by Shawn Goretsky (8th)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to be a purely street-level film that takes place after No Way Home. The story will explore Peter Parker’s life after the world has forgotten who he is. This feels like a smart direction. No Way Home clearly set up this next chapter, and it’s refreshing to see a Spider-Man movie that won’t revolve around Avengers crossovers or multiverse chaos.
Peter is also reportedly absent from Doomsday, which raises interesting questions. This film could explain where he is during those events and how he ultimately becomes involved in Secret Wars. Whatever the exact plot may be, the grounded focus has a lot of potential.
The casting is shaping up to be especially intriguing. Jacob Batalon and Zendaya are returning as Ned Leeds and MJ, which means they will still play some role in Peter’s life—even though they no longer remember him. It will be interesting to see how the film handles that dynamic. Ideally, the story avoids leaning too heavily on Peter pining for MJ or resolving their separation with a convenient “power of love” memory restoration.
Sadie Sink has also joined the cast, though her role hasn’t been officially confirmed. She’s rumored to be playing Gwen Stacy, which could introduce Ghost-Spider or potentially a new love interest for Peter. Mark Ruffalo is also set to appear, which is particularly exciting. In the comics, a similar memory-erasing event occurs, and Hulk is the only one who remembers Peter Parker. It would be compelling to see something like that adapted on screen—perhaps even marking the return of classic Hulk rather than Professor Hulk.
Krondon and Michael Mando will portray Tombstone and Scorpion, two iconic members of Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery. Scorpion was teased back in Homecoming, so it’s satisfying to finally see that thread picked up. Tombstone’s inclusion also signals a strong street-level tone, reinforcing the grounded direction of the film.
One final detail worth mentioning is the symbiote. At the end of No Way Home, Venom left a fragment of the symbiote behind in the MCU. That opens the door for Peter to eventually don the black suit—a storyline that would be massive. Given everything Peter has lost, he’s in a vulnerable emotional state, which makes him especially susceptible to the symbiote’s influence. If the film heads in that direction, it could lead to a legendary Spider-Man arc. The most recent major symbiote storyline—Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2—was widely praised, and if the MCU captures even part of that intensity, it could deliver something truly special.