In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Spider-Man suit is a pinnacle of Stark Industries technology, complete with a built-in AI and a “kill mode.” But in the real world of Hollywood filmmaking, the costume is a high-stakes engineering puzzle that once left Zendaya and director Jon Watts in a state of “constant fear.” While fans marvel at the sleek, one-piece design of the suit in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the truth behind the scenes was far more claustrophobic. Zendaya recently revealed that she spent much of the production terrified that the suit—which is nearly impossible to remove quickly—could become a death trap.
The “Drowning” Danger The primary safety concern stems from the fact that the MCU Spider-Man suit is often a single, skin-tight piece of Lycra with a headpiece that does not just “pop off.” During the press tour for No Way Home, Zendaya voiced a fear that has haunted her since the first film. “I think about it all the time; it really scares me,” Zendaya confessed. “When he wears that mask that you can’t just take off… what if he’s working so hard that he throws up, and then he can’t get it out? He’d choke!” Tom Holland corroborated this as a “legitimate fear,” explaining that because there is a hard plastic helmet underneath the fabric mask, any fluid trapped inside has nowhere to go. During one scene in Homecoming where he was trapped under rubble, water from a leak began pooling in the front of his mask, nearly causing him to drown while pinned down.
Drinking Through the Eye Holes Because the mask is so difficult to remove, the production team had to devise a “contraption” to keep the actor hydrated during long shooting days. The method—while effective—is undeniably bizarre. The “lenses” of the Spider-Man mask are made of glass and clip into the fabric; to drink, Tom has to pop out the left eye lens. He then threads a long, flexible “squeezy tube” through the eye hole and down into his mouth. Director Jon Watts famously shared a photo on Instagram showing Tom Holland casually sipping a Starbucks frappuccino through his eye hole—a photo that went viral for its surreal “superhero” reality. Holland even joked that he eventually found a way to “squeeze a KitKat” down the eye hole if he pushed the mask forward enough.
The Physical Toll of the Suit The logistics of being Spider-Man extend beyond just hydration. Tom Holland has frequently spoken about the “stunt-heavy” nature of the role and the physical exhaustion that comes with it. Holland told Seth Meyers that his suit is the most difficult in the MCU because he has “no skin showing,” making heat regulation a constant battle. Underneath the skin-tight Lycra, Holland is famously required to wear a thong to prevent visible seams, a detail Zendaya often teases him about, noting she “wouldn’t wish that on her worst enemy” for 12 hours a day.
A 2025 Update: The Legend Lives On As of December 2025, as rumors reach a fever pitch regarding the upcoming fourth film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the bond between the cast remains defined by this mutual protection. Production on the new installment reportedly wrapped on December 6, 2025, after an intense shoot in the UK. Zendaya’s “morbid” concern for Tom’s safety isn’t just for show; it’s the result of watching her co-star perform high-octane stunts in a suit that offers no easy exit. For Tom Holland, being the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” means more than just saving the world on screen; it means navigating the very real danger of a body-tight costume that requires a tube through the eye just to survive the afternoon.