6 best Tom Holland movies of all time, ranked

Credit: Marvel Studios Published Jul 29, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT After graduating from Marist University with a degree in communications and journalism, Dan Girolamo has over 10 years of experience writing about entertainment and sports. Dan's work can be seen in various publications, including Digital Trends, SportsCasting, and Tom's Guide. Throughout his career, Dan has interviewed several high-profile filmmakers and creatives, including Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Caitriona Balfe, Frank Grillo, Miranda Cosgrove, Jai Courtney, Chris Columbus and James Cameron. Dan joins How-To Geek as a Senior Editor. When he's not writing about entertainment, Dan is either watching a movie or praying for the New York Knicks to win a championship. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Tom Holland has cemented himself as one of Hollywood's leading stars under the age of 35. After becoming a child star in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End, Holland transitioned into movies, where he slowly became a reliable supporting actor in several films. In 2015, Holland's life changed when Marvel cast him to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU. More than 10 years later, Holland's resume features Spider-Man appearances mixed in with some roles in potential new franchises. With over two dozen acting credits, what are Holland's best movies? In honor of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we ranked Holland's best movies below. To make things more difficult, only two spots could feature Holland as Spider-Man. 6 In the Heart of the Sea The true story that inspired Moby-Dick In the Heart of the Sea, Ron Howard's adventure movie, should have been released during the summer, not December, and it should have showcased the sperm whale more than it did. All that said, In the Heart of the Sea is much better than its poor box office result would suggest. The movie is based on the true story of the Essex, a whaling ship that came into contact with a giant sperm whale, a tale that later inspired Moby-Dick. Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeTom Holland movies and careerTrivia challenge From Spider-Man to Uncharted — how well do you really know Tom Holland's biggest roles? Spider-ManCareerMoviesCharactersMarvel Begin In which Marvel Cinematic Universe film did Tom Holland first appear as Spider-Man? ASpider-Man: HomecomingBAvengers: Age of UltronCCaptain America: Civil WarDIron Man 3 Correct! Tom Holland made his debut as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War (2016), recruited by Tony Stark to help during the Avengers' conflict. It was a memorable introduction that immediately won over fans. Not quite. While Spider-Man: Homecoming was Holland's first solo film, he actually debuted in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Tony Stark personally recruited the young hero for the airport battle scene. Continue What was Tom Holland's feature film debut, released in 2012? ABilly ElliotBThe ImpossibleCEdge of TomorrowDWolf Hall Correct! Tom Holland made his film debut in The Impossible (2012), playing Lucas Bennett, the oldest son of a family caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. His performance earned widespread critical praise. Not quite. Tom Holland's feature film debut was The Impossible (2012), a disaster drama about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. He played the eldest son and delivered a remarkably mature performance for his age. Continue What is the name of Peter Parker's high school in Spider-Man: Homecoming? AMidtown High SchoolBEmpire State High SchoolCBrooklyn Technical High SchoolDMidtown School of Science and Technology Correct! Peter Parker attends the Midtown School of Science and Technology in Spider-Man: Homecoming. It reflects his status as an exceptionally gifted student, unlike the more generic 'Midtown High' from the comics. Not quite. The school is called the Midtown School of Science and Technology, emphasizing Peter's academic brilliance in STEM subjects. It's a slight departure from the comics' simpler 'Midtown High School' name. Continue In the 2021 film Cherry, Tom Holland plays a character who struggles with addiction and turns to what criminal activity to fund his habit? ACarjackingBCounterfeitingCBank robberyDDrug dealing Correct! In Cherry, directed by the Russo Brothers, Holland plays a disillusioned Army veteran who becomes addicted to opioids and resorts to robbing banks to fund his addiction. It was a bold dramatic departure from his superhero roles. Not quite. In Cherry, Holland's character becomes a bank robber to support his opioid addiction. The film, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, showcased Holland's range far beyond his Spider-Man persona. Continue Which character did Tom Holland voice in the animated film Onward (2020)? ABarley LightfootBIan LightfootCThe ManticoreDCorey Correct! Tom Holland voiced Ian Lightfoot, the shy and cautious younger brother in Pixar's Onward. Chris Pratt voiced his enthusiastic older brother Barley, and the two had great on-screen chemistry despite it being an animated film. Not quite. Tom Holland voiced Ian Lightfoot, the younger, more reserved of the two elf brothers in Pixar's Onward. Chris Pratt took the role of the older, boisterous brother Barley Lightfoot. Continue In the 2022 film Uncharted, Tom Holland plays a younger version of Nathan Drake. Which veteran treasure hunter does he team up with? AHarry FlynnBGabriel RomanCVictor 'Sully' SullivanDChloe Frazer Correct! Holland's Nathan Drake partners with Victor 'Sully' Sullivan, played by Mark Wahlberg, in Uncharted. The film serves as a prequel of sorts to the beloved PlayStation video game series, showing how their partnership began. Not quite. Nathan Drake teams up with Victor 'Sully' Sullivan, portrayed by Mark Wahlberg. The film is based on the popular PlayStation game franchise and explores the early days of their treasure-hunting partnership. Continue In Spider-Man: No Way Home, which actor reprised his role as an older, alternate-universe version of Peter Parker alongside Tom Holland? ANicholas HammondBAndrew GarfieldCTobey MaguireDBoth Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire Correct! Both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire returned as their respective versions of Spider-Man in No Way Home, creating one of the most celebrated moments in superhero movie history. Their appearance had been one of cinema's worst-kept secrets. Not quite. Both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire reprised their Spider-Man roles in No Way Home. The multiverse storyline allowed all three live-action Peter Parkers to share the screen together for the very first time. Continue Before becoming famous as Spider-Man, Tom Holland performed in which West End and Broadway stage production as a child? AMatilda the MusicalBOliver!CBilly Elliot the MusicalDJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Correct! Tom Holland performed as Billy Elliot in the West End and Broadway productions of Billy Elliot the Musical, showcasing his dancing skills from a very young age. This stage background gave him a strong physical performance foundation. Not quite. Tom Holland played the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical on both the West End and Broadway. The demanding role required intense dance training, and his performance helped launch his career in the entertainment industry. See My Score Challenge CompleteYour Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again In 1820, the Nantucket-based ship known as the Essex embarks on a voyage to find whale oil. The crew includes Captain George Pollard Jr. (Benjamin Walker), first mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), and cabin boy Thomas Nickerson (Holland). The crew eventually encounters a massive sperm whale that attacks and sinks their ship, forcing the men into a fight for their lives as they drift at sea. In the Heart of the Sea is more of a survival movie than a historical epic, which might not appeal to everyone. However, the visuals are quite impressive, and I respect the actors' physical transformation to play emaciated sailors. 5 The Lost City of Z The never-ending exploration It's pretty wild seeing Charlie Hunnam as the top-billed actor in a movie that includes Holland and Robert Pattinson. However, Hunnam backed up being first on the call sheet with one of the most intriguing performances of his career in The Lost City of Z. Based on David Grann's book, James Gray's The Lost City of Z stars Hunnam as Percy Fawcett, a British explorer who becomes fixated with finding a fabled lost city in the Amazon River region. Despite being rejected by the scientific community, Fawcett remains determined to study the region and embarks on several expeditions to the area to find the Lost City of Z. Holland plays Fawcett's estranged son who accompanies his father on what would be their last mission. Gray's movie is the definition of a slow burn, as it methodically shows how an explorer's obsession with discovery ultimately led to his downfall. Hunnam's charisma does most of the heavy lifting, but Holland holds his own in his heartbreaking depiction of a son willing to do anything to win his father's approval. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus has Wi-Fi 6 capabilities and Alexa+, so you can easily find your new favorite show. 4 The Impossible A family never gives up To get a sense of Holland's full career, this ranking needs to include some of his earliest roles. After Billy Elliot, Holland's first live-action movie role came in 2012's The Impossible, a disaster film based on María Belón's experiences during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Dr. Maria Bennett (Naomi Watts), her husband Henry (Ewan McGregor), and three children are vacationing in Thailand when tragedy strikes: a tsunami floods the resort. In the ensuing chaos, Maria and her eldest son, Lucas (Holland), separate from Henry and her two other children. It's a journey to reunite a family separated by disaster in this tearjerker directed by J.A. Bayona. Watts gives an emotionally charged performance that results in an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. The real revelation in The Impossible is Holland, who matches Watts' intensity with a moving turn as he comes of age before our eyes. 3 Avengers: Infinity War The snap heard 'round the world The first of our Spider-Man entries on the list is Avengers: Infinity War, which features what I consider the best cliffhanger ending in an MCU movie. After years of teasing, Thanos finally arrives on the scene and sets out to collect all six Infinity Stones by any means necessary. If that happens, Thanos will wipe out half of all life in the universe with the snap of a finger. The Avengers won't go down without a fight, as they battle Thanos and his army on several fronts. Spider-Man's journey takes him to Titan; his supergroup—Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and several members of the Guardians of the Galaxy—plans to fight Thanos and steal the Infinity Gauntlet. If you've seen Avengers: Infinity War, you'll know that things don't work out for our heroes. Despite the shocking ending, Infinity War is one of Holland's best movies because it features his most powerful scene in the MCU: his final moments with Iron Man following Thanos' snap. "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good" will make even the biggest cynics choke up. 2 Spider-Man: No Way Home Why have one Spider-Man when you can have three? Avengers: Infinity War might be the better MCU movie, but Spider-Man: No Way Home is Holland's best Spider-Man entry. Following the events of Far From Home, the world now knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Wanting his old life back, Peter asks Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to conjure up a spell for the world to forget Spider-Man's identity. Strange never completes the spell, but it leads to shocking consequences—villains from other universes infiltrate Peter's world. To fight the other villains and save the multiverse, Peter enlists help from alternate versions of Peter—Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man. Watching the three Spider-Men work together and fight as a team is the perfect example of how to properly use nostalgia. Spider-Man: No Way Home also packs an emotional punch, giving Holland multiple poignant scenes, especially his final goodbye to Zendaya's MJ. We'll see how Spider-Man: Brand New Day turns out, but for now, No Way Home is Holland's top Spider-Man entry. 1 The Odyssey Homer's epic gets the adaptation it deserves You know a movie is good when it's No. 1 on an actor's "best of" list, and it's still in theaters. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is the clear top movie on Holland's resume, and it isn't close. Based on Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca who embarks on a dangerous journey home. Odysseus comes across several peculiar beings on his voyage, including the Cyclops, Laestrygonians, and Sirens. Holland plays Telemachus, Odysseus's son, who is determined to find his father and fight off the suitors trying to marry his mother, Penelope (Anne Hathaway). Holland's performance has been extremely divisive, but I commend Nolan for casting the Spider-Man star in a role that requires an actor to portray a character coming into adulthood, mirroring Holland's own journey into more mature roles. The Odyssey is truly a magical theatrical experience, so go see it at your earliest convenience, even if you can't score IMAX 70mm tickets. ​​​​​​​ The Odyssey Release Date July 15, 2026 Runtime 173 minutes Director Christopher Nolan What else should you watch on streaming? After checking out some of Holland's best movies, head to Prime Video to watch some forgotten Emmy winners, including Daisy Jones & the Six and Fleabag. If you're uninterested in new programming, then start knocking some classics off your watchlist on the other streamers. My suggestions are The Sound of Music and Casablanca. ​​​​​​​ Subscription with ads Yes, via Prime membership or $9/month Simultaneous streams 3