- A new Spider-Man: Brand New Day artbook has revealed some key details about its plot
- The Marvel movie’s place on the MCU timeline has also seemingly been confirmed
- Tom Holland’s next outing as the iconic webslinger will be released in late July
Another day, another Spider-Man: Brand New Day leak — and, for fans who still obsess over where Marvel movies and shows sit in relation to each other, it’s a big one.
Yesterday (February 18), eagle-eyed Marvel fans spotted an official artbook for the forthcoming flick on the website of book publisher Penguin Random House. That in itself wouldn’t be worth discussing; after all, Spider-Man 4 arrives in theaters on July 31, so it makes sense that tie-in products would start to appear at online stores.
The issue with this book’s listing, though, is that it seemingly confirms some major details about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film. And, considering the book’s page has been pulled from the retailer’s website since its initial listing, it’s clear that such plot information shouldn’t be public knowledge at this stage.
Potentially big spoilers immediately follow for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so depart now if you don’t want anything ruined ahead of time.
What year does Spider-Man: Brand New Day take place in the MCU?
Per the official tie-in artbook’s blurb: “Four years have gone by since we last caught up with our friendly neighborhood hero. Spider-Man is at the top of his game keeping New York City safe. Things are going well for our anonymous hero until an unusual trail of crimes pulls him into a web of mystery larger than he’s ever faced before.
“In order to take on what’s ahead, Spider-Man not only needs to be at the top of his physical and mental game, but he must also be prepared to face the repercussions of his past!”
It’s the first sentence of that story brief that’s most important. Indeed, Spider-Man: No Way Home, aka the wallcrawler’s latest solo MCU film, takes place in-universe between mid- to late 2024. With that movie ending in December 2024 — remember, we see Spidey swinging through a snowy New York in its final scene — Spider-Man 4 must take place in the latter half of 2028.
For context, that’s a whole year later than we previously thought. Last July, images snapped from the movie’s set led us to believe that Spider-Man: Brand New Day would take place in late 2027. Regardless, considering it’s likely set in 2028, it’ll be the newest one to bookend the release date and chronological timelines of our Marvel movies in order article.
But wait, there’s more. If Brand New Day is set in the year 2028, its story might run parallel to the only other Marvel Phase 6 movie we’ll see this year in Avengers: Doomsday.
To explain why, we need to request the help of one of 2025’s many new movies in Thunderbolts. In my Thunderbolts ending explained piece, I stated that this MCU project’s post-credits scene is set 14 months after its main story, which takes place in 2027. That means its end credits stinger occurs sometime in 2028.
Not only that, said post-credits scene shows the Excelsior, aka the spaceship created and owned by The Fantastic Four, exiting its interdimensional space jump as they eponymous group make the leap from their universe to the MCU. It’s this scene, coupled with what happens at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, that are the primary set-ups for Doomsday.
Okay, but what’s that got to do with Spider-Man 4? If Thunderbolts‘ end credits scene and Brand New Day are both set in 2028, events depicted in the latter and Avengers: Doomsday might take place at the same time.
This would explain why Tom Holland’s webslinger wasn’t part of the initial 27-strong Doomsday cast announcement. Additionally, despite the confirmation that other MCU superstars like Chris Evans are also back for Avengers 5 since that original Doomsday ensemble reveal, it would account for Holland’s Peter Parker not being a part of the next Avengers film’s cast. For more on that film, read my dedicated guide to Avengers: Doomsday.
Thankfully, each passing day brings us closer to the next Spider-Man movie’s release — and, eventually, its first trailer! — so we’ll find out soon enough if any or all of the above is true. In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
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