Tom Holland’s Old Punisher Shirts Have Fans Excited For a Spider-Man and Punisher Crossover in ‘Brand New Day’
Jon Bernthal is making his official move into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joining forces with Tom Holland for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Bernthal, known for playing Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) in Marvel’s Netflix series, is now shifting from TV to the big screen in a major crossover.
Fans of both characters are especially excited, and it turns out Tom Holland has been one of them for a while. Photos of him wearing Punisher shirts have been popping up online, with one Reddit user even putting together a collection of those moments. It’s fueling hype for what’s shaping up to be a darker, more grounded chapter in Spider-Man’s story.
Tom Holland wearing Punisher shirts over the years
byu/Souragar222 inmarvelstudios
Before either actor landed their Marvel roles, they worked together on the 2017 film Pilgrimage. According to Bernthal, that’s where it all began. He recently shared that he and Holland read lines for each other, Bernthal auditioned with Holland’s help for the Punisher, and he returned the favor by reading with Holland for Spider-Man.
“He’s the best, he is the best. He had such drive, you know that young kid, he was like ‘I am gonna get this,’” Bernthal said. “We actually were in a very tiny town in Ireland, making this movie in the west coast of Ireland. He read with me for Punisher and I read with him for Spider-Man and we both got cast.”
Filming for Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to start this summer in England, with a release planned for July 31, 2026. The movie is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. While official plot details haven’t been revealed, there are already rumors about possible villains like Green Goblin, Hobgoblin, Knull, and even the return of Vulture and Scorpion. Some reports even mention Hulk variants might show up.
Zendaya and Jacob Batalon will return as MJ and Ned, though it’s unclear how involved they’ll be this time. Sadie Sink, known from Stranger Things, is also set to join the cast.
The film will pick up after No Way Home, where Peter Parker made the world forget he was Spider-Man. With the Punisher stepping in, the tone of this movie may lean more serious and action-heavy.
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