It seems that Tom Holland’s charm is not only limited to his Spider-Man role in the MCU. The Russo brothers, who also directed him as Spider-Man, have revealed that they would probably not have made a dark and complex movie like Cherry, had Tom Holland not accepted the lead role. In a recent interview with Variety, as part of Cherry’s promotion, the director duo explained more about their movie and why Holland was essential to it.
Cherry is based on Nico Walker’s semi-autobiographical book of the same name. It centers on a young man, who drops out of high school to enlist in the military. After serving in the Iraq War, he comes back home and develops an opioid addiction to overcome his PTSD. When he runs out of money, he starts robbing banks to sustain his addiction.
Why did the Russo brothers want Tom Holland for the role of the protagonist?
When asked if he was the first person that came to mind when they were casting the part, they said –
“I don’t even know that Joe and I wanted to commit to doing the movie at all until we thought of Tom in the role. The book is dark, very complicated, and that’s what its value is. We wanted to make this movie because it speaks to very relevant and current issues dealing with opioid addiction that has to do with the military experience, the modern military experience. It was a very original take on those experiences, specific to the modern generation.”
Joe and Anthony Russo
On why Tom Holland was essential for the movie, they added-
“We wanted to do a version of the movie that was palatable, not like taking your medicine. Tom is so likable. He’s such an appealing actor, and so good. Once we started thinking about him as a character, the whole movie opened up for us as a possibility because he was our road to an accessible, exciting, enjoyable version of a difficult film.”
Joe and Anthony Russo
A trailer has been released recently and people have been taken by surprise at the gritty story and Holland’s presence in it. Although he has multiple movies under his belt- some historical dramas and psychological thrillers- most know him as the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.
Although it is too early to say, Cherry might cement Holland as one of the rare young actors who breaks the superhero mould and establishes himself as someone who can handle all kinds of roles.
Cherry is scheduled to premiere on AppleTV+ on February 26th, 2021.
If you haven’t watched the trailer yet, check it out below:
Are you a fan of Tom Holland? What is your favorite Tom Holland movie?
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