At the 2024 Critic’s Choice Awards Marvel fans were treated to a real life reunion (and a big hug) between Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland.
The pair have worked together previously on five MCU projects as Tony Stark and Peter Parker respectively, and also appeared in 2020’s Doolittle (which the less is said about, the better). Their ability to bounce off each other was one of the highlights of the much loved Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and something even the incredibly fickle Marvel fandom seemed to all agree was one of the best things about the Avengers and Spider-Man films.
Both were nominated for awards at last night’s ceremony, although only Downey Jr. came away with a prize, which was awarded for his stellar work in Oppenheimer. Holland would have certainly agreed with that win, as he’s previously stated in an interview with the SAG-AFTRA foundation that his “mentor” was the no. 1 scene-stealer in the critically acclaimed film:
“I really respect Downey’s opinion, he taught me so much and I always sing his praises. I love the guy, I admire him. I don’t know if you guys have seen Oppenheimer yet but he’s absolutely staggering in it, he steals the movie for me.”
This is a sentiment Holland has clearly held for a while, as in an interview he did while promoting Spider-Man: Far From Home he was even more gushing:
“And that dynamic of Peter wanting a mentor is a big part of this movie. Yeah, it’s lovely. It’s a lovely dynamic and the dynamic [with Robert Downey Jr.] is also the same off screen. I mean, we’ve become really close. We’ve become great friends and I ask him for advice and vice versa sometimes. And it’s just become a really lovely relationship for me to have in the industry. Because, you know, as a young actor coming up in this world it can be very scary and it can be daunting. You can get bullied around. And it’s nice to have someone who’s got my back and who will give me some sound advice.”
In an interview with BBC Radio 1 in his native land, Holland has also let slip that the pair regularly FaceTime.
With all of these good vibes between the two, you might think it’s only a matter of time until they work together again. After all, Doolittle wasn’t so bad it would have traumatized the pair from being on set together again (although, we cannot stress enough that it is a pretty awful film), and there’s no buzz without bees. So, are Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland planning to work together again? We dive into that question below!
Do Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland have any projects in the works?
Marvel fans, we have bad news: there are currently no projects that Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland are both working on.
London-born Holland has been confirmed to be starring in an as of yet unnamed Fred Astaire biopic, directed by Paul King of Paddington and Wonka. Emma Stone has been rumored to be playing the part of the famous singer’s sister Adele Astaire by gossip hub Deuxmoi, although there has been no confirmation of that yet. It has also not been confirmed who will be taking on the part of Ginger Rogers, Astaire’s longtime dance partner.
As per his IMDB, Downey Jr. is currently involved in three upcoming projects: HBO miniseries The Sympathizer, sports comedy-drama All-Star Weekend, and a third Sherlock Holmes film.
However, all isn’t lost for fans of the duo who long to see them reunited on screen. Holland is also currently attached to another Spider-Man film, and while Marvel Studio head Kevin Feige has said Downey Jr. won’t be returning as Tony Stark, the comic book franchise has shown that they will do anything for a buck, so don’t rule it out completely. Especially given Downey Jr.’s recent comments about how he believes his best work was in the MCU.
What other projects might Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland work on in the future?
Given the two’s close working relationship, there have been plenty of social media fan castings for movies the pair could appear in. However, the one that seems to have the most traction (and therefore is the most likely to be willed into production by the internet) is a reboot of Back to the Future.
The more you think about this potential movie, the more it seems like a no-brainer. It puts the pair back into a familiar setting: sci-fi, with Downey Jr. as an eccentric genius and Holland as his younger partner. Holland’s boyish good looks also mean that he can still ostensibly pass for a Marty McFly aged character.
The idea gained momentum after a deepfake was created with the pair in the main roles.
However, you shouldn’t get too excited about seeing Doc and Marty back in action. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Holland referred to Back to the Future as “one of the only perfect movies ever made,” adding “we [Holland and Downey Jr.] couldn’t do it any better.”
The rights to the films are also controlled by director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale, and they’ve been unequivocal about not opening up the trilogy to more content:
“People say, “Why don’t you guys do Back to the Future Part 4?” When they say that, they’re saying, “I want something that makes me feel as good as the original did.” That’s what this is. That’s the feeling you’re going to get here when you see this show. There’s no need to go back to that well. You’ve seen too many people go back too many times. As I’ve said many times, the characters in Back to the Future are my family, my children. You don’t sell your kids into prostitution.”
Then again, they did make a Back to the Future musical, and people do sometimes change their minds. So, there is the smallest glimmer of hope.