Spider-Man: Brand New Day Already Has a Major Chemistry Issue

Spider-Man is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Universe, and it’s easy to understand why. Coming from humble beginnings, Peter Parker is relatable, unlike most Marvel heroes. Another thing the character has going for him is that he’s friendly, always wanting to see the best in everyone, even if there are red flags. Other heroes gravitate toward Spider-Man, which is why it feels like he has more team-ups in the source material than anyone else. The Marvel Cinematic Universe follows in the comics’ footsteps by always pairing the Wall-Crawler with another notable character when he has a solo adventure, making his movies feel like they have higher stakes.

The MCU’s next Spider-Man movie, Brand New Day, is going to have a very different status quo than its predecessors, but it’s not going to swing things up too much. The Hulk and the Punisher are going to share the screen with Peter Parker this time around. Unfortunately, Brand New Day‘s stacked roster may present its fair share of problems, as it will be difficult to get everyone on the same page.

Spider-Man Usually Hangs Out With His Friends in the MCU

Spider-Man, of course, makes his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, joining Team Iron Man as it confronts the titular hero and his allies at an airport in Germany. The battle is more intense than Tony anticipates, but his new recruit holds his own, helping take down Giant-Man and briefly detaining Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson. Returning to New York with a newfound confidence and a sleek costume, Peter takes his crime-fighting career to the next level in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The first big villain that pops up on Spider-Man’s radar is Vulture, who is selling alien technology to the highest bidder after losing his job because of Tony Stark. Iron Man lends a hand when Peter gets in over his head and even offers the young hero a spot on the Avengers, which he turns down because he doesn’t think he’s ready for the spotlight.

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The big leagues come calling anyway when Thanos’ Black Order shows up and wreaks havoc on Earth. Spider-Man travels to space with Iron Man and meets Doctor Strange, whom he turns to when things get tough a few years later. After defeating Mysterio, who has a strong connection to Tony, Peter’s identity is public knowledge, which complicates his life greatly. Doctor Strange offers to set things back to the way they were in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Peter is all about it until he starts making changes to the spell. Doctor Strange and Spider-Man come to blows when the Master of the Mystic Arts attempts to send a bunch of villains to their deaths, but they make up at the end of the movie when the young hero gives up his entire life to save the world. Unfortunately, it’s going to be hard for Brand New Day to cook up anything on that level because there’s not much history between Spider-Man and his co-stars.

Hulk and Punisher Won’t Mean Much to Spider-Man in Brand New Day

Having Hulk be the next MCU character Spider-Man runs around with makes sense on paper because they’ve both been around for major events. They even fight on the same battlefield during the Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame and stand close to one another at Tony’s funeral. However, the two characters never interact, which means it will be hard for Spider-Man to share a meaningful moment with Banner or his green alter ego. There’s even a theory circulating that claims the Hulk may be the only being on Earth who remembers Peter, as a similar scenario occurs in the comics. However, they didn’t know each other at all, which rules out that idea.

With Hulk on the loose, it sounds like Peter will turn to Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, for help. The only issue is that they will have to exchange pleasantries before getting their hands dirty. Brand New Day could just pretend that everyone is aware of each other and move on, but that would hurt the story, especially at a time when Marvel Studios doesn’t want audience members worrying about watching half a dozen projects to prepare for a new one. It remains to be seen how Brand New Day will address these issues, but ignoring them isn’t an option.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.

Are you worried about Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s chemistry? How do you think Hulk and Punisher will fit into the movie’s story? Let us know in the comments below!