Movie Review: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: July 31st, 2026 / 08:34 PM

Rating: PG-13
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo, Liza Colón-Zayas, Michael Mando, Tramell Tillman
Writers: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, based on characters created by Stan Lee & Joe Ditko
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Distributor: Sony/Columbia
Release Date: July 31, 2026

We love you, Spidey, but you never make it easy on yourself – and sometimes you don’t make it easy on us, either.

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY is the fourth SPIDER-MAN movie to star Tom Holland (who has also played the character in other Marvel Cinematic Universe, aka MCU, movies) once Spider-Man/Peter Parker had been enfolded into the MCU superheroes franchise that is mainly distributed by Disney. However, live-action SPIDER-MAN movies began at Sony/Columbia with 2002’s SPIDER-MAN, starring Tobey Maguire and directed by Sam Raimi, and are still put out by that studio.

Maguire and Raimi teamed up for two more SPIDER-MAN movies. Then the franchise was rebooted with Andrew Garfield in the lead in 2012’s THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and its follow-up, 2014’s THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.

Then Spider-Man/Peter Parker was folded into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, aka the MCU, when Marvel became part of Disney. Holland’s iteration of the character was introduced in 2016’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, before starring in 2017’s SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.

Because the MCU has the multiverse – that is, the idea of multiple universes that coexist simultaneously – as a fundamental precept, both Maguire’s and Garfield’s Peter Parkers/Spider-Men accidentally wound up in BRAND NEW DAY’s immediate predecessor, 2021’s SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, landing in the home dimension of Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man. This resulted in (among other things) some intentionally and effectively hilarious conversations about Spidey-specific burdens.

And no, none of that is what makes SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY confusing. But we have to be mindful that, while Maguire’s and Garfield’s characters got their powers from being bitten by genetically modified spiders, Holland’s Peter originally made his own Spider suit and webbing, which both got a tremendous upgrade from the late (and not seen in this film) billionaire Tony Stark/Iron Man.

This turns out to matter a whole lot in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY, with Peter uncharacteristically not feeling well. In order to save the world in NO WAY HOME, Peter had to have the sorcerer Dr. Strange wipe the memory of everyone on Earth of his existence. Everybody is still aware of Spider-Man, of course, just not the man under the mask.

This means that Peter’s true love MJ (Zendaya) and his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) have entirely forgotten him. Still, Ned is pretty obsessed with New York’s favorite web-slinging crime fighter, and both he and MJ recall multiple instances of being rescued by Spider-Man.

NYPD Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas) appreciates Spider-Man’s help thwarting bank robberies and other violent crimes, although she wishes the workaholic supe would take some time off before he makes himself sick.

Then there’s a strange attack on a government facility, where an unknown person is able to take over the bodies of others, one at a time, in rapid succession. When this doesn’t work on Spider-Man, it leads to danger, and Spider-Man has to ask a couple of old associates for assistance both physical and theoretical.

The banter in the screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, based on characters created by Stan Lee & Joe Ditko, works MJ and Ned into the proceedings in a reasonable enough way, and the banter between everyone is enjoyable.

Then we get to a third-act twist and, while BRAND NEW DAY doesn’t turn into a brand-new movie, it definitely switches gears. It resolves the issues of this particular film fair and square, but it also feels like it’s as concerned with setting up future MCU stories as with the one it’s telling now.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton devises an eerie, visually striking method of showing the mysterious individual jumping from one person to the next. He also adroitly handles all the crashes, explosions, Spider-stunts and gunplay (there’s more of this here than usual in an MCU movie).

But it feels that SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY may have lost some moments on the cutting-room floor that would have added to its length but maybe also made for a smoother ride. Again, those not immersed in the lore may struggle to figure out if we’re supposed to know things like what exactly happened during an oft-mentioned incident on Staten Island and when/why one familiar character decided to alter their appearance since the last time we saw them.

Holland adds just the right amount of world-weariness to Peter’s essentially boyish goodness. Zendaya is grounded and thoughtful as MJ, and Batalon adds a little maturity without tamping down Ned’s enthusiasm. The supporting team, which includes Colón-Zayas Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo and more, is excellent.

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY loves its characters and has strong set pieces, both qualities that make it entertaining. It just may have a little too much going on to fully service everything it tackles.

Follow us on Twitter at ASSIGNMENT X
Like us on Facebook at ASSIGNMENT X

Latest Buzz

Movie Review: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

Relatively entertaining, but also confusing for non-diehards

Article Source: Assignment X
Article: Movie Review: SPIDER MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

Related

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment

Assignment X Poll

Newsletter subscription status

Latest Buzz

Movie Review: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

Relatively entertaining, but also confusing for non-diehards

Article Source: Assignment X Article: Movie Review: SPIDER MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

Related

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment

Assignment X Poll

Article Source: Assignment X
Article: Movie Review: SPIDER MAN: BRAND NEW DAY