2025 was one of the most turbulent years in Marvel Studios’ theatrical history, with even critical hits like Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps still falling short at the box office. Spider-Man: Brand New Day now carries the job of turning that streak around, which the movie is expected to do, given that its pre-sale tickets alone have already surpassed $40 million domestically. That’s not exactly a surprise, as Peter Parker has stood as Marvel’s most profitable character for decades, with Tom Holland’s iteration being the biggest one yet. In addition, Brand New Day pairs Spider-Man with two more Marvel titans, folding the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) into his corner of the universe for the first time. Still, Marvel Studios and Sony are taking no chances, investing in an expensive marketing campaign that just released its final trailer.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day catches up with Peter Parker four years into a world that no longer remembers who he is. Isolated from his friends and allies, Peter has to face strange mutations that make him lose control of his body, just as a new bodyswamping villain appears in New York City. The new trailer, exhibited in front of Chrispoher Nolan’s The Odyssey, underlines Peter’s loneliness by going back to where everything started. We see scenes of the first three Spider-Man movies, as Peter meets Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya), forges powerful relationships, and chooses to let them go to save the world. It’s a sequence that shows how tragic the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home is, while recapping that movie before the next installment. Of course, reusing archive footage was bound to disappoint some fans.
There’s also some new footage in the trailer. For starters, we see the moment where Peter surprises Bruce Banner as he transforms into the Green Goliath. When Peter asks for Banner, we hear the voice of Ruffalo say, “No Banner; only Hulk.” It’s clear Marvel Studios is bringing Hulk’s multiple personalities back, which is great. There’s also a telling scene in which the glass of an office implodes, which indicates some sort of energy blast that could be psychic in nature. Since we still don’t know who Sadie Sink is playing, that scene is certain to fuel the Jen Grey rumors.
Even before its release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day promises a universe reset. The marketing consistently frames Peter Parker as a street-level vigilante rather than the tech-equipped protégé fans met in Homecoming, stripping away Stark-built suits and gadgets for a more grounded hero. On top of that, the inclusion of Frank Castle marks the first time Marvel Studios has given a street-level hero a major role in the theatrical side of business. Then, there’s Bruce Banner returning as a fully unleashed Savage Hulk, replacing the even-tempered “Professor Hulk” persona that divided fans after Avengers: Endgame. All these shifts seem to underline that Marvel Studios has been listening closely to fans and will offer more of what they want following Avengers: Secret Wars.
The film’s connections to Marvel’s next mutant era are also relevant. Sadie Sink’s still-unconfirmed character has been rumored to be a young version of Jean Grey since her casting was first reported, and that speculation lines up with Marvel Studios’ active casting process for its upcoming X-Men reboot. Tramell Tillman’s William “Bill” Metzger adds another layer to that theory. In the comics, Metzger led an anti-mutant militia, and Marvel has reportedly reimagined him as the new head of the Department of Damage Control, an organization that has grown increasingly hostile toward enhanced individuals across Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man. Whatever Marvel Studios reveals next about Avengers: Secret Wars and the X-Men reboot, Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels like the first step into a new and exciting journey.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31st.
Are you most excited to see the Hulk, the Punisher, or Marvel’s mutant groundwork in Brand New Day? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
