Missing Tom Holland in your life? Who isn’t? With Spider-Man: No Way Home set to release on December 17, more of the web-slinger feels so close yet so far. But now, YouTuber stryder HD has the perfect solution: Deepfake Tom Holland. In an ingenious use of deepfake technology, stryder HD replaces What If…?’s animation with a more Tom Holland rendition of Spider-Man.
It’s a pretty subtle difference, honestly. But there are definitely features of Holland that What If…? didn’t capture in their Spider-Man. Possibly on purpose. Tom Holland doesn’t voice Peter Parker in Disney+‘s What If…? Instead, What If…?’s Peter Parker A.K.A Spider-Man is voiced by Hudson Thames in the episode “What If…Zombies?!” Some fans appreciate that the characters aren’t exact actor replicas. This allows the universe to feel more like its own adventure. But, it must be said, especially in Peter Parker’s case, the differences are pretty small. And, even though we enjoy this technological feat, we think the artists on What If…? bring their A-game to every episode.
Still, there is a comfort in familiarity. And it’s fun to see a more Holland-y look in What If…?‘s extension of the canon.
![Deepfake Tom Holland vs What If...?'s original Spider-Man](https://legendary-digital-network-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/12205455/Deepfake-Tom-Holland-vs-What-If...s-original-Spider-Man.jpg)
stryder HD
Stryder HD shares this about his work:
I do conceptual fan art videos using some deepfake technology, plus other CGI techniques. I also do some gaming streams every once in awhile as well as concept trailers, and other parodies!
What fans can do with technology these days is a super fun aspect of fan culture. These deepfakes do add to the already uncanny valley journey of What If…? But, we enjoy extra bits of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man where we can get him. We can’t help but wonder what other characters might look like as deepfakes of their MCU actors. Possibly, that meddling might be a step too far. So, we won’t test our luck and just enjoy the results of this video. Deepfake Tom Holland today, real Tom Holland… in December’s No Way Home!