The Wasteland Reviewer

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) Written Review

Where does the MCU take our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? After the events of No Way Home, the story is wide open for Spider-Man to finally focus his efforts on New York City outside of the great scale of the MCU. With Peter Parker forgotten, Tom Holland’s hero is not all alone and dives deeply into his duties and responsibilities as a masked hero. Brand New Day is a fresh start not only for the hero but brings in Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton who takes those reins and runs with them. This is an exciting new adventure with Scorpion, The Punisher, The Hulk, Damage Control, and plenty more surprises up its sleeve. 

How does Cretton put his own stamp on the Spider-Man franchise? One of the most obvious changes is the visual style. This still feels like a big budgeted, Marvel release with plenty of artificial backgrounds (which mostly work) but there is a certain flair that Cretton injects that makes it feel more gripping. There is a bit more texture in the visuals and better use of lighting and shadow. The action is the true standout with an interesting mixture of slow motion and stylistic flair that gives it a more comic book feel. There are some strong stunt works and a great leverage of Spider-Man’s powers this time around. There is a lot to balance narratively in this film but this 145 minutes of movie moves along quite impressively. There are some moments when the film slows down but those scenes carry so much emotional heft that they are hard to disengage from. One of the most impressive elements is the balance of humor and heft. There are plenty of funny moments, but they feel organic with the characters and their personalities. When the film leans into more emotional depths, Cretton avoids undercutting those moments with non-stop jokes (which is greatly appreciated). This outing for Spider-Man feels a lot more mature and it makes the journey that Peter goes on so much more impactful. There are real stakes and some darker twists in this outing that feel refreshing. The music is quite good as well (which shouldn’t feel like a surprise with Michael Giacchino involved) as it is a balance of solid hero affair and some more textured and eerie pieces to accentuate the darker moments. 

Do Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers deliver a script that is a worthy addition to the MCU? Brand New Day is a heavier and more complex story than Marvel has tackled in a while. Admittedly, there are A LOT of things going on in this film. Some of those things were not necessary but were nice to have (while expanding out the MCU). There are a few dialogue moments that feel a little heavy-handed but there are some beautifully written moments as well that sell the emotional depths that this film explores. Peter journey is interesting this time around for sure with a four-year jump and plenty of Spider-Man shenanigans highlighted in an engaging opening montage. A work-alcoholic, there is a lot more Spider-Man than Peter Parker by the time this film finds its “present day”. The film does a great job exploring the weight of this isolation as well as the continuous regret and sadness stemming from Ned and MJ (especially) no longer being in his life. This tortured space spirals Peter’s sanity and pushes his mutation to new spaces as the arachnid elements of his DNA take hold. Spider-Man becomes stronger and more dangerous while Peter struggles with his identity. Brand New Day does a great job of paralleling this fear of change with supporting characters like Bruce Banner as well as the mysterious antagonist. Speaking of the “antagonist” of the film, this is a complex, layered, and challenging addition to the story. Their presence begins to shatter Peter’s present life without MJ but dedicated to helping the police and Damage Control (the dangerous organization that has wreaked havoc in Wonder Man and other MCU stories). Frank Castle, The Punisher, makes an interesting addition to the story as he represents what could be Peter’s future with isolation and jadedness. But their dynamic is one of the most engaging of the film. The heart and soul of the film is certainly the process of MJ and Ned slowly re-entering Peter’s life, and they make for some powerful moments. The scale and perspective of the MCU is also better defined by Spider-Man’s cooperation with a certain New Avenger that helps him understand that his place is on the ground protecting his city. With so many characters and threads, all of it can be overwhelming but they are threaded together well enough to feel like they add something or reflect on other things in Peter’s journey.

How is the huge cast in this latest Spidey outing? Holland has truly come into his own as Spider-Man. The quips are more defined and his banter in that suit is wonderful to take in. But there are so many emotional beats and specific scenes that we get to witness some strong depth and range that Holland possesses as an actor. Zendaya is effortlessly engaging and her chemistry with Holland is off the charts (you can tell they are in love in real life for sure). Jacob Batalon is a lot of fun, and you can tell his chemistry with Holland is so naturalistic as well. Jon Bernthal is a powerful force as Frank Castle (as he always is), but it is his dynamic with Holland that truly shines. Their brotherly chemistry makes their partnership/conflict so effective. Mark Ruffalo makes the most of his minimal screentime and easily slides back into the thoughtful and charmingly awkward Banner role. Sadie Sink is the secret weapon of the film and as the film gets to its climax, she gets to shine with great emotion and power (indicating that she will be an interesting piece of this franchise moving forward). Tramell Tillman is introduced as Bill Metzger (an intriguing character for those in the know) but he doesn’t get to flex his impressive talents that much. Liza Colon-Zayas certainly doesn’t get to dig as deep as she does in The Bear but her role as a motherly figure and police partner to Spider-Man is a nice addition to the film. There are a few surprises of big named talent in memories or voice roles as well as some fun minor inclusions like Michael Mando as Scorpion. The strong ensemble goes a long way in bringing this weightier effort to life.

How does Spider-Man: Brand New Day shape up in the MCU and for Spider-Man? This is one of the strongest outings for the MCU in a while and this just might be the strongest outing for the MCU Spider-Man. More mature and emotionally impactful, Brand New Day pushes Holland’s Peter Parker to darker places and more challenging spaces. There are plenty of twists and turns to match some thrilling action with some flair. Cretton is a welcomed presence to this franchise and brings the goods for sure.