Marvel Studios officially replaced Tom Holland in Disney+'s upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year animated series.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year was announced all the way back in 2021, but fans still don't know much about the series at all.
Since Marvel Studios and everyone else involved were so tight-lipped about the upcoming animated show, some worried that it might have been secretly canceled. But series head writer and executive producer Jeff Trammell stated in August that he is "excited for the world to see it," confirming that it is still on its way to Disney+.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year's Replacement for Tom Holland
In an official copyright filing with the United States Copyright Office (via Cosmic Circus), it was revealed that voice actor Hudson Thames will be assuming the role of Peter Parker and Spider-Man in Disney+'s Spider-Man: Freshman Year.
The voice actor who will be replacing Tom Holland also voiced the character in the MCU's What If...? series, so his casting in this upcoming show will not be the first time that Thames has taken on the role.
It was already reported in 2022 that Holland probably wouldn't return to voice Spider-Man in the animated Disney+ series, but the recent copyright filing finally confirmed it.
A lot of the cast for Freshman Year is still a mystery. However, it was confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 that Charlie Cox, who portrays the live-action Daredevil in his own Netflix series, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Daredevil: Born Again, will be reprising his role to voice that character in the upcoming animated show.
Why Marvel Picked Hudson Thames
Replacing Tom Holland is no easy task, especially since MCU fans have grown so accustomed to his version of Peter Parker ever since he made his Spider-Man debut in 2016's Captain America: Civil War.
It may seem a little unreal, but viewers have been watching Holland on-screen for almost a decade now, so hearing another person's voice under the mask regardless if it is in an animated or live-action project is going to be a little off-putting.
However, Marvel chose Hudson Thames to voice Peter Parker in What If...? for a specific reason, and bringing him back for Freshman Year ultimately makes the most sense.
When fans are able to press play on Freshman Year for the first time on Disney+, they will at least be able to hear and see Peter Parker and have some sense of familiarity with the character.
Marvel has always been extremely careful with who it casts in any of its projects, always making sure to pick the right person for their respective role. Bringing Thames back for another project as the web-slinger only proves that the studio has a lot of confidence in his voice-acting abilities.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year does not currently have an official release date.
