The Marvel Cinematic Universe might have only two movies scheduled to be released in 2026, but they are among the most anticipated live-action superhero projects ever. After a seven-year hiatus, Earth's Mightiest Heroes will finally assemble on the big screen to try and prevent Doom from reigning supreme over the multiverse. But before that, audiences have a date with the wall-crawler, Punisher, and Hulk, courtesy of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
All eyes are currently set on the friendly neighborhood hero's upcoming adventure, especially as director Destin Daniel Cretton is filming on location, and we have been able to get a glimpse of some jaw-dropping scenes. But even if we know what some action sequences will look like and which MCU heroes are set to make an appearance, we're still in the dark about the villains.
Granted, the Scorpion has been confirmed to be a part of the movie, but that's as far as the official information goes. Aside from that, speculation has run rampant among fans regarding who else could steal the spotlight, and rumors suggest no shortage of antagonists could wreak havoc in New York City. Fortunately, our days of living in the dark are coming to an end, as an iconic DC villain just joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day as... yet another iconic bad guy.
Black Lightning's Marvin Jones III will play the role of Tombstone in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
The MCU criminal underworld has a new leader, and that is Lonnie Lincoln. As reported by Deadline, Marvin Jones III—who played the role of crime boss Tobias Whale in the Black Lightning series—is set to portray Tombstone in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time he has given life to the iconic Marvel villain, as he also voiced Lonnie in Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
The idea that both Scorpion and Tombstone will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day doesn't seem like a mere coincidence. After all, they were both featured in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and the ongoing gang war in New York City heavily shaped their respective arcs. We know that Marvel likes to test out storylines in other media and watch how fans respond before adapting them on the big screen. After all, a similar scenario happened when Ms. Marvel was killed in comic book pages, only to be resurrected as a Mutant. A little while afterward, the MCU established that she also had a "genetic mutation".
Perhaps our best chance at discovering what Scorpion and Tombstone will act and look like in Spider-Man: Brand New Day lies within Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. That means Mac Gargan would be played more like a crime boss, which could put him at odds with Tombstone. That could spark a gang war in New York, which would also explain why The Punisher would be involved in the story, as such a theme is right up his alley.
Renowned and reliable insider Daniel Richtman previously reported that Tombstone, Tarantula, Boomerang, Scorpion, and Ramrod would appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Two out of those five villains are confirmed to appear, so that means there's a high chance that they all end up in the final cut. But if you're worried that the film risks getting a bit too crowded, then we have good news for you.
Scooper Alex Perez revealed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will kick things off with an opening montage of Spidey fighting multiple villains since the end of No Way Home, and upgrading his suit with every passing battle. Perhaps heavy hitters such as Scorpion and Tombstone will get major roles in the movie, while the likes of Boomerang are used exclusively in the opening sequence.
Only time will tell who's the main villain of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but for the time being, it seems the wall-crawler will have a tough time with New York's criminal underworld courtesy of Tombstone.