Casting Tom Holland In James Gunn's DCU: 10 Characters He'd Be Perfect For After Spider-Man

Published Sep 13, 2026, 11:41 PM EDT

Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. 

With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.

Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

10 years later, it feels pretty safe to say that Tom Holland has become a definitive live-action Spider-Man, especially after the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, it's pretty fun to imagine who he could one day play in James Gunn's DC Universe.

Just a few days ago, James Gunn responded to a fan on Threads who asked him if Tom Holland could one day have a future in the DCU (providing various options like Aqualad). Although Gunn didn't respond with anything definitive beyond his doubts that Holland would want to play Aqualad after Spider-Man, the idea that Holland could perhaps one day have a role in the DCU is intriguing nonetheless.

Keeping that in mind, here are 10 DC roles we think Tom Holland could play at some point when his time as Spider-Man comes to a close in the MCU (heroes and villains).

Nightwing

It's pretty easy to imagine Tom Holland one day playing Nightwing in the DCU. Dick Grayson was Batman's very first Robin, who grew up to become a hero in his own right. As such, he's one of the most beloved heroes of all time, having the skills of The Dark Knight without being so lost in the darkness like his mentor/surrogate father. His brighter personality and natural agility due to his childhood as an acrobat make him very Spider-Man-coded, making it very easy to see Holland in the role with their skills, personalities, and respective journeys being so similar.

Seeing as how Damian Wayne is said to be Batman's current Robin in his debut DCU film The Brave and the Bold, it's more than likely that Nightwing will already be active in the DCU once James Gunn truly kicks off stories set in Gotham and its sister city of Bludhaven.

The Flash

Whether James Gunn chooses to go with Barry Allen or Wally West's Flash in the DCU (or both), Holland could bring plenty to either beloved speedster. Possessing plenty of optimism, energy, and enthusiasm, Holland would absolutely crush it as either Barry or Wally. That being said, it can be argued that Wally might be the more interesting option of the two, seeing how Wally was similarly a younger hero who grew up to accept a role in an ongoing superhero legacy in the DCU Universe.

At the same time, Tom Holland does feel like an actor who could forge a unique Barry Allen that audiences could get behind, and could potentially rival the beloved performance of Grant Gustin's Barry in the CW's Flash series.

Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)

Ted Kord's Blue Beetle would allow Holland to play a unique superhero in the DCU (while ironically maintaining a bug motif from the MCU). Relying on gadgets and technology, it would be very cool to see Holland playing a hero whose intelligence is his primary weapon rather than inherent superpowers. Likewise, the opportunity to mentor a younger hero like Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle could be cool as well, especially if Holland doesn't get the chance to mentor a live-action Miles Morales in the MCU like he's hoping for in the future. It's also fun to imagine Holland being partnered up with Kord's best friend, Booster Gold.

Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)

So far in the DCU, we've been introduced to Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner's Green Lanterns. However, there are several more human Lanterns who could one day be introduced, though Kyle Rayner in particular would round out the original four human Lanterns of Sector 2814. Originally an artist who is given the chance to wield a green power ring, Tom Holland could fit right in among the other Lanterns introduced thus far as Rayner, especially if he were to maintain a more unique level of optimism and focus on creativity compared to his fellow heroes.

Batman Beyond

Like many DC fans, I've long been hoping for some kind of Batman Beyond revival, whether it's a prestige animated feature like Sony's Spider-Verse movies (which almost happened) or something in live-action. To that end, Tom Holland could play an awesome Terry McGinnis, the Batman of Neo Gotham in the future who's mentored by an older Bruce Wayne, echoing Peter Parker and Tony Stark's relationship without fully repeating it. While I'm leaning toward simply voicing Terry in an animated feature, I could also get behind a live-action Batman Beyond played by Holland (given the right execution).

Mon-El

Mon-El is one of DC's most powerful Kryptonian-adjacent heroes, typically tied to the Legion of Super-Heroes of the 31st Century and the planet Daxam, which shared Krypton's sun. Once the prince of Daxam, Mon-El possesses many of the same powers as Superman, though his weakness is lead rather than Kryptonite. As such, this could be an exciting role for Tom Holland to perhaps one day play, especially if James Gunn decides to expand Superman's mythology in the DCU to include the Legion.

Red Hood

While Nightwing could be a great DCU role for Tom Holland, it can be argued that Jason Todd's Red Hood could be just as good, giving Holland a more unique role and challenge to tackle within the superhero genre. Holland's darker roles in the past, like in Cherry or The Crowded Room, prove that he has the range and that playing Jason Todd could be absolutely fascinating.

On the page, Jason was Batman's second Robin who was killed by the Joker and later brought back to life as a much darker anti-hero known as the Red Hood, seeking lethal justice in defiance of Batman's one rule. It'd be such a vast departure from Spider-Man. For that reason, I think Tom Holland playing Red Hood is one of the most compelling options on this list.

Scarecrow

Like the aforementioned Red Hood, Tom Holland playing a darker role in the DC Universe feels too good to ignore. As such, Scarecrow definitely comes to mind as an exciting villain option, one of Batman's most classic and psychologically driven foes, relying on his toxins to expose his victims' greatest fears. Given his range, it'd be amazing to see Holland playing Jonathan Crane as a seemingly harmless intellectual before fully transforming into the horrifying Scarecrow.​​​​​​​

Kite-Man

If Gunn wants to embrace DC's stranger and comedic villains, it would be amazing if Holland was even just given a small cameo as Kite-Man. Having become more popular in recent years thanks to his role in the animated Harley Quinn series and his own spin-off show, it would be so funny to see Holland pop up somehow as Charles Brown (think Henry Cavill as a Wolverine variant in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine).​​​​​​​

Riddler

Last but not least, I also think Tom Holland could make an excellent Edward Nygma, aka The Riddler. While we already have a more grounded Riddler played by Paul Dano in Matt Reeves' The Batman trilogy (which is set apart from the new DCU), it would be pretty cool to one day get a Riddler who is perhaps more aligned with the typical comic book depiction, while not being so campy/crazy as Jim Carrey's Nygma in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever. I definitely think there's a middle ground for a DCU Riddler, which Holland could embody quite well.

After years of playing one of the MCU's most beloved heroes of all time, Tom Holland playing one of Batman's most famous enemies could be a solid way to establish himself as something very different in a brand-new universe.