5 things to know about your new Spider-Man: Tom Holland

 By 
Yohana Desta
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Marvel has found its new Spider-Man. Meet Tom Holland.

Rumors have been swirling about the young actor for weeks, but now it's finally been confirmed. Holland will star in the new Spider-Man flick, which is set for a July 28, 2017 release.

Hollywood insiders have been familiar with the 19-year-old for several years now, but most mainstream audiences may be scratching their heads. Who is this kid, and where did he come from? And most importantly, can he handle this great power and great responsibility?

[seealso slug="miles-morales-marvel-universe"]

Here's a quick primer on everything you need to know about Holland (get familiar with his face, as you'll be seeing it quite a bit, from now on):

1. He's from England

Like Andrew Garfield before him, Holland will be another British Spider-Man. The actor was born in London, and attended the prestigious BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology. Fellow alumni include singers Adele and Amy Winehouse.

2. He was a theater kid

Check out this cute clip, above, of a young Holland discussing his starring role in Billy Elliot the Musical, which he starred in for years in London's West End. The up-and-comer has some serious dancing and acrobatic chops, too, which will come in handy for all the web-slinging stunts he'll have to pull off as Spider-Man.

3. He was a serious Oscar contender in 2012

In 2012, Holland starred in The Impossible, a dramatic saga about a family caught in the tragic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami while vacationing in Thailand. The film starred heavyweights Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, but Holland still managed to turn heads in his role as their eldest son.

Watts received a best actress Oscar nomination in 2013 for her role in The Impossible, and many predicted that Holland would grab his own best supporting actor nomination, though that ultimately didn't happen.

4. He's got a flick with Ron Howard and Chris Hemsworth coming up

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

How do you prep for a superhero role? By acting with Thor himself, of course.

Holland will star alongside Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming film In the Heart of the Sea, directed by Ron Howard. It's an adaptation of the Nathaniel Philbrick book of the same name, about a ship destroyed by a sperm whale in 1820.

5. He may have a cameo in Captain America: Civil War.

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Rumors have been swirling that Spider-Man will be sneakily introduced to audiences via a cameo in another Marvel superhero flick, most likely Captain America: Civil War, which is filming now. So, you may get a glimpse of Holland as Spidey sooner than you think.

Bonus: He has a dog named Tessa

Bought Tessa a new toy today. Lasted ten seconds. A photo posted by ✌️ (@tomholland2013) on Jun 22, 2015 at 3:06pm PDT

Judging from Holland's Instagram account, he's fairly obsessed with the pup. Now we know this incarnation of Spider-Man totally favors dogs over cats.

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