All 4 MCU Projects Set Up By Spider-Man: Brand New Day, And One Isn’t Confirmed

The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is something that fans of the franchise are always thinking about. Most new films or shows released include teases or setups for projects that are coming down the line, so people constantly try to figure out what’s coming next. For example, the introduction of Spider-Man and Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War set the stage for several later films, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps gave us our first look at Doctor Doom. The most recent movie in the MCU, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is a huge blockbuster hit that surpassed $2 billion at the worldwide box office. It’s a great movie on its own, yet it also managed to plant the seeds for several films or shows in the franchise’s future. Sometimes it happens in a way that feels forced, yet Spider-Man: Brand New Day did it almost seamlessly.

The movie had bits that explain where certain characters are during upcoming team-up films, laid the foundation for exciting new movies, and even teased things that had yet to be officially announced (at the time). It makes the MCU’s future all the more intriguing.

4) The Next Punisher Project

When Netflix’s era of Marvel shows came to an end, many believed we’d never see those characters again. That changed when Daredevil and Kingpin started popping up in several shows, and now Jon Bernthal has benefited from this, appearing in Daredevil: Born Again and now Spider-Man: Brand New Day as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher. His chemistry with Tom Holland was a highlight of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and we want more of that.

The character is a fan favorite, which means we’re likely to get more of him. The Punisher: One Last Kill was mostly overlooked as a TV special, yet it was an action-packed story for Castle. Now that he’s in such a huge movie, there’s a good chance he gets another special, a revival of his Netflix series, or even another big-screen appearance. Castle helps New York feel like a lived-in world, so another spot as a supporting character feels like the most likely scenario.

3) The Next Two Avengers Movies

It might come as a surprise to learn that Spider-Man: Brand New Day helped set up Avengers: Doomsday because none of the characters from the film are slated to appear in the upcoming blockbuster. However, the film features Bruce Banner, who turns into the Savage Hulk and gets into a fight with Spider-Man. The movie reveals that Bruce is sent to a psych ward (possibly run by the Department of Damage Control), following the events of the film, which likely explains why he’s not going to be in Avengers: Doomsday.

The film also establishes how Yelena is the leader of the new Avengers, who are going to play a huge part in Avengers: Doomsday. As for Avengers: Secret Wars, that could’ve been partially set up by Brand New Day’s post-credits scene. It shows a Spider-Man sighting out in space, which could be the arrival of a Spidey from another universe, or it could be the MCU’s Peter Parker getting pulled into the fight on Battleworld, the planet where the battle to restore the universe happens in the Secret Wars comic books.

2) The X-Men Movie

The most obvious part of the MCU’s future that Spider-Man: Brand New Day sets up is the X-Men movie. The team has long been rumored to join the franchise after Disney bought 20th Century Fox, with the likes of the Fantastic Four and Deadpool coming into the mix. Spider-Man: Brand New Day introduces Jean Grey, played by Sadie Sink, and gives us the first official member of the new team. Since then, more of the main X-Men cast was announced at the D23 Expo.

This film gives us Jean Grey’s origins, which are far different from what we’ve seen in past movies. She is the villain of the story, yet her sympathetic backstory makes the audience understand her, and she ultimately helps save Peter’s life. That’s going to make her the X-Men character who we care most about at the start. Spider-Man: Brand New Day also saw Peter create a universal inhibitor that he uses on Jean, which is likely to be what the DODC uses to neutralize mutants in the future.

1) Another Spider-Man Sequel

There have always been rumors about how many Spider-Man movies Tom Holland will do. He’s discussed retiring from the role, yet he’s now made four solo films and appeared in other MCU movies over the course of a decade, making him the longest-tenured Spider-Man in cinematic history. The box office success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day means there’s no way the MCU doesn’t do a fifth solo project with him. Its earnings alone guarantee a sequel.

The story also does a lot to tease a fifth Spider-Man movie in the MCU. Ned remembers Peter and their handshake at the end of the story, while MJ knows the truth about her relationship with Peter. Those are threads that have to be picked up in a future film. There are also still plenty of villains who could be used for Spider-Man 5, from Mister Negative to Black Cat. And what about that symbiote left behind by Eddie Brock in Spider-Man: No Way Home? Or the arrival of Peter’s successor? A lot of elements are in play for the next Spider-Man movie.

I’m Afraid These 4 Spider-Man Characters Will Never Appear in the MCU, Especially After Brand New Day