Spider-Man: Brand New Day has hit the 2026 movie schedule in a big way, as Tom Holland’s superhero franchise has struck box office gold yet again. Not only that, but the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Spidey flick is receiving positive reviews as well. Considering all of this success, it’s wild to think that several years ago, it appeared that Marvel Studios and Sony would end their licensing agreement keeping the wall-crawler in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, Holland is reflecting on what that was all like from his vantage point.Even now, I can still vividly remember what the atmosphere was like around August 2019, when Sony and the Disney-owned Marvel couldn’t reach a new Spider-Man deal. Multitudes of fans took to social media to express their surprise and displeasure with the development, and I was among those shocked. In the years that followed, I wondered how Holland felt during that time and, during a recent interview, he admitted he didn’t feel “down.” Yet he apparently felt something else entirely: I think I was probably more confused than I was down. In my eyes, everything between the two studios was fantastic. Yeah, [that] first movie went really well. The borrowing of the character for Civil War seemed to be a big success. But that said, I love [Sony’s] Tom Rothman. I love [franchise producer] Amy Pascal. I love [producer] Rachel O' Connor. I still had a great sense of confidence that whatever we would do with that [next] movie would be great and would be really fun. And it made very aware to me that they weren't moving on from me. It was just that the relationship between mom and dad had fallen apart a little bit. Kind of literally.As the Odyssey star explained to Josh Horowitz of the Happy Sad Confused podcast (as seen on YouTube), he wasn’t so much sad as he was confused, given the success of the inter-studio collaboration at that time. During that time, Sony admitted to being “disappointed” that it couldn’t come to terms with Marvel on an extension. Spider-Man’s potential departure also drew responses from a myriad of creatives, including some involved with the MCU. The situation turned around in a big way, though in September 2019, as both Disney and Sony restarted negotiations after the fan outcry (and drunken phone call Holland made to Bob Iger). A deal was eventually reached, and Holland shared his take on how everything eventually fell into place: I think, you know, both of the studios chatted with each other and figured it out and recognized that the character would service both studios in a really good way…. I don't really know, but I just know that I always had confidence in the character and Amy and Tom and Rachel.Given the success of 2021’s No Way Home and this latest Spider-Man movie, I’d like to think both parties are glad with how everything turned out. It’s still interesting to think about what might’ve happened with Holland’s Peter Parker had a new deal not been reached. Several years back, the British actor claimed Sony had a “wonderful” idea to ease the character out of the MCU. Whether that would’ve included appearances in the Spidey-adjacent spinoffs is unclear. Disney+: from $11.99 a month w/ ad-supported planWeb up a subscription to Disney+ to stream the Spider-Man movies along with other Marvel films. Get the ad-supported plan for $11.99 a month. You can also go ad-free and pay $18.99 a month, or there's the option to save 16% and pre-pay $189.99 for an entire year.View DealIt’s probably best that we don’t dabble in what ifs, though (like Uatu the Watcher has a habit of doing). That’s because, today, we’re fortunate to have a thriving film franchise centered on the web-slinger, and Tom Holland only continues to prove why he’s the perfect actor for the lead role. I’ll forever breathe a sigh of relief that Marvel and Sony re-upped their deal years ago. Additionally, I hope that whenever Holland’s Peter Parker does stop appearing in the MCU, it’ll be of the star’s own volition. Check out Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is playing in theaters nationwide now. Also, check out the first three films in the saga by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.