After Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Confirmation, Two More Spider-Man Characters Officially Join ‘Brand New Day’
Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are officially confirmed to join Tom Holland in the next Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This will be the fourth film focused on Holland’s Peter Parker, following Homecoming (2017), Far From Home (2019), and No Way Home (2021). The film is set to hit theaters on July 31, 2026.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton, known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is at the helm for this new installment. Alongside the main cast, Sadie Sink, famous for Stranger Things, will also appear.
Plot details are still mostly a mystery. Holland spoke briefly about the film at CinemaCon, saying, “I know we left you with a massive cliffhanger at the end of ‘No Way Home,’ so ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is a fresh start. It is exactly that. That’s all I can say.”
Zendaya’s return as MJ was rumored months ago, but there was speculation that her role might be small due to how No Way Home ended. For Jacob Batalon, who plays Ned, this confirmation is welcome news after months of uncertainty. Some rumors even suggested Batalon’s character might turn into the villain Hobgoblin, but nothing official has been confirmed.
The previous Spider-Man movies starring Holland have been huge hits at the box office. Homecoming made $880 million worldwide, Far From Home earned $1.13 billion, and No Way Home reached $1.9 billion.
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, shared back in December that Marvel and Sony were actively working on the story for the next Spider-Man movie. He also promised that the partnership between Sony and Disney would stay strong this time, avoiding the troubles they had during No Way Home’s development.
After director Jon Watts stepped away from directing another Marvel film in 2022, there were reports that Sony still hoped Watts, Holland, and Zendaya would return for the next Spider-Man. Feige mentioned in early 2023 that the film’s story had “big ideas” and that writers had started working on it. However, the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike paused progress on the script, delaying production plans.
Holland has been involved in early meetings about the movie and said he wants to return only if the film does justice to his character. By late 2024, Destin Daniel Cretton was officially confirmed as the director, and filming is expected to start by mid-2025.
The movie’s release date is set for July 31, 2026. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how this next chapter of Spider-Man’s story unfolds.
What do you think about Zendaya and Jacob Batalon coming back? Are you excited for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Share your thoughts in the comments below!