After the immense success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, all expectations are in Brand New Day to do the impossible and set a new height for the character on the big screen. But how do you raise the bar after reuniting three different live-action iterations of the wall-crawler? That's the question Sony and Marvel have been asking themselves for quite some time, and it seems they have considered almost every possible scenario.
At first, rumors indicated that Peter Parker's next adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would feature the appearance of Charlie Cox's Daredevil in an epic street-level adventure where the Kingpin would act as the main antagonist. However, that storyline was short-lived as insiders later claimed that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Spider-Men would appear yet again in the movie. Later, the concept shifted to a multiversal team-up between Tom Holland's web-slinger and Tom Hardy's Venom. For a moment, it seemed the two characters would need to join forces to fight against Knull and his forces for the survival of Earth, but then that concept was officially axed.
But after months of speculation and wild rumors, we finally have a conclusive answer about what's to come. It seems the movie went back to square one, with a street-level storyline in play. However, the character that's set to team up with Spider-Man is one that very few could've seen coming.
Jon Bernthal's Punisher will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
He's stolen the spotlight multiple times on the small screen in the past, and he's about to do the same on the big screen. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Jon Bernthal is set to join the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and he'll be reprising his role as the Punisher. The news came just ahead of the movie's production, which is set to film in England this July.
This team-up opens up a door to many exciting possibilities. The last time audiences saw The Punisher in the MCU was during Daredevil: Born Again, where he was being held captive by the Kingpin of Crime. It's important to note that Frank Castle will get a Disney Plus Special Presentation next year, which will explain how he manages to escape incarceration. So, chances are that the streaming event will tie directly into the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, where the Kingpin could be a major player as well.
Interestingly enough, reliable insider Alex Perez claimed that "a number of established MCU characters" will appear in the wall-crawler's next stand-alone movie. With that in mind—and coupled with the Punisher's confirmed appearance—we can't help but wonder if perhaps Marvel is making a big screen adaptation of the Devil's Reign comic book storyline in which many heroes came together to rise against the Kingpin and his abuse of power as the Mayor of New York.
It's been officially confirmed that Daredevil: Born Again hides a sneaky Spider-Man easter egg in the same scene when Matt Murdock says that he'll need an army to battle against Fisk's new order. Many wondered if this was a hint of a potential team-up to come, and now it seems all but confirmed. It's worth pointing out that the Devil of Hell's Kitchen will join forces with Jessica Jones in the next season of his TV series, which is scheduled for a 2026 release date, much like the Punisher Special Presentation and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Given the report that many iconic MCU characters will appear in the wall-crawler's next movie, perhaps there's a chance that the Punisher, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand will all make an appearance. If that were to be the case, then there's a chance that Marvel managed to crack the code behind how to make a bigger and better movie than No Way Home, even when it seemed like an impossible task. On the bright side, it won't be long before we get more official information about what the future holds in store.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be released on July 31, 2026.