The pairing of Peter Parker and Doctor Strange will be far more complicated than a mentor-mentee relationship in Spider-Man: No Way Home, according to Tom Holland. The actor has revealed that the partnership "breaks down" in the upcoming Marvel sequel, and that, unlike previous rumors which claimed Benedict Cumberbatch's The Sorcerer Supreme would become the new Tony Stark to Holland's Peter Parker, this is far from the case.

"It's a very different relationship [from Tony Stark and Peter Parker]. I wouldn't consider Doctor Strange as a mentor in this film - it's more as a colleague. At this point in the films, Spider-Man has established himself as quite a powerful and serious Avenger. Doctor Strange sees that in him, and treats him like an equal. And throughout the course of the film, their relationship breaks down. And rather than becoming colleagues - they don't become enemies, but they're definitely not friends."

Directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, Spider-Man: No Way Home finds Peter Parker asking Doctor Strange to help make his identity as Spider-Man a secret following its public revelation, which leads to the madness of the multiverse being unleashed. The recent, record-breaking trailer showed how these events happen, with Peter's endless verbal diarrhea causing Strange's complex spell to go awry. Could this be why Doctor Strange has a problem with Peter Parker?

While Holland would not go so far as to describe Spidey and Strange as enemies, it certainly sounds like they have a falling out during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. This is something that many had already suspected, with the recent trailer offering several clues, including what appears to be a battle on a train and one brief scene even showing Strange punch Spider-Man into his astral form. Some have since theorized that the movie could introduce variant versions of Doctor Strange, with some wondering whether it will include the Dark version of the character who debuted in the Disney+ series What If...?. Holland continued, revealing that the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man will struggle to come to terms with not being everyone's friend.

"Spider-Man always wants to please everyone. He always wants everyone to be happy. And then, in this instance, that's not the case. It's an interesting relationship. It's very, very different from the one of Tony and Peter. But it's a fun one. And obviously Benedict [Cumberbatch] - I love him to bits. He's such a good guy. I've worked with him loads of times now, and I've always really enjoyed it. He's been a real joy and pleasure to work with. Spider-Man and Doctor Strange are a great mix. They look great onscreen. The balance between them is very funny."

Spider-Man: No Way Home will hurl the MCU headfirst into the multiverse, bringing several villains from Spider-Man franchises past into the fray, including Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx as Electro. While this may sound like a lot of fun, Holland has recently revealed that it will be anything but, describing the sequel as "dark," "sad," and "really affecting." Spider-Man: No Way Home is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 17, 2021, as part of Phase Four of the MCU. This comes to us courtesy of Games Radar.