The anticipated next film entry into Marvel’s Spider-Man series was announced to have begun filming in August 2025. The film titled “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” started shooting in Glasgow, Scotland, under the direction of Destin Daniel Cretton. Returning to the cast is British actor Tom Holland, reprising his lead role as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Since the initial announcement of the upcoming film, several official reveals and footage from the filming have been circulating on the internet. A significant difference between the past Spider-Man trilogy– that being Spider-Man Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home, respectively– and this latest film is that of director Destin Daniel Cretton.
Who’s Destin Daniel Cretton?
The previous trilogy was directed by filmmaker Jon Watts, but Watts wasn’t chosen to return to direct this new movie. Cretton is no stranger to directing Marvel’s superhero movies; previously, he had directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021. The film was well received, earning approximately double its budget at the Box Office and garnering generally positive reviews. A standout contrast in the new director’s style is his approach to action in the film.
(Stunt double recreating webslinging by swinging off cables on a crane rig)
Practical Effects vs CGI for Spider-Man movies?
Prior Spider-Man films, specifically those directed by Jon Watts, utilized CGI and special effects in order to bring Spider-Man’s webslinging and action to life. In contrast, director Destin Cretton appears to be using practical effects, having the action performed by stunt doubles with real explosives and pyrotechnics. While some fans praise the director for his choice to lessen the overreliance on CGI, which has garnered recent films, specifically Marvel, “heavy criticism for their CGI elements”, others like Jon Watts caution against it. Watts claimed in a tweet that practical effects for Spider-Man’s iconic webslinging “doesn’t look good” and is “boring”, referring to Cretton’s filmmaking choice.
(Jon Watts’s quoted tweet on practical webslinging)
Earlier Spider-Man films, such as Sam Raimi’s trilogy of films, often had practical effects and stunts used to create the action of the film. Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004) are highly praised and beloved by several Spider-Man fans for the exciting and iconic action they brought to the character, becoming Box Office hits, but this wasn’t the only aspect appreciated by moviegoers and fans alike; something Destin Cretton seems to be intending to capture in his upcoming film.
What Might Be the Film’s Tone?
Destin Cretton appears to be focusing more on Spider-Man’s financial struggles and his connection to New York, offering a film geared closer towards a comic-accurate Spider-Man. Peter Parker, at the end of No Way Home, was last seen having to live out of an apartment, sewing his own suit, and without an identity. This strongly implied that the intention for any subsequent sequels was for secondary conflicts to focus more on Peter Parker’s personal issues, gaining the same “relatable” appeal the comic version of Spider-Man was often credited for having. Photos were taken of actor Tom Holland wearing a shirt with “Delmar’s Deli” printed on it, a bodega that was previously featured in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
(Tom Holland wearing a Delmar’s Deli shirt in a photo with fans)
This suggests not only that we will be seeing Peter interacting with the city more, but that potentially one of his new jobs may be working at this Deli. Previously, in the comics and some non–MCU Spider-Man movies, Peter worked at pizza places or the Daily Bugle as a photographer. While Peter Parker as a photographer is considered to be his most iconic job, considering the Daily Bugle had slandered him multiple times in previous films, and the Daily Bugle appears not to be a newspaper in the MCU, it seems unlikely Peter will seek employment there.
Who Might Be Appearing in the Film?
An unexpected rumor was that actor Mark Ruffalo would return in the new Spider-Man film, according to sources such as The Hollywood Reporter. Ruffalo, who had previously played the role of Bruce Banner, The Hulk, may be returning to this role alongside Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Fans of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) have in the past criticized the writing of the Hulk character for not being faithful to the source material. An article by Comic Book Resources exemplifies this opinion, stating how the Hulk has had “a disappointing development” in his film adaptations. With the potential return of Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, fans are left cautiously optimistic over how the character may be portrayed in the upcoming film. Furthermore, fan-captured footage of the filming potentially showcases a scene involving the Hulk flipping cars over as frightened citizens flee. As for his potential purpose in the film, many have speculated that after the death of Peter Parker’s previous mentor, Iron Man, Bruce Banner, another scientist and Avenger, may serve as Peter’s new mentor in the movie. This aligns with the comic interpretations of the characters, which often portray the two characters as close friends with one another.
(A comic panel of the Hulk and Spider-Man’s friendship)
However, the Hulk isn’t the only rumored character possibly making an appearance in the film. Jon Bernthal, who previously played the anti-hero, Frank Castle, known as the Punisher, may also be another returning character.
(Jon Bernthal in his latest, more comic-accurate Punisher costume)
Previously, in his appearances in several Marvel Netflix series and the more recent Disney+ revival, “Daredevil Born Again”, The Punisher served as an antagonistic counter to the main character’s morals. Due to the nature of Punisher being an anti-hero who willingly takes lives, this conflicted with characters who refused to do so, such as Daredevil. Similarly, the character of Spider-Man shares the same moral code, which could lead to potential conflict between the characters if they meet on the big screen. Despite the Punisher only being seen together with characters such as Daredevil on screen, on the pages of comics, Spider-Man and Punisher have actually interacted before. As a matter of fact, The Punisher’s very first appearance was “The Amazing Spider-Man Issue 129”, where he served as an adversary to the hero.
(Comic cover for The Amazing Spider-Man Issue 129, Punisher’s First Appearance)
Despite their antagonistic history, the two heroes have also teamed up as allies before. Between the characters’ history and the portrayal of Punisher in other shows, it can be surmised that if Frank Castle is appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he may very well serve a very similar purpose as a moral adversary turned ally.
What About the Previous Cast?
Another unanswered question left by the previous Spider-Man film was his relationship with his girlfriend, M.J., or Michelle Jones, played by Zendaya Coleman, and his best friend, Ned Leeds, played by Jacob Batalon. As mentioned before, with Peter Parker’s identity erased from the minds of everyone, his relationship with these two pivotal characters in his life has been left up in the air. Some speculate that a new love interest for Peter will be introduced in the film, especially with the reported rumor of Sadie Sink being cast in the movie. While nothing has been confirmed, an ongoing debate has been whether or not Sadie Sink will be playing a known comic character of Spider-Man, like Gwen Stacy, Black Cat, or Mayday Parker, the daughter of Spider-Man. Regardless of the rumors, the question remains as to where Peter’s future relationships, romantic or not, will head.
Overall, while much of what we currently know about the film is Hollywood’s speculations and rumors, lots of excitement has been drummed up for the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is set to release on July 31st, 2026. The film appears to want to capture the dynamic action of the wall-crawling arachnid, bring Peter Parker closer to New York and his comic roots of how he relates to the average teenager, and potentially tie in old and new character dynamics and relationships for Spider-Man. Fans will have to wait to see if the movie lives up to their expectations of a fresh and more comic-accurate interpretation of their Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
