Is The Hand From ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ The Same Group That Terrorized ‘Daredevil’

Marvel fans walking out of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ noticed something familiar in Peter Parker’s latest fight. The villains he squares off against are not new inventions built for this film. They are The Hand, the ninja clan that spent an entire season menacing Matt Murdock on Netflix’s ‘Daredevil.’

The overlap has reignited interest in how tightly Marvel is now weaving its street-level stories together. Fans have been dissecting the surprising connections between ‘Daredevil’ and the recent film, with the Hand’s return standing out as one of the clearest links between the two properties.

The Hand’s Long History With Daredevil

The Hand did not appear out of nowhere in this franchise. In the Marvel Universe, The Hand has always been connected with Daredevil above any other hero, even though Elektra has fought them as well. That history stretches back through Matt Murdock’s entire screen career, long before Peter Parker ever crossed paths with the group.

The ninja organization was a major part of Matt Murdock’s series and became one of his biggest threats over multiple seasons. Their presence defined much of the tone of ‘Daredevil’ on Netflix, giving the show a supernatural edge that set it apart from other Marvel projects at the time.

The version of The Hand seen in ‘Spider-Man Brand New Day’ was not backed by the demon that typically fuels their power in the comics. That detail matters for fans asking whether this is the exact same group from Matt Murdock’s world or a variation built for this new story.

Even without that demonic backing, the fight still carried weight. Unlike lower profile villains such as Boomerang, Tombstone, and Tarantula, The Hand played a major role in the movie, clashing with Spider-Man once he realized the character Metzger was lying and was the real threat behind the plot.

How The Hand Appears In Spider-Man Brand New Day

Peter Parker’s encounter with The Hand plays out very differently than Matt Murdock’s did. Spider-Man ultimately did something Daredevil struggled with at times, defeating The Hand outright, aided by his own DNA having mutated and given him a boost in power during the story. It is a notable flex for a character who is not typically associated with fighting ninja assassins.

The Hand is not the only piece of Matt Murdock’s world that shows up in the film. The movie also brings Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle back into the picture, giving Peter two major connections to Matt Murdock’s corner of the MCU. Sheila Rivera, played by Zabryna Guevara, also appears in a small role, last seen in ‘Daredevil Born Again’ Season 2.

The political backdrop of the film quietly nods to Matt’s world as well. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ never mentions events from ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2, including the brief ban on vigilantism that led to New York getting a new mayor, who Spidey is seen accepting a key to the city from.

Marvel apparently considered going even further with the crossover. Actress Rosario Dawson revealed during a Daredevil panel at GalaxyCon 2026 that she filmed a scene for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ as Claire Temple, but the scene was ultimately cut from the final film.

Why Daredevil Himself Is Missing From The Film

Despite pulling so heavily from Matt Murdock’s rogues gallery, the film stops short of including the man himself. Matt Murdock does not appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ in any form. That absence stands out given how many other pieces of his world made the cut.

Charlie Cox had been asked about this for months leading up to release. Cox had repeatedly denied being part of the film, and unlike previous cases of Marvel actors misdirecting the press, his denials turned out to be accurate. Fans who assumed he was simply hiding a cameo, as Andrew Garfield once did before ‘No Way Home,’ were left without the twist they expected.

Spider-Man is instead seen working with Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, a longtime frenemy of Daredevil, which makes narrative sense given that both characters are currently operating as street-level heroes. That pairing lets the film borrow the tone of Matt Murdock’s corner of the MCU without needing Murdock present to justify it.

Spider-Man deals with The Hand entirely on his own in this outing, without any assistance from Matt’s side of New York. For a film so entangled with ‘Daredevil’ lore, that choice to keep Peter isolated from Matt directly is a deliberate one, and it leaves the door open for future stories to finally bring the two heroes together in costume.

What This Means For Daredevil Born Again Season 3

Matt Murdock’s story is far from finished, even if he sat this movie out. ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ has already been renewed for a third season, ensuring Cox will continue playing the character. That renewal has fans looking ahead to see whether The Hand’s reappearance in Spider-Man’s world is setting up a bigger fight back in Hell’s Kitchen.

Casting reports suggest the ninja clan may be heading back to where they started. An industry insider has claimed that casting is underway for Asian warriors for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3, which many have connected to a possible return of The Hand. If accurate, it would mean the group’s detour into Spider-Man’s story is only a stop along the way back to Matt Murdock’s world.

The timing lines up with other reunions already confirmed for the show. Set pictures and videos have revealed that Iron Fist, Elektra Natchios, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones are all set to join Daredevil in the upcoming season, alongside Claire Temple’s long awaited comeback. Bringing The Hand back into that mix would reestablish them as a major threat to the wider MCU, while also opening the door for Elektra’s return.

Whether Peter Parker’s solo victory over The Hand will factor into any of that remains unclear, and Marvel has given no indication the two stories will directly connect. For now, the ninja clan’s detour into Spider-Man’s world stands as its own chapter, one that fans of Matt Murdock’s saga will likely be watching closely as ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 takes shape, and it leaves plenty of room for readers to weigh in on whether The Hand’s next stop should be back in Hell’s Kitchen or somewhere else in Peter Parker’s corner of New York.