Tom Holland’s Unsung Crime Thriller That Launched A New Era Finds New Life On Streaming

Published Sep 7, 2026, 10:07 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Tom Holland's unsung crime thriller, which launched a new era in his career, has found new life on streaming five years after it was released. Holland's best movies come from a wide array of genres, the actor having showcased his skills across various projects following his success as Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This includes recent, high-profile roles, like Telemachus in The Odyssey, to more underrated characters, like Arvin Russell in the Gothic crime drama The Devil All the Time. But one particular role has been a surprise influence on his acting career since release. This movie is Cherry, a 2021 Apple TV original crime thriller. The movie is a fictionalized adaptation of the 2018 autobiography of the same name by author and US Army veteran Nico Walker. It follows the story of Holland's Cherry, a college student who enlists in the US Army as a medic, resulting in PTSD after witnessing a number of tragedies while in the service. He ends up turning to a life of crime alongside his wife, Emily (Ciara Bravo), the pair robbing banks to pay for their drug addictions. Why Tom Holland's Cherry Is Back As A Global Streaming Hit Now, five years after its release, Cherry has returned as a global streaming hit for Apple TV. According to data from September 7, 2026, the movie is Number 8 in the world on the platform, earning recognition around the globe half a decade later. This includes a Number 2 spot in Namibia, alongside Number 3 spots in various countries around the world. It's a unique movie within Holland's career, as he portrays a drug-addicted veteran willing to do some dark things in order to quell his cravings. The film is a far cry from his Spider-Man movies, though the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day may have aided in renewed interest in the crime drama. It's also a noteworthy movie for reuniting Holland with the Russo brothers, who he previously worked with during Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. What makes the movie's success more interesting is its critical reception: Cherry reviews were generally unfavorable from critics, scoring a 37% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audiences enjoyed it much more, giving it a 72% on the same platform. The Film Launched A New Era For Its Star INSTARimages Despite the polarizing reviews, Cherry played a key role in Holland's career. It showcased his ability to portray a morally gray, oftentimes corrupt character, a far cry from his Marvel superhero role. The moral complexity of his character was integral to the roles that came after. This includes the movie that released later that year, Chaos Walking, a sci-fi movie where Holland starred opposite Daisy Ridley. It also opened the door for his more serious role in The Odyssey, the production of which still allowed him to stay in the spotlight as Spider-Man. Cherry's sudden success on Apple TV proves he can manage versatile characters, with his main protagonist being a complicated yet compelling person with a plethora of unique elements to his character. Since Holland has only been in the spotlight for a decade, the Apple TV crime movie showcases what he's capable of, and how he can apply those factors and ideas to his future roles. Release Date February 26, 2021 Runtime 142 Minutes Director Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Writers Angela Russo-Otstot, Jessica Goldberg, Nico Walker