Los Angeles, CA – The press tour for the monumental 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War became as famous for its on-screen action as for the hilarious, highly publicized dynamic between co-stars Tom Holland (who plays Peter Parker / Spider-Man) and Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays Dr. Stephen Strange). Holland, known in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fan community for his enthusiasm and occasional tendency to accidentally reveal major plot secrets, was intentionally paired with the more disciplined Cumberbatch throughout the global junket. This pairing instantly turned the two actors into a comedic duo, with Cumberbatch constantly forced to employ extreme measures to save his younger co-star from sinking the entire promotion with a universe-shattering spoiler.
Holland’s reputation as the “Spoiler-Man” of the MCU was well-earned even before the Infinity War tour. Previous slips included accidentally revealing the title of the third Spider-Man film and the fate of his character in a live screening. During the Infinity War interviews, where plot details were guarded with extreme secrecy (actors often didn’t receive full scripts), the reporters’ questions became increasingly tricky, and Holland’s excitement made him vulnerable. Cumberbatch quickly realized his role was less co-star and more “chaperone” or, as fans dubbed him, the “spoiler-catcher.”
The most memorable moments of this “babysitting” duty include the numerous instances where Cumberbatch became the ‘Interruption Machine,’ constantly jumping in mid-sentence with a practiced, eloquent non-answer or misdirection just as Holland reached the precipice of a secret. The signature visual for their press tour, which became a legendary meme, was the ‘Hand-Over-Mouth Tactic.’ In several viral clips, Cumberbatch literally leaned over and covered Holland’s mouth with his hand, once jokingly telling a journalist, “Don’t ask him that! Look at him! Look at his face!”
The humorous high-alert spoiler patrol mirrored their on-screen dynamic in Avengers: Infinity War, where the serious, somewhat exasperated Doctor Strange must guide the energetic and impulsive Spider-Man. Notably, this comedic dynamic became a major source of promotional content itself, generating buzz that complemented the film’s massive scale. Despite the risk of spoilers, the intense secrecy and unprecedented anticipation—fueled in part by the press tour’s gags—propelled Avengers: Infinity War to phenomenal box office success, grossing over $2.048 billion worldwide and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Even with Cumberbatch’s vigilant efforts, Holland later confessed to an infamous slip during the initial D23 Expo presentation, where he accidentally told a live audience, “I’m going to meet the Guardians of the Galaxy,” spoiling a key team-up moment of the film. Ultimately, the partnership between Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Holland became one of the most endearing and effective promotional campaigns in Marvel history, immortalizing Cumberbatch as the “mouth-gag machine” who saved the MCU’s secrets.