‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Set Photos Show Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo Walking Side by Side, and Fans Are Losing It
Few superhero partnerships feel as organically earned as one built on science, shared trauma, and the quiet terror of losing control of your own body. That is precisely the emotional undercurrent that ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ appears to be tapping into, and freshly surfaced set photos are giving fans the most grounded look yet at the film’s most intriguing dynamic.
The upcoming MCU entry is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker, with Mark Ruffalo returning as Bruce Banner, alongside Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal as the Punisher, Michael Mando reprising Scorpion, Sadie Sink, and Tramell Tillman. The film is set to swing into theaters on July 31, and it marks the first time Holland has appeared in the role since 2021’s massive blockbuster ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’
That previous entry grossed more than $1.9 billion at the global box office, setting an almost impossible bar for any follow-up to clear. Cretton and the creative team have responded by stripping things back, grounding Peter Parker in a more intimate, street-level story that trades multiversal spectacle for something considerably more personal. Producers wanted Holland’s Parker to be a “proper Spider-Man” for the first time, with the character operating on his own and tackling street-level crime in New York City.
The set photos shared by MCU Film News and captured by drone photographer Dronexae show Holland in a navy ESU hoodie walking in close conversation with Ruffalo, dressed in an understated all-black outfit. The Empire State University branding on Holland’s sweatshirt is not just a costume choice. Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner is now a professor at Empire State University in the film, and Peter, as his student, is shown seeking him out with a scientific question tied to the mutation storyline. In trailer footage, Banner explains to Peter that a DNA mutation is incredibly dangerous, hinting at a significant plot thread running through the film.
Early promotional material suggests Banner may no longer be fully in his Hulk form at the start of the story, though the film hints that his condition remains unstable and the Hulk could resurface under the right pressure. This marks Ruffalo’s first major live-action appearance in the role since ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ and will be the first time Spider-Man and the Hulk share the screen together in the MCU. For longtime Marvel fans, that alone qualifies as a landmark moment.
Both characters deal with dual identities and internal conflict, with Peter struggling with changes in his own body and mind while Banner has spent years trying to control the force within him. The walking shot captured by Dronexae distills that parallel beautifully, showing two men mid-conversation rather than mid-battle, which suggests the film is investing in their relationship before any inevitable confrontation.
Production began in Glasgow in early August 2025 under Cretton’s direction, with the city standing in for the streets of New York City. Filming briefly halted after Holland was treated for a mild concussion reportedly sustained during a stunt gone wrong, though the actor was not admitted to hospital and production resumed without affecting the release schedule.
With just weeks remaining before ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ arrives in theaters, the image of Peter Parker and Bruce Banner strolling side by side is exactly the kind of quiet, character-driven moment that has fans most excited. Are you more intrigued by the mentor dynamic between Peter and Banner, or is the prospect of a Spider-Man versus Hulk showdown what has you counting down to July 31?
