Spider-Man Brand New Day (2026)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is finally here after a five year gap following the home run that was No Way Home. Does it live up to the hype or fall flat?
Both… kind of.
As an X-Men fan, it pains me to say the inclusion of Jean Grey is where the movie stumbles. That entire plot line feels more like an excuse to introduce an X-Men character and set up future stories than something that meaningfully serves this one. Sadie Sink gives a strong performance, but her character ultimately doesn’t lead to anything fascinating. I don’t mind Marvel introducing characters in other franchises (Black Panther and Spider-Man in Civil War) are perfect examples… when it benefits the narrative. Here, though, the time spent on Jean’s story could’ve gone to Bruce, Frank, MJ, or even Peter himself. It feels more focused on building a universe than helping Peter grow or strengthening the film.
That also leads to an underwhelming finale. Peter never gets that defining heroic moment where he overcomes the odds through action. Instead, he talks Jean out of killing the Damage Control director before taking a bullet for her, nearly dying in the process. That’s really my only major criticism, because the film still has a lot to offer.
To no one’s surprise, the best part of the movie is Spider-Man himself. I think they perfectly capture the idea that “everyone wants to be Spider-Man, but no one wants to be Peter Parker.” One of Spider-Man’s greatest qualities is that he still shows up for New York despite being alone, struggling financially, and feeling completely helpless. Bruce and Frank both serve a real purpose and raise the stakes throughout the story. Peter and MJ’s scenes carry genuine emotional weight, and Tom Holland and Zendaya’s chemistry remains incredible. I also loved the direction they took with their relationship. Peter’s DNA evolution is arguably some of the strongest writing across Tom Holland’s entire Spider-Man trilogy. I’ve always wanted to see Peter’s true strength fully showcased in these recent adaptations, and this film finally delivers.
Overall, it’s a good film. Seeing the influence of the PlayStation Spider-Man games in both the combat and web swinging was incredibly satisfying. Even though the Jean Grey plot line didn’t work for me, I’m still excited to see where Marvel takes her next. It doesn’t reach the heights of Spider-Man 2 or Across the Spider-Verse, but it’s still a strong entry from Destin Daniel Cretton.
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