MOVIE OF THE WEEK (7/31/26) SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

"Look, I like Wu-Tang Clan, too, but can't we just listen to Enter the 36 Chambers instead of fighting?!" Peter Parker (Tom Holland) springs into action to fight the mysterious clan known as The Hand in a scene from SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY. Credit: © 2026 CTMG. All Rights Reserved.

CAST: Tom Holland | Zendaya | Jacob Batalon | Michael Mando | Marc Ruffalo | Jon Berenthal | Sadie Sink | Tramell Tillman | Liza Colón-Zayas | Florence Pugh

WRITER: Cris McKenna and Erik Sommers

DIRECTOR: Destin Daniel Cretton

TRAILER:

 

THE STORY: The world has forgotten Peter Parker (Tom Holland). Not his alter ego, Spider-Man, but Parker himself thanks to a spell enacted by Doctor Strange at his request once it is revealed to the world by Mysterio at the end of the Spider-Man: Homecoming. But as he protects the world around him, Parker finds himself undergoing a change – and one he may not be able to control. But he's going to need to get it together soon ... Even if it means seeking the help of Dr. Bruce Banner (Marc Ruffalo), facing threats in the form of Scorpion (Michael Mando) and The Hand among others ... All while dealing with the lonely reality of possibly losing MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) forever. 

THE REVIEW: If you're reading this, there's a good chance you've likely either (1) discovered a major spoiler about this film and its most likely significant impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward or (2) haven't and are now thinking to yourself "major spoiler?" "significant impact on the MCU?!" and wondering what it is. (If it's the latter, it won't be spoiled here.)

What will be said, however, is that for a character with nine cinematic solo outings – among the most ever for one comic book staple – BRAND NEW DAY brings a new evolution to the Spider-Man character while further cementing Holland's claim as one of the best actors in the MCU. 

Director Destin Daniel Cretton, fresh off his turn behind the camera for three episodes of the not appreciated enough Wonder Man for Disney+, brings his A game to BRAND NEW DAY, making the film feel far less arduous than its 2 hour 25 minute run time. That is achieved by Cretton and company's collective abilities to build upon the franchise's previous entries without relying on them to carry the latest installment through. 

What does that mean? It means Holland continues to add depth to his take on Parker, this time showing the impact of not only him dealing with his own burdens, but being able to serve as a beacon for the film's other characters to do so as well. It means Berenthal being as salty as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, would be in the comic books and his previous Netflix outings within the confines of a PG-13 film. It means Sink doesn't try to do too much or too little in her pivotal role, using the limited but effective time dedicated to her character's back story to make the film's climax feel as high as the stakes being depicted on screen. It all adds up to a film where the action balances the comedy, the heartfelt moments are balanced by ones that advance its characters' varied emotional states forward and delivers as a whole. Out of all the films in the franchise, New York City hasn't been as big of a character as it is in BRAND NEW DAY since Spider-Man 2 (that stopping the subway train scene remains iconic), but this film brings the Big Apple to life in full, dynamic color.

While No Way Home is likely to remain the favorite among longstanding fans of the webslinger due to its perfect mix of humor, nostalgia and emotion, BRAND NEW DAY proves there's a lot more story left to be told, especially in the wake of doomsday (pun intended). As opposed to being a film focused on how Peter Parker feels, it reveals how the world – as well as those closest to him – relies on his alter-ego to make them get through tough times, not give up and make the world a better place.

It's rather amazing, all things considered.

RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):