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Tom Holland’s reputation as Marvel’s most dangerous keeper of secrets has become almost as famous as his superhero role itself. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day star has accidentally let enough things slip over the years that Marvel fans basically treat every interview like a live-wire spoiler event. So, naturally, when Robert Downey Jr. privately told him he was returning to the MCU, he did what any noted spoiler might do: he told someone special right away.
In a recent Cinemania interview with Holland and Zendaya while the two were promoting their upcoming 2026 movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the couple talked about the moment Zendaya learned that Downey was returning to Marvel as Doctor Doom. The in-demand actor admitted the news reached her almost immediately after the phone call with his Marvel mentor. He recalled:
I think I hung up the phone and said [to Zendaya], ‘Downey is coming back.' [Robert and I] just have casual catch-ups every now and then. He called and told me. It’s really exciting.
Honestly, as far as Tom Holland spoilers go, this one barely counts as a crime. Zendaya is part of the Spider-Man franchise, and the couple is obviously much more than co-stars, as they've been in a long-term relationship with marriage rumors. If Robert Downey Jr. calls to tell you personally he’s returning for a new Marvel movie, telling your fiancée feels less like leaking classified Avengers intel and more like normal human behavior.
Still, I do enjoy imagining Kevin Feige somewhere suddenly looking up from a stack of storyboards and whispering, “Tom knows.” The funny part is the Uncharted actor seems very aware that Marvel has learned to keep him at arm’s length when it comes to the biggest plot details. He continued:
I don’t know a lot about those movies by design. I have a reputation for spoiling certain things and I think the studio is keeping me from the juicy details… when I do get to grace that set, I am so curious what does that mean for Peter [Parker] and how does that work. It’s really cool. I am really excited about whatever it is they are doing.
That is probably the safest possible setup for everyone involved. Holland can still be excited about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday release and whatever comes after, while Marvel keeps the really dangerous story beats locked in a vault somewhere.
It also makes sense that Downey would call the young MCU star himself. Their connection goes back to Captain America: Civil War, where Tony Stark introduced this version of Peter Parker to the larger Marvel universe. That mentor relationship became one of the emotional pillars of Holland’s run, especially through Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Off-screen, Holland has often credited Downey with helping him navigate the madness of joining Marvel at such a young age. So hearing that Downey gave him an early heads-up about his return feels genuinely sweet.
The twist, of course, is that the Oppenheimer star is not returning as Tony Stark. He is coming back as Doctor Doom, which raises approximately 9,000 questions about what that means for Peter Parker. And the young actor behind the hero sounds just as curious as everyone else, especially considering Peter’s history with Tony and the emotional crater Tony left behind after Endgame.
For now, Holland and Zendaya are busy promoting Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But somewhere out there, the next chapter of the Avengers is waiting, and the In the Heart of the Sea actor knows just enough to be excited, and thankfully, not enough to spoil everything.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026, and Avengers: Doomsday will follow suit on December 18th.
