Tom Holland's best films go far beyond his role in the MCU. Despite being known worldwide for playing Peter Parker in the current movies Holland has a very diverse career, having played a wide range of genres, from drama to action and even comedy.
In today's article, we're going to delve a little deeper into the career of the Spider-Man actor who gave a new lease of life to a role that had already been played by two other actors. Here we'll be able to observe Holland's maturity as an actor and his importance to the film industry. Shall we check it out together?
The Impossible (2012)
Here we have the first of Tom Holland's best films. Although he had previously worked as an actor in plays, it was in The Impossible that he made his big screen debut. And, let's face it, it was a hell of a debut! His performance earned him a lot of critical acclaim and the 2013 Young Artist Award. Although he was a strong candidate for an Oscar nomination that year, his name was never mentioned at the awards.
The story of the movie follows a family that falls victim to a tsunami and ends up separated. Each in a different part of the world, they struggle to survive the chaos and find each other again. It's worth noting that this story was based on true events and that Holland played Lucas Belรณn, a brave boy who went on vacation to Thailand with his parents. Its budget was US$ 45 million and it grossed US$ 198 million worldwide.
In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Although he's not exactly the protagonist, In the Heart of the Sea is one of Tom Holland's best films. The film is inspired by the story of Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville and published in 1851. Unfortunately, the box office was a failure and the film didn't even pay for itself, grossing only US$ 11 million on its release, while its budget was US$ 100 million.
The plot follows a whaling ship commanded by an ambitious captain who dreams of exceeding the fishing target set by his boss. However, while sailing, they encounter a challenge far greater than they expected: a white whale that will fight for its life with much more determination than any other.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
When Marvel got the rights to Spider-Man, there was much speculation about who would play him in the MCU, until Tom Holland was chosen and introduced in Captain America: Civil War. Even with a brief appearance, this role marked his career. With a budget of US$ 250 million, the film was a success with audiences and critics, grossing US$ 1.153 billion, making it one of Tom Holland's best films.
The group of heroes known as the Avengers is going through a crisis. After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, the government wants to gain a little more control over the organization and this divides the team, causing a kind of civil war within it. In the midst of all this confusion, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) recruits Peter Parker (Tom Holland) to his side, a promising young scientist with spider powers that are already well known to the general public.
The Battle of the Chains (2017)
Although it was only released in 2019 in Brazil, The Battle of the Currents is a 2017 film directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon which features Holland in the cast. It's one of Tom Holland's best films in the drama genre and also joins the list of his features based on real events.
The plot takes place at the end of the 19th century, when scientists Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse fought a real war over how electricity should be distributed. In the movie, Holland plays Samuel Insull, an American tycoon who played a decisive role in this electrical war.
The Lost City (2016)
This title didn't do very well at the box office either, costing US$ 30 million and grossing only US$ 19 million, but it deserves to be among Tom Holland's best films. Here he plays the protagonist's son and delivers a great performance every time he appears on stage.
The story is based on real events, inspired by the book Z - The Lost City, written by David Grann, and tells the story of a soldier who, after a trip to the Amazon, becomes obsessed with searching for a secret civilization called Z. The protagonist is called Percy Fawcett and is played here by Charlie Hunnam. Holland plays his son Jack.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
With this film, Tom Holland managed to stabilize his career and establish himself as one of the most beloved heroes of all time. Fans had been longing for a new Spider-Man solo movie for a long time and Homecoming was everything they wanted and even managed to go one step further, becoming a critical and box-office success. It reached sixth place among the biggest films of the year of its release and earned Holland and his castmate Zendaya the Teen Choice Awards.
Leaving aside the origin story already told, the movie shows Peter Parker in high school, trying to balance school life with his identity as a hero. The situation gets complicated when he discovers that the girl he likes is the daughter of a villain he has to face. With a budget of US$ 175 million, the film grossed US$ 880.2 million and is one of Tom Holland's best films.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
After falling out of favor with audiences in his previous appearances in the MCU, Holland returns to reprise the role of Peter Parker in the first part of the two films that conclude the Infinity Saga in theaters. His dedication to the role in the moments of greatest tension and emotion guarantee the title a place among Tom Holland's best films and also marks yet another noticeable evolution in his acting career.
With Thanos ever closer to obtaining the Infinity Gems to carry out his plan to eliminate half the universe's population, the Avengers must once again unite against a greater evil. Of course, Spider-Man is also part of this group of heroes who will defend the Earth, even if the price paid for doing so ends up being too high.
There's no denying the success of this film on the big screen around the world, as it had one of the biggest box office takings of all time with approximately US$ 2.05 billion raised against a budget of US$ 316 million. With yet another opportunity to play Peter, Holland stands out as one of the best interpreters of the hero.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Even though Spider-Man only appears at the very end, his appearance is so striking and iconic that it has earned the film a place among Tom Holland's best films. Ultimatum deals with sensitive topics such as grief and overcoming and even after its conclusion, these themes continue to be mentioned in other films that follow, such as Spider-Man: Far From Home, the hero's second solo film with Holland as his interpreter.
Here the Avengers need to get back on their feet after the losses caused by Thanos and somehow get the world to recover from such a heavy blow. Avengers: Endgame is the second highest grossing film of all time with a total of US$ 2.7 billion raised on a budget of US$ 356 million. Its success with both critics and audiences is unquestionable.
Uncharted: Off the Map (2022)
Another movie that deserves to be among Tom Holland's best is Uncharted: Off the Map. Here the actor plays the protagonist in a story based on one of the most famous games in the gaming universe. However, the plot takes place before the character is really big, acting as a kind of introduction to the saga told in the games.
We follow the early career of explorer Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) who, at first, only works as a bar attendant. However, his encounter with Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) changes his life dramatically and they set off together on their first journey in search of lost treasure.
The film was highly praised by critics and Holland's performance was nothing short of outstanding. Audiences have also shown their approval of the film, as the title earned US$ 400.7 million at the box office against a budget of US$ 120 million. We can see a lot of the actor's talent here, proving that he can go far beyond the role of Spider-Man, proving to be quite versatile.
Spider-Man: No homecoming (2021)
The gold medal for Tom Holland's best films could not go to anyone other than Spider-Man: Homecoming. This was the most anticipated of all the Spider-Man films and it didn't disappoint fans when it hit theaters, reaching US$ 1.916 billion at the box office, with a budget of only US$ 200 million!
Here Peter Parker (Holland) has to deal with the fact that his identity has been exposed and asks Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to perform a spell that will return things to normal. However, something goes very wrong in the execution of this spell and a multiversal barrier is broken, opening the way for villains from other universes to attack. Of course, it also opens the way for a little extra help for our hero!
Conclusion
There are many other films with the actor in the cast, but these could be considered Tom Holland's ten best films to date. Did you miss any? Let us know in the comments! We also want to know what you think! Take the opportunity to also check out our article on the thirteen best superhero movies of all time!
Questions that might interest you
Has Tom Holland won any awards for his performances in films?
Holland has already received awards such as BAFTA for Best Actor/Actress in a Rising Star for his role in The Impossible in 2012, but no Oscars to date.
What future Tom Holland projects can fans look forward to?
Spider-Man 4 and the Nolan project are the next projects in the actor's plans.
