NEW YORK — If landing the most coveted superhero role in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is just a dream, then new Spider-Man star Tom Holland would kindly ask you to let him keep on snoozing.

“I still think I’m dreaming,” the 21-year-old says laughing in a midtown Manhattan hotel.

After a scene-stealing turn in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, Holland is getting ready to follow in the footsteps of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as everyone’s favourite wall-crawler in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which opens Friday, July 7.

The film is the first time comic book fans are getting a chance to see Spidey as part of the MCU, after Sony (which owns the cinematic rights to the character) and Marvel Studios reached a deal (Sony will produce and distribute the film, while Marvel will take creative control over the web-slinger).

Homecomingis now the 16th film in a series that kicked off with 2008’sIron Man.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man co-stars in the film as a mentor/father figure to Peter Parker. Michael Keaton also appears in the movie as Vulture, along with Laura Harrier, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Hannibal Buress and Tony Revolori.

After helping during the events of Civil War, Peter is back home in Queens, N.Y., with a new suit (courtesy of Tony Stark). He’s also a high schooler, dealing with teenage stuff – girls, crushes, guys that want to kill you, like Keaton’s Adrian Toomes a.k.a. the Vulture.

“I think it was important and the right time to do this,” Holland says of Marvel’s reinvention. “But really, a 15-year-old would have the time of their life if they had these powers... It really is like no other superhero movie we’ve seen.”

Holland, a trained dancer who has appeared onstage in Billy Elliot in his native England, made his big screen debut in 2012’s The Impossible opposite Naomi Watts.

Since then, he’s appeared in the television adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s acclaimed Wolf Hall, Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea and The Lost City of Z opposite Robert Pattinson.

His Marvel contract will see him playing Spider-Man in two more sequels – the first of which hits theatres July 5, 2019 – as well as next year’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s untitled Avengers 4.

“I’m very, very happy with where I am right now,” he says smiling.

With a gaggle of fans waiting patiently outside his hotel, Holland reflected on his marvelous life, taking the torch from Robert Downey Jr. and what happens when he can’t keep a secret.

What did you think of the approach of taking Spider-Man and putting him in high school and making this fun, youthful story?

Spider-Man is a kid. He is a 15-year-old kid who lives in Queens and he is the most grounded superhero. So it’s nice for young kids around the world to see that a superhero is going through the same problems they go through every single day. It’s very relatable, it’s easy to watch, it’s funny, it’s fun and it’s fresh... And we get to see Spider-Man in a world where he interacts with the Avengers, and that’s something we haven’t seen before. So, it’s not a reboot, it’s a reimagining.

Tell us what the audition process was like.

It’s one of the craziest things I’ve been through and it totally just took over my life. All I wanted was to get this job. I did everything I could to train and research the character and it paid off. Here we are today and I can’t believe it.

What did you think about going up against the Vulture?

I remember when I had my first conversation with [director] Jon [Watts] and he told me it was going to be the Vulture. Immediately I went straight to the comics and started reading about the character and I remember thinking, ‘Hmm, the Vulture is kind of lame. He even looks lame.’ But then they sent me concept art and I was like, ‘Holy s---, this is amazing!’ The suit they designed is so cool and [Michael Keaton] is so amazing.

In Spider-Man: Homecoming, you get to work with Robert Downey Jr. – the Godfather of the MCU – what was that like?

Dude, I remember seeing Iron Man 1 and just being mesmerized by him. I’ve been a huge fan of him and all of his work, but meeting him and working with him has just been crazy. He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll meet, he’s so down to earth, he’s such a good dude. I love him, I really do love him and I love working with him.

He’s been in the acting game for over 30 years. Did he give you any advice?

He didn’t give me any advice verbally, but from watching him work you understand that he’s someone at the top of his game. He’s respectful and kind and hard working and he’s good at his job. So if I’m ever lucky enough to get to where he is, then I should act accordingly.

What other Marvel hero would you want to appear with you in the next Spider-Man movie?

For me? It would be Ant-Man. I think we could have a really fun time with Spider-Man and Ant-Man. A mini-Spider-Man could be really interesting and so cool. Swinging from that Coke bottle to that glass [he gestures to a coffee table in front of him], but making it look like Manhattan would be insane. It would be a really amazing way to start off the movie. You see Spider-Man swinging around in like Rome or something and he suddenly grows and it turns out he was on a model.

Chris Pratt told us Avengers Infinity War is going to be the biggest spectacle movie of all time. How would you describe it?

It needs no teasing. That movie literally needs no teasing. It’s going to be the biggest movie of all time. Believe me; no one is ready for that movie. I don’t know anything about it or what it’s about. I know who the villain is, but that’s it. They don’t let me read anything because I’m so bad at keeping secrets.

What villain would you like to see Spidey go up against in the next Spider-Man movie?

I don’t know who I want to fight. I have my thoughts, but I don’t want to tell the world because if we do use them, I want that to be a surprise. But I have my ideas.

You’re going to be part of the MCU for a long time. What’s that like for you?

I can’t think of a better place to be hanging out, if I’m being honest. I love this world, I love the movies they make, I love being part of this franchise and these movies only take five months to make. So, really, you have the rest of the year to do smaller indie movies, and that’s something I’m going to definitely keep up doing. I’m very, very happy where I am right now.

So far, Robert Downey’s Iron Man has been the connective tissue in the MCU. Going forward, do you hope Spider-Man starts to thread more of these films together?

That’s the dream. That’s the goal. I think the amazing thing that [Marvel studio boss] Kevin Feige is doing is expanding that connective tissue to every character. Every character can pop up in any of the movies at any time. It’s like the world’s most expensive TV show.

Sony intends to build out the Spider-Man universe with several spinoff films. Can we expect to see you in Venomor Silver and Black?

No. They exist in a different world.

You’re also going to star in an adaptation of the video game Uncharted. How did that come about?

Unchartedis an idea that [director] Shawn [Levy] and I came up with about doing an origin story, rather than copying what the video games are based on. We’ve never seen the early life of Nathan Drake ever, so I’m very excited to explore that. It’s going to be cool.

You’ve already achieved most young actors’ dreams. What else is on the bucket list?

I’m about to do a space movie [Chaos Walking opposite Daisy Ridley]. We start shooting in August. But I like doing new things. If something is new and it’s challenging and it’s fun, I want to do it.

How did you react to your toy by the way? It sounds just like you.

I haven’t seen that yet [laughs]. I wonder if that is my voice.

Twitter: @markhdaniell

MDaniell@postmedia.com