Tom Holland and Zendaya have read a draft of the 'Spider-Man 4' script - but it still "needs work".

The 28-year-old actor is set to reprise his titular role as the web-slinging superhero in the upcoming Marvel sequel alongside his real-life girlfriend, Zendaya - who plays Peter Parker's girlfriend MJ - and he and the 'Challengers' star, also 28, were "bouncing around the room" with excitement when they read the draft.

Appearing on the 'Rich Roll Podcast', Tom noted: "One of the things to bear in mind with Marvel is that your film is a small cog in a large machine.

"And that machine has got to keep running. And you need to make sure you can fit into that timeline at the right time to benefit the bigger picture. That's one of the challenges we're facing. The time in which we need to get that done is a tall order but definitely achievable with the fantastic people we have working on it now."

Tom admitted that the script "really lit a fire in me" - but acknowledged that they have a way to go before it's finished.

He added: "It needs work, but the writers are doing a great job.

"I read it three weeks ago, and it really lit a fire in me. Zendaya and I sat down and read it together, and we at times were bouncing around the living room like, ‘This is a real movie worthy of the fans' respect.' But there's a few things we need to figure out before we can get that really going, but it's exciting."

Destin Daniel Cretton is said to be taking over from Jon Watts as director for the instalment in the blockbuster franchise.

Insiders suggested filming will commence early next year, although it is not clear what the story will be after the 2021 flick 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' concluded with the world forgetting that Tom's Peter Parker was Spider-Man after a memory wipe.

Destin is an established superhero director as his 'Shang-Chi' movie was well-received while he was also set to helm 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' but stepped away last year due to the picture's changing production schedule.

Tom revealed earlier this year that he was desperate to return for more 'Spider-Man' movies because the superhero franchise had changed his life.

He told Deadline: "The simple answer is that I'll always want to do more 'Spider-Man' films.

"I owe my life and career to 'Spider-Man'. So the simple answer is yes. I'll always want to do more."

The 'Uncharted' actor revealed that there is a caveat as the plot for the fourth film would have to be right as he has "a legacy to protect" following the success of the trilogy he fronted.

Tom said: "We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we've cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing."