SPIDER-MAN BRAND NEW DAY
Out 30th JULY 2026
Thursday 30th July 2026
Written by: Tom Wilson and Rashid AlKamraikhi
Press Photo provided by: Vethaak Media and iKapture Stills provided by: Sony Pictures
NEW THREATS AND OLD REGRETS
Tom’s Perspective:
To protect those he loves, Peter Parker has erased himself from the memories of those closest to him. When we meet him on this Brand New Day, he is watching M.J. and Ned live out their lives completely oblivious to him. They don’t know that he’s Spider-Man, they don’t know the roles they played in his life … hell, they don’t even know Peter Parker. Spidey is working closely with a member of the local authorities, and finds himself confronted with a challenging new foe. Some sort of malevolent presence appears to be jumping from person to person, and Peter has to figure out what (or who) he’s up against.
Pictured: RASHID, SPIDER-MAN, AND TOM courtesy of VETHAAK MEDIA and IKAPTURE
He finds an interesting ally in Frank Castle, who tends to solve problems in a much more high-velocity fashion than Spidey is used to. Fans of The Punisher might need to manage their expectations, because the series’ brutality has been heavily curtailed to suit the tone of the movie. What it lacks in gore, it makes up for with laughs – John Berenthal gets to flex his comic timing, and he steals every scene he’s in. Michael Mando returns to his role as Scorpion, and makes the most of his small part here, absolutely chewing the scenery. Spidey’s clash with The Hand, the red-suited ninjas glimpsed in the trailer, is spectacularly choreographed, and Hulk fans are going to have a lot of fun too.
Pictured: SPIDER-MAN AND THE PUNISHER
There is a lot more to talk about, but I can’t do so without spoiling things, so I’ll leave it there, and close out by saying that Brand New Day is the Marvel experience that fans love. Twists will make you gasp, cameos will make you cheer, and Tom Holland’s abs will make you jealous. He’s the best Spider-Man we’ve ever had, and Brand New Day continues the high standard of the previous films, so swing into the cinema, and make sure you stick around after the credits!
Rashid’s Perspective:
After the events of No Way Home, Peter is living with the consequences of asking Dr.Strange to erase him from everyone’s memory, becoming consumed by his work, and existing in self-imposed isolation. But when a new threat emerges in New York City, and the emotional toll of being separated from the people he loves hits a critical mass, he finds his body changing, and his powers evolving in new ways that he can’t control.
Pictured: PETER PARKER
This starts Peter on a quest to not only discover the source of the threat, but to learn about himself, and to begin seeking help from others. By partnering with Bruce Banner, he develops an inhibitor chip, similar to the one that Banner uses to suppress the Hulk, but Bruce cautions him on the dilemma of choosing which parts of himself to control, and which parts to accept. This forms the underlying theme of Brand New Day’s story, the choices Peter makes about the things he can and can’t control, and the acceptance or defiance of the situations those decisions place him in.
Pictured: PETER PARKER WITH BRUCE BANNER
As the fourth film in the Tom Holland era of Spider-Man, anyone walking into this film unprepared will have a bunch of questions, so I definitely recommend doing your homework first. There is a bit of exposition to try and catch everyone up to speed, but even as someone who has watched the majority of the MCU films and TV series, there were more than a few moments of wait, what?
Managing the intricacies of all the backstories aside, Holland is, as always, a very charming and capable actor in a role that was a perfect fit for him from the first moment he put on the web-emblazoned mask. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon also slip just as easily back into their ‘costumes’ as M.J. and Ned respectively. In fact, every actor in the film performs well, though I can’t help but feel that Michael Mando as Scorpion is under-utilised. I’m probably biased because I know how brilliant he is as Nacho in Better Call Saul, but I also understand that the role of The Scorpion isn’t really going to provide him with many opportunities to showcase his range, since he’s essentially performing as a punching bag. Likewise, Trammel Tillman, whom I love as Seth in Severance, isn’t playing a character that allows him to swing as emotionally wildly as Seth. Instead, he gives a more measured performance as William 'Bill' Metzger, the director of the United States Department of Damage Control. I am, however, glad that these actors have been given these opportunities, because I feel that both of them have the chops for bigger parts. Hopefully the Spider-Man franchise is another stepping stone towards that for both of them.
Pictured: THE SCORPION
Spider-Man Brand New Day is the superhero blockbuster that you’d expect it to be, full of action-packed sequences, snappy one-liners, and in this case, Takis product placements. This film couldn’t stand on it’s own, and it may spend more time setting itself up for sequels than resolving any pre-existing plot lines, but if you already love the character and the world (or are willing to do the homework), then you’re going to have a great time.
Pictured: SPIDER-MAN AND WILLIAM 'BILL' METZGER
