Summary
- The Punisher and Hulk joining Spider-Man makes for a star-studded cast.
- Spider-Man might face off against Hulk, necessitating a change in character.
- Spider-Man's partnership with The Punisher hints at a darker, more aggressive side to his character.
Marvel Studios has done a great job with Spider-Man from the moment he was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Tom Holland bringing the character to life vibrantly and energetically. However, heading into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, audiences are ready to see the character move in a new direction, which is something Marvel reportedly wants to do.
Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel has created an ideal opportunity to move the webslinger forward in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. As the upcoming movie's title suggests, this could be the time for him to be refreshed, and a new casting rumor supports that possibility.
Marvel's Latest Spider-Man: Brand New Day Continues A Negative Trend Regarding The Character
Marvel's latest Spider-Man: Brand New Day decision is continuing a negative trend for the character.
Which Marvel Character Is Reportedly Joining The Spider-Man: Brand New Day Cast?
They Will Join The Hulk In Adding Further Star Power To This Movie
It has already been reported that Marvel plans to add Mark Ruffalo's Hulk to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but the additional characters are not expected to end there. According to The Hot Mic, Jon Bernthal will also join the cast as The Punisher. It's an exciting addition to an already impressive cast featuring Stranger Things star Sadie Sink in an unknown role, with Bernthal having yet to appear in an MCU movie. However, he recently reprised his role as Frank Castle to be part of Daredevil: Born Again. At the same time, the former Walking Dead actor is slated to get his own Disney Plus series soon while also being part of Daredevil: Born Again's second season. With all of that going on, it's clear that Marvel Studios has big plans for The Punisher moving forward, and adding him to Spider-Man: Brand New Day will only enhance his importance to the franchise. However, even though The Punisher being involved in the fourth Spider-Man movie is a big step forward for Bernthal's character, it will also benefit Spider-Man himself.
The Punisher Might Be Teaming With Spider-Man To Fight The Hulk
Marvel Is Setting Up The Hardest-Hitting Spider-Man Movie To Date
There is a belief that Hulk will be the villain in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and if that's the case, it will force Spider-Man to change dramatically. He's the underdog in most fights due to the nature of his character, but putting him against Hulk would be an almost impossible task. That is likely why Marvel Studios is considering pairing him up with The Punisher, who is one of Marvel's most violent, hard-hitting, and physical characters. He would be able to help Spider-Man take down Banner's aggressive alter-ego, and he would likely be able to teach Holland's character a few things along the way.
Given the characters that are rumored to be involved in this movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day appears to be one of the most violent and chaotic Spider-Man films to date. It would be a complete change of pace from what has come before in the standalone Spider-Man franchise, with the previous Spider-Man movies featuring a lot of comedy and charismatic young characters. Adding someone like The Punisher would bring a rougher edge to the film that would help blend Spider-Man into the street level of the Marvel world, which is something that a lot of people want to see from the character.
Marvel Giving Spider-Man More Edge Will Benefit Him As The Character Matures
The Punisher Will Help Bring Out Peter Parker's Anger And Aggression
Peter Parker is growing in age within the MCU, and his character and personality must mature alongside that. He can't just be the cheeky young teenager in the long term, and that's something that fans are pushing Marvel to change moving forward. Given how many serious storylines he has been involved in and the amount of loss that he's suffered, it would be an ideal time to give him a change. He's seen family members die; even his mentor, Tony Stark, couldn't make it. On top of that, Doctor Strange's spell means that many of his closest friends and loved ones will not remember him moving into this film, which is another issue that's going to weigh heavily on his shoulders. All of those situations should impact him and alter his personality, providing a new edge to his character. Moving him in a new direction would be an interesting decision at this point, and The Punisher is an ideal character to make that happen.
While Spider-Man can certainly hold his own in any fighting situation, he's someone who often uses his intelligence and technology to his benefit rather than dishing out brute strength. He's never going to have the same level of power as someone like Thor, but Spider-Man could end up pushing a slightly darker personality with a lot more aggression in his fighting style. The Punisher is someone who can facilitate teaching him how to do that, which is what makes Bernthal's casting in Spider-Man: Brand New Day so interesting. Their partnership could be the gate that opens up the MCU to a darker version of Spider-Man, which would be a fun twist moving forward. That doesn't have to last forever, but adding that to his arsenal in Spider-Man: Brand New Day would showcase a different side of his character that can be used moving forward.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 31, 2026
- Director
- Destin Daniel Cretton
- Writers
- Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Rachel O'Connor, Avi Arad, Louis D'Esposito
Cast
-
Spider-Man / Peter Parker -
ZendayaMichelle Jones -
Jacob BatalonNed Leeds -
Mark RuffaloBruce Banner / Hulk
