Andrew Garfield Says Spider-Man Return Would Need to Be “Very Strange”

Andrew Garfield has shared new comments about returning as Spider-Man, stating that he would only consider it under conditions that allow for creative risk and unconventional storytelling. During a panel at the Middle East Film & Comic Con in Abu Dhabi, Garfield described his interest in playing the character again, while outlining the kind of project that would appeal to him.

“I really love playing Spider-Man. I would love to play the character again in some capacity, but I think it would have to be very weird,” Garfield said, as reported by ET bel Arabi. “I think I would want to do something very strange.”

Garfield pointed to the animated Spider-Verse films as examples of the kind of artistic freedom he would want to see. “I would want to do something very unique, and offbeat, and surprising—kind of like the creative freedom that they have with the animated Spider-Verse movies,” he said. “I think they’re so great, and you can honor the character in so many different ways through the multiverse.”

Garfield first portrayed Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and returned for its 2014 sequel. A third installment was discussed but never materialized. He later returned in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), appearing alongside Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire in a multiverse storyline that became a commercial and cultural milestone for Marvel and Sony.

In an interview with Esquire in October 2024, Garfield spoke about the experience of being dropped from the series following the performance of the second film. “I was left dangling,” he said of the decision not to continue his version of the franchise. He called his return in No Way Home “healing,” describing the reunion as a meaningful opportunity to revisit the character.

“I would 100 percent come back if it was the right thing,” Garfield told the magazine. “If it’s additive to the culture, if there’s a great concept or something that hasn’t been done before that’s unique and odd and exciting and that you can sink your teeth into. I love that character, and it brings joy. If part of what I bring is joy, then I’m joyful in return.”

Garfield has been a frequent subject of speculation when it comes to future Spider-Man projects. At the beginning of 2025, he addressed ongoing rumors that he might appear in Spider-Man 4, the upcoming sequel led by Tom Holland. Speaking to GQ UK, he denied involvement but acknowledged that many fans may not believe him. “I’m gonna disappoint you. Yeah, no,” he said. “But I know no one’s gonna trust anything I say from now on.”

When asked more broadly about returning to any major franchise, Garfield responded that it would depend on whether the project aligned with his interests. “If it felt in line with my soul and was gonna be fun,” he said. “Maybe I’m gonna have like five kids at some point, and I’m gonna need to start saving up for the school tuition or something.”

Tom Holland is set to return in the next installment of the current Spider-Man series. The film, titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is currently scheduled for release on July 31, 2026. No casting beyond Holland has been confirmed.