Remember me
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day has finally arrived and it gives us something the franchise set up at the end of the previous film about the hero, Spider-Man: No Way Home. That 2021 movie ended with everyone forgetting who Peter Parker is, leaving the hero on something of an island. He also truly came into his own, with the death of Aunt May working in the same way that Uncle Ben’s death did in past films and in the comic books. He then moved to his own apartment, made a new suit, and swung into action.
That conclusion marked a fresh start for the MCU’s Spider-Man. The best thing about the closing shot of Spider-Man swinging through the city was just that: the hero doing his thing in New York. By all accounts, this looked like a chance to give us more of a street-level take on the character, which is true to the comics. It’s not that Spider-Man doesn’t partake in world or universe-saving stakes, it’s just that he’s known as a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” for a reason. Spider-Man: Brand New Day does a great job of delivering on that promise.
We Finally Have A Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man MCU Movie
Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing
One of the biggest criticisms that the MCU’s Spider-Man has faced is that his adventures feel a bit too big. While that’s certainly fun and all three movies starring Tom Holland have been well-received, a smaller Spider-Man story is refreshing, especially given how the comics play out. Some of the best scenes of those films are simply just when Spider-Man is saving civilians or helping out the people of New York. It’s nice to have a movie that focuses on that, especially in the way of 2025’s Superman, which also saw that hero taking the time to save people.
Spider-Man: Homecoming works as a street-level story but has a lot of Tony Stark involvement. Spider-Man: Far From Home is in Europe and Spider-Man: No Way Home has huge stakes and implications. Spider-Man: Brand New Day opts for a smaller story and that’s what the franchise needed. On top of being refreshing, it also helps New York itself feel like a character. We see a world where Spider-Man is loved by the people and known by everyone and where he has relationships with the likes of The Punisher and Yelena. It feels like a lived-in world without being overstuffed.
Brand New Day’s Smaller Scale Is Perfect For The Character & The Franchise
As noted, the saying, “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” isn’t just a nickname. That’s often how the character best operates. Sure, he’s great to have around when you’re fighting against Thanos, teaming with other heroes, or dealing with multiverse threats but Spider-Man is just as perfect when he’s simply someone who is just out there helping people. In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he feels like the character seen on the pages over the years. Just seeing him go up against the likes of Scorpion and Tombstone, even in small scenes, felt right.
Spider-Man calling Yelena to get information or bickering with Punisher is the kind of thing you’d see in a comic book. These kinds of cameos can feel forced in the MCU, yet it came off naturally here. Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s scale is also great for the overall franchise at this time. Avengers: Doomsday is going to be huge up next, while the last film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, was a space epic. Something more street-level in between is welcome. Despite all that, the film still makes the introduction of Jean Grey feel like a big deal.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Even Calls Out The Street-Level Stakes
An interesting thing about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is that the movie doesn’t shy away from the smaller scale. It embraces that aspect and even has it get called out by Yelena. When Peter brings her his concerns, she calls them “small potatoes,” while noting that the New Avengers deal with “big potatoes.”
If handled improperly, that could make the story of Spider-Man: Brand New Day feel unimportant. However, that never happens because you still care deeply for everything involving Peter, Jean, MJ, Frank, and everyone else. It’s a remarkable balancing act that makes Spider-Man: Brand New Day succeed.