The 1 Thing to Know Before Watching Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out this week, and doing great at the box office. Before fans see it, though, there’s one big thing to know about the latest MCU entry.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously helmed the MCU film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which was released in 2021. The movie will once again be led by Tom Holland as he reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Emmy winner Zendaya and Jacob Batalo are also expected to return for the sequel. They will be joined by cast members Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear), Jon Bernthal, and Tillman, among others.

Brand New Day is looking to be one of the most successful movies in all of the MCU, and rightfully so. The movie is, for my money, the best MCU offering of Peter Parker/Spider-Man we’ve ever gotten, but there are a few important things to mention before seeing it.

One important thing to know before watching Spider-Man: Brand New Day

We won’t be getting into any spoiler talks about the film, keeping it as vague as possible for those who haven’t seen it. Before checking out the latest Spider-Man, though, it’s important to note that this movie does really lean into the “grounded” aspect of Spider-Man’s character. You won’t be seeing any cosmic-level threats show up, the Avengers aren’t going to summon Spider-Man for a secret outer space mission, and he won’t be looking to save the entire multiverse from something.

And honestly? That makes the movie all the better. Spider-Man has always been at his best when he is just a friendly neighborhood hero, interacting with folks in New York City. Director Destin Daniel Cretton fully gets this, and gives us a story all about Peter navigating his life in the city as a lonely adult, the city’s appreciation of Spider-Man, and threats that feel low-stakes enough to warrant just taking place within the confines of the city.

On top of that, Brand New Day also feels like one of the best examples of a proper living, breathing comic book world in movie form. There are tons of cameos in Brand New Day, including appearances by Frank Castle/The Punisher, Dr. Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, and that’s before you get into the various villains and other heroes like Scorpion, The Hand, and more.

However, these introductions never feel overstuffed or shoehorned in. Instead, it feels like you’re witnessing a legitimate comic book come to life. When Peter needs help with something, he simply goes to visit Bruce Banner. He’ll randomly run into Frank Castle while out stopping a crime, or just come across The Hand in a building somewhere. It’s a great little touch that helps make the world of Spider-Man feel more in line with the comics and alive, and makes a point to never get too referential with it.