him for the career-changing opportunity that followed.

That perspective has stayed with Holland throughout his career, and years later, he remains just as grateful for the role that changed everything.

Tom Holland is happy to keep playing Spider-Man

Now firmly established as Spider-Man, Tom Holland has made it clear that he has no plans to leave Peter Parker behind. With anticipation building for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the actor says he is eager to continue portraying the web-slinger for as long as audiences and Marvel want him.

“I’ll do it as long as they keep me. So if this movie does good, I guess we’ll see,” Holland told The Hollywood Reporter, reaffirming his commitment to Spider-Man’s future if the film performs well.

His comments also align with recent remarks from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who has suggested that Spider-Man‘s story in the MCU could extend well beyond Brand New Day, potentially including several more solo films and the eventual introduction of Miles Morales. If those plans come to fruition, Holland’s journey as Peter Parker could continue for years, further cementing his legacy as one of the defining live-action Spider-Men.

Tom Holland’s story is a reminder that rejection is rarely the end of the road. The auditions he lost helped shape the resilience that eventually carried him to one of the biggest roles in modern cinema, proving that career-defining opportunities often come after the hardest setbacks. Years later, those missed opportunities have become footnotes in a career defined not by rejection, but by perseverance and extraordinary success.

What do you think was the biggest turning point in Tom Holland’s career before he became Spider-Man? Let us know in the comments!