As a longtime Spider-Man fan, I’m excited to see what Sony and Marvel Studios will unleash with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But like many other webheads, I’m looking carefully to see that this Spider-Man sequel does the right things and improves upon the previous films.
Marvel has already shown that Brand New Day is on the right path. Behind-the-scenes footage has shown Spider-Man wearing a comic-accurate costume and engaging in practically made action scenes. Both of these factors have made for a strong improvement over its predecessors. However, Brand New Day needs to take these steps to ensure it is a worthy sequel to Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Brand New Day should be a street-level story
Based on the characters and set pieces revealed so far, it’s quite clear at this point that Brand New Day will be a street-level story. This means the movie should feature more local heroes and villains and focus on grounded, personal conflicts on the streets of New York. Given that No Way Home utilized the Multiverse to bring back several legacy heroes and villains, using it again in Brand New Day would make for a tiring sequel.
At this point, the Spider-Man franchise shouldn’t have to rely on cosmic cameos to succeed in theaters. The web-slinger has proven he can stand tall on his own. Audiences should have more than enough of the Multiverse with Avengers: Doomsday coming out less than six months after Brand New Day.
Peter and MJ must stay apart in the film
No Way Home saw Doctor Strange wipe everyone’s memory of Peter Parker, ending the hero’s relationship with his true love, MJ. Peter had the chance to remind MJ who he was, but he chose to keep the truth hidden and distance himself from her for her protection. Despite that, Zendaya has been cast as MJ in Brand New Day, hinting at another massive shift in their relationship.
While Peter and MJ were an excellent couple, it would be unwise for Marvel to bring them back together so soon after No Way Home. Doing so would be a rushed attempt to return to the status quo, undoing a significant part of Peter’s character arc. Peter must go out on his own first, and reuniting with MJ in the film could undermine that.
It must explore Peter’s dark side
While Spider-Man has always been a lighthearted and comedic hero, this narrative tone seemed to blend too much with many other stories in the MCU. No Way Home did show Peter slipping into his darker side after his Aunt May’s death, nearly killing Green Goblin out of vengeance. No Way Home became one of the heavier MCU movies, and the franchise should embrace this tonal shift going forward.
Now that Peter is an adult living on his own, the franchise should age with its audience and tell a more mature Spider-Man story in Brand New Day. The sequel can explore more of Peter’s inner demons now that he is living alone and still coping with May’s death. This could make for some intense personal drama as it explores the depth and complexity of Peter’s character.
The other heroes shouldn’t hog the spotlight
The first three Spider-Man films have emphasized Peter’s connections to other established heroes like Iron Man, Nick Fury, and Doctor Strange. Brand New Day seems set to repeat this trend with the Hulk and the Punisher.
It will be exciting to see Spider-Man appear alongside these iconic characters, and there is nothing wrong with the webslinger seeking their help. However, some audiences have criticized the MCU for leaning too heavily on Peter’s relationship with Tony Stark, with the former often relying on his mentor’s advanced technology to save the day.
Peter has all but stepped out of Iron Man’s shadow by the end of No Way Home with his homemade suit. Despite this, Brand New Day needs to ensure that characters like Hulk and Punisher don’t overshadow Peter and his journey throughout the film. Peter deserves to stand as his own hero, and Brand New Day should be the fresh start that he deserves.
Scorpion has to be done justice
In the mid-credits scene of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mac Gargan/Scorpion (Michael Mando) revealed his hatred for Spidey for getting him arrested. Gagan was last seen approaching the Vulture in prison, offering to team up against the webslinger once he got out of prison. After almost a decade, it seems this mid-credits scene will finally pay off with Mando’s return as Scorpion.
Since Marvel has long had a history of adapting iconic comic book villains poorly, part of me worries that Scorpion will be another flat, unremarkable baddie on the big screen. If Scorpion ends up as the main villain of the film, he should be a layered and menacing figure that truly pushes Peter to his limit.
Fortunately, MCU has presented some of its best villains in the MCU’s Spider-Man films, specifically the Vulture, Mysterio, and the Green Goblin. Based on this track record, Scorpion seems to be in good hands in Brand New Day.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.
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