Spider-Man 4: Brand New Day (2026) Movie Preview

Hardly any other film has sparked as much discussion in recent months as "Spider-Man 4": Numerous leaks and casting news have stirred up plenty of conversation. It looks as though the new movie won't just be action-packed, but will also mark the beginning of an entirely new era for Spider-Man. In this article, we will tell you everything about the brand-new approach to the legendary series and which awesome characters we can look forward to this time.

A New Beginning for Peter Parker

The ending of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was a massive cliffhanger: No one remembers Peter Parker anymore – not even his closest friends MJ and Ned. This is exactly where "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" will pick up.

The movie's title is a direct reference to a famous comic book storyline from 2008. It was a hard reset following "One More Day", one of the most hated comic stories of all time. That story also revolved around the death of Aunt May and an altered reality that represented a kind of new beginning for Peter. For example, his marriage to Mary Jane Watson was undone.

Film producer Amy Pascal has clearly outlined the direction for "Spider-Man 4" in interviews: The movie will explore the fact that Peter has decided to no longer be Peter Parker – but Spider-Man. That, she says, is the core of the film. Lead actor Tom Holland supports this direction. Quote:

"[...] it's going to feel like a breath of fresh air. I think the fans are going to be over the moon with what we're putting together."

The Cast: Spider-Man & the Punisher Against the Hulk

Of course, Tom Holland will reprise his role as Spider-Man – that's clear. However, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon will probably only make brief appearances: Although both are involved, their roles are said to be very small. This is consistent with the fact that MJ and Ned no longer remember Peter – so a major revival of their friendship is unlikely.

The Punisher

The biggest news recently has arguably been the involvement of Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher. This marks his first appearance in a Marvel film, after previously playing the role in the "Daredevil" series and his own "The Punisher" series.

There is also a "Punisher" special in development for Disney+. We are hoping to get the first clues about his role in "Spider-Man 4" from this special. Jon Bernthal has already assured that it will deliver exactly what "Punisher" fans expect from the character.

His appearance in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" promises a grittier tone that has not typically been associated with the films so far. While not much is known about the extent of his role yet, various insiders suggest that he will actually have a significant amount to do.

The Hulk

According to reports, Spider-Man and the Punisher are supposedly going up against a savage version of the Hulk. Most recently, Mark Ruffalo portrayed a more restrained version of the character. Speculation is already swirling about what could cause such a regression. One idea sounds particularly plausible: An appearance by crime boss Mr. Negative in "Spider-Man 4". This would align with casting reports pointing to an Asian actor. The production team is also said to have explored traditional shinobi and samurai clothing. The comic book villain would certainly have the power to reactivate the Hulk's savage side. As an antagonist, he also fits in well with the story's planned direction – but more on that later.

In this context, Hulk certainly offers good potential for a personal story: Bruce Banner could take on a mentor role for Peter early in the movie, much like Tony Stark once did – which would make a battle against the savage Hulk particularly dramatic.

Supporting Characters

With the appearance of the Punisher and the success of the series "Daredevil: Born Again", a return of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock also seems quite likely. However, an official confirmation is still pending.

New to the cast is Sadie Sink, known from "Stranger Things". She has been cast in an as-yet-unknown role. There is speculation that she could play Jean Grey from the "X-Men" universe. After all, the famous mutants are set to be prominently introduced into the MCU with the upcoming Avengers films. Moreover, the next phase of the MCU is said to focus primarily on them. Other theories suggest Sadie Sink might take on the role of Mary Jane Watson or a new version of Gwen Stacy. So far, both characters have mainly featured in the films with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

Casting Rumors: More Hype Than Truth?

In the meantime, there have also been rumors about Sydney Sweeney potentially taking on the role of Black Cat. She already has experience in the superhero genre, even though her previous movie, "Madame Web", was anything but a success. At this point in time, however, we don't see much chance of such an appearance – it doesn't quite fit into the overall picture that is slowly but surely taking shape.

The same applies to a major villain who was long rumored to be the antagonist in the new "Spider-Man": Knull, the God of the Symbiotes. We already got a first glimpse of him in "Venom: The Last Dance", which is, of course, part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe. And so far, there have been no further indications that the MCU plans to incorporate the character into "Spider-Man 4" – quite the opposite, in fact.

New Approach to the Spider-Man 4 Story

For a long time, there was a creative dispute between Sony and Disney about which direction the story should take: a spectacular multiverse adventure or a grounded, personal story set in the streets of New York. According to the latest statements from Marvel boss Kevin Feige, the latter has prevailed. Quote:

"Him being by himself, dedicated to saving the city, and dealing with – for lack of better terms – street-level crime, as opposed to world-ending events."

Sounds to us very much like a threat from Kingpin or indeed Mr. Negative – with a savage Hulk causing mayhem in the streets of New York. But despite all the rumors, it's important to stress once again that no further official details about the story have been confirmed so far.

Changes Behind the Scenes of Spider-Man 4

The grounded approach is also evident in the way the movie is being shot. This time, significantly less green screen is being used compared to "No Way Home". Tom Holland expressed his excitement about this in an interview with Flip Your Wig. Quote:

"I think we were really restricted with what we could do in the last movie because of COVID. We shot the entire film on stages. Now, we're really gonna lean into that old-school filmmaking and shoot in real locations [...]."

Fitting for the fresh start to Peter's story, the series is parting ways with its longtime director: Jon Watts will not be returning to direct the fourth movie in the Tom Holland series. At one point, Sam Raimi, the director of the original "Spider-Man" trilogy with Tobey Maguire, was being considered as a potential replacement. He also directed "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" for the MCU.

However, in the end, someone else got the job: Destin Daniel Cretton. He previously directed "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", a movie that combined cool action with a deep, meaningful story. These are strong credentials for taking on Peter's next adventure.

Theatrical Release of Spider-Man 4 and the Future of the MCU