Tom Holland Would Let Spider-Man Go ‘R-Rated’ In The Punisher

Ever since it was revealed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day would see Tom Holland’s Peter Parker rub spider-shoulders with Jon Bernthal’s gun-toting Punisher, fans have wondered how the ultra-violent exploits of Frank Castle will mesh with the Friendly Neighbourhood vibe of everyone’s favourite wall-crawler. But then, there’s the flip-side of that question: what would it be like for Spider-Man to pop up in a Punisher project, should Marvel pursue more post-One Last Kill?

As it turns out, the thought has crossed Tom Holland’s mind too. “I would love to pop up in one of [Punisher’s] shows,” he tells Empire. “Let’s see what an R-rated version of Spider-Man looks like. I’m so grateful for Jon for taking the leap and being a part of the film, and I would love to repay the favour.”

Holland and Bernthal’s friendship goes way back, when they starred together in film Pilgrimage – during which time they were each auditioning for their Marvel roles, helping each other through the process. “I really wasn’t familiar with the Punisher. I wasn’t a huge comic-book guy,” admits Bernthal. “Tom was really the one that said, ‘Man, this character’s so great,’ and he explained it to me.” Now, all these years later, it’s coming full circle – and not just in Brand New Day. “We’ve remained friends over the years, but what a beautiful opportunity to do two movies back to back with him with The Odyssey and Spider-Man,” says Bernthal. “I love him. I’m so proud of him.” Sounds like more Spidey-Punisher team-ups could have real (spider) legs.

Read Empire’s full Spider-Man: Brand New Day cover story – speaking to Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Kevin Feige, Destin Daniel Cretton, Amy Pascal and more – in the July 2026 issue, on sale Thursday June 4. Pre-order a copy online here. Spider-Man: Brand New Day comes to cinemas from July 29.