Tom Holland Got In Trouble From Sony For Calling SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME "Brutal" and "Emotional"

In another example of how big movie studios are still completely clueless, Tom Holland recalled how he got in trouble for calling Spider-Man: No Way Home “Brutal” and “Emotional” while making the interview rounds on the press tour. I remember him saying those things, and the fan response was pretty positive and excited when he said them. But, Sony pictures felt that saying those things would hurt the film instead of helping it.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Holland said, "We all felt like we were saying goodbye to these characters that we had been playing for the last seven years because we're uncertain about what the future of Spider-Man might be. So it felt like a goodbye. Obviously, it's not a goodbye in real life because we're all going to be connected as we are. But it was tough; it was really tough. And those emotional scenes are just difficult. When you make these big films, you don't shoot scenes in a couple hours; you shoot them over a couple days. So when you commit to a crying scene, you're crying for two days, flat out, and it's tiring. But Jon Watts is a great director, he's a very generous director, and he's very understanding of the acting process. So he was fantastic."

Holland then went on to talk about getting in trouble by the studio, saying, "It's funny, I actually got in trouble on the press tour. I got a phone call from some people at the studio, saying, 'Stop saying the movie is brutal! Stop saying the movie is emotional! It doesn't sell the movie!' And I was like, 'But it is! This is the most emotional superhero movie that's ever been made.' And they were like, 'We want people to understand how fun it is.' And I was like, 'It is fun, but it's also kind of heartbreaking.' So I had to sort of change track on how I was promoting the movie, but I'm glad I gave at least some people some warning."

Audiences know that watching a Spider-Man movie is going to be fun. That’s a given. But, when I hear that a Spider-Man is going to be “brutal” and “emotional,” that gets me even more excited about the movie! I want to see a Spider-Man movie that is brutal, emotional, and fun, and that’s exactly what Spider-Man: No Way Home is! It’s crazy to me that these big studios still have no idea who their audience is.

During a recent interview with Marvel.com, Holland and Zendaya talked more about the emotional aspect of the film. Zendaya said, "I actually hate we're in these interviews like, 'This movie's so fun!' I cried throughout the whole movie. And the first thing I said when we finished was, 'This is awfully sad.'" Holland added, "It's brutal ... It's tough. It's bittersweet."

Zendaya added: "Is it though? Because it's very much just bitter. Like I'm not getting the sweet part." Holland went on to say that Peter is "starting a new chapter. And he's cleared his name. He's free of all that stuff. And the people that he loves.”

Zendaya cut in saying, "He's lost everyone he loves.” Holland then finished, "The people that he loves are safe, and they're alive." Zendaya argued back, "They're never safe!" Holland finally admitted, "It's very sad, the ending." 

Zendaya joked, "There's going to be a lot of really upset little kids that are going to be like, [mimics wailing]," Holland ends the interview with a little positivity, adding, "We may be teaching young kids a lesson they might not be ready for. But, [at least the movie's] entertaining."

The movie is all of those things, and that’s what made it so damn good! Take note Sony, it’s okay to say that a fun movie is also brutal, sad, and emotional!