Spider-Man: Brand New Day shaping up to be quite the star-studded affair. Not only does it feature the returns of Spider-Man stars Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, and Zendaya, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink appears in a mystery role and Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans Mark Ruffalo and Jon Bernthal as they reprise their respective roles of Bruce Banner / the Hulk and Frank Castle / The Punisher.
It's a big deal and there is a lot excitement for the movie, especially as it will be released just ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, which promises to change the MCU forever. And speaking of that, one Avengers: Doomsday star is expected to make an appearance in Brand New Day, potentially setting the stage for a major crossover. However, a new update has cast some doubt on what kind of appearance that might be.
Yelena Belova cameo in Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not be Avengers: Doomsday-related
Yelena Belova has long been rumored to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The leader of the New Avengers, portrayed by Florence Pugh, has been a fixture of the Multiverse Saga since her introduction in Black Widow back in 2021, appearing in Hawkeye and leading 2025's critically-acclaimed ensemble film Thunderbolts*. Although she will be a major character in Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige seemingly confirmed that she will appear on our screens before that. Naturally, fans have been hopeful that this could lead to an Avengers: Doomsday tease - potentially connecting the two movies. And yet, a new report has seemingly cast doubt on that connection.
According to veteran industry insider Alex Perez (via their monthly Q&A session with fans via The Cosmic Circus), Yelena's appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day may simply be little more than a cameo appearance. Responding to a fan who wanted some clarity on the long-sanding rumor, Perez confirmed that they heard the Black Widow star will appear in it, but that it is "nothing major", saying: "I’ve heard she is in it. Likely a small cameo, nothing major to add to the story."
Needless to say, these comments may come as a surprse to fans who were hoping for a major reveal or tease from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The film seems like more of a standalone adventure specific to the street-level heroes of the MCU - which is great in theory because it's what fans have always wanted from an MCU Spider-Man movie, but considering that this is the only MCU movie coming out before Avengers: Doomsday, fans were hoping for another tease (as both previous MCU movies directly set up the upcoming ensemble film in their post-credits scenes).
However, Perez's comments do seemingly line-up with a number of other reports regarding Yelena's role in the movie - one of which claims that she and Peter Parker will somehow see each other naked at some point in the film (or at least one of them will see the other naked). The running theory is that this will come during Peter's "rebirth" scene in which emerges from his web cocoon wearing his boxer shorts. Yelena is a master of funny one-liners (we all still say "Kate Bishop" in her accent to this day) so you can rest assured that, regardless of whether it's a major scene disguised as a humorous one or just a laugh-out-loud moment, it will be a memorable one.
The good news is that even if Yelena's scene doesn't have any connection to Avengers: Doomsday, the film is expected to directly set up the major December release. A recent report claims that the film will break from MCU Spider-Man movie tradition and have just one post-credits scene - which will be space focused as it sets the stage for Avengers: Doomsday, leaving the massive audiences who see Spider-Man: Brand New Day with the thought of the impending reunion of Earth's Mightiest Heroes on their mind.
The relationship between Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday has been a hot topic of discussion among fans. The former was supposed to come out in between the next Avengers movie and its 2027 sequel Avengers: Secret Wars before some reshuffling saw Disney move Avengers: Doomsday from May to December. Regardless of which one is released first, it's widely accepted that the events of both movies take place at the same time, which might explain why Tom Holland's webslinger isn't listed as part of Avengers' main cast. Whether he actually appears in the movie or not remains to be seen.
Florence Pugh's Yelena has become a fixture of the MCU and she is expected to remain that way for many more years to come, so it's highly unlikely that Marvel, Sony, or anyone involved would waste the opportunity for her to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. With that in mind, we're fully expecting them to make it count - regardless of whether its a funny cameo or an Avengers: Doomsday set-up.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in movie theaters on July 31, 2026.
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