Andrew Garfield told Esquire magazine as part of a new cover story that returning as Spider-Man after his beloved appearance in 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” depends on the idea being “unique” enough and “additive to the culture.” The two-time Oscar nominee debuted as Peter Parker in 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man,” but his tenure as the superhero was cut short when 2014’s “Amazing Spider-Man 2” underperformed at the box office.

Garfield said he was “left dangling” when the Spider-Man role came to such an abrupt end. It was the underperformance of his Spider-Man sequel that resulted in Sony coming to an agreement with Disney to share the character so that he could officially enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opened the door to Tom Holland’s iteration of the web-slinger. “No Way Home” powered to $1.9 billion worldwide by bringing Holland’s Spider-Man face to face with Garfield’s version and the one played by Tobey Maguire, who starred in three “Spider-Man” films directed by Sam Raimi.

“I thought Tobey wouldn't be interested in reprising his role. He's known for making sporadic appearances, much to my disappointment. I even told him this,” Garfield confessed about his initial doubts regarding “No Way Home.” “When I heard he was considering it, I thought it could either be fantastic or a disaster. I'm incredibly grateful because it turned out to be the most enjoyable experience. The weight of expectations fell on Tom.”

“No Way Home” was widely seen as a triumph for Garfield's Spider-Man, achieving such massive box office success that fans continue to clamor for his return.

“Absolutely, I would 100% return if it was the right thing to do, if it’s something that adds to the culture, if there’s a great idea or something that hasn’t been done before, something unique, odd, exciting, and engaging,” the actor told Esquire . “I love that character, and it brings joy. If part of what I bring is joy, then I’m joyful in return.”

Garfield has always been open to reprising his role as Spider-Man if the circumstances are right, knowing that the iconic comic book character will be “the top line of my obituary.” He'll next be seen starring alongside Florence Pugh in the A24 romantic drama “We Live in Time,” which hits theaters on Oct. 11.