Spider-Man is swinging to London. Tom Holland has announced on his Instagram that he will star in a new Shakespeare adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that will play for 12 weeks in the West End, London’s stage show hub (seen below). The actor will be going back to his roots as he was a stage actor before hitting the big screen with the 2009-10 run of Billy Elliot: The Musical.
Tom Holland Heads to the West End for New Twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
The official website for the upcoming play describes this take as a “pulsating new vision of Shakespeare’s immortal tale of wordsmiths, rhymers, lovers and fighters.” It comes from director Jamie Lloyd. No other casting was announced beyond the Marvel actor being Romeo.
The shift of Tom Holland returning to the stage for Romeo and Juliet aligns with what he said last year about wanting a break. He announced in an interview with Extra that he would press pause for a year on his Hollywood career. He cited the difficulty of his Apple TV drama The Crowded Room. The series had a brutal reception, with a 31% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics.
For now, the actor is not set for any new projects on the big or small screen. He will eventually return to his iconic role as the MCU’s Spider-Man. Nothing is known about the fourth film, but it will likely be a more street-level story following the aftermath of No Way Home. The direction would also follow the new corner of the MCU that has been building for more grounded stories, like Echo and Daredevil: Born Again. The film could lead to a new trilogy, but nothing has been set in web yet.
Tickets for the play will go on sale on February 13. The 12-week limited run will be at central London’s Duke of York Theatre starting on May 11.
