Since his introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has relied heavily on associations with more established figures of the franchise. First, the teenage vigilante found himself mentored by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Spider-Man: Homecoming, linking his origin directly to the billionaire’s technology after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Then, the narrative paired him with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Spider-Man: Far From Home, forcing him into global espionage as he found his footing as an Avenger. More recently, the crossover event of Spider-Man: No Way Home used multiversal variants to drive the plot forward, with the Sacred Timeline’s Peter evolving by piggybacking on other familiar faces. This focus on larger universe-building stories meant the recent Spider-Man trilogy failed to adapt the vast cast of supporting characters the Web Crawler has in the comics — for instance, the whole team of the Daily Bugle.
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The MCU’s Peter does have a few supporting characters, such as Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson (Zendaya), and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). However, the previous theatrical releases failed to give that trio the necessary screen time to develop as independent people. On the contrary, the franchise used Ned and MJ strictly in function of Peter’s immediate needs, deploying them as comedic relief or convenient hostages to advance the overarching plot. So far, they have operated without personal agency outside the protagonist’s heroic responsibilities. Even May’s demise was less about her and more about putting a twist into a classic comic line, making it a tragedy for all the wrong reasons. Fortunately, Marvel Studios possesses a unique opportunity to fix this significant mistake under the direction of Destin Daniel Cretton, who takes the helm of the franchise for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Can Give Side Characters More to Do
In the original comic book continuity, Peter Parker’s civilian life is just as important as his masked endeavors when it comes to his most famous arcs. For decades, writers established an expansive ecosystem of interlocking interpersonal relationships, forcing Peter to balance his vigilante duties with his responsibilities to his peers. Furthermore, characters like Harry Osborn, Flash Thompson, and Gwen Stacy possessed their own distinct motivations, rivalries, and tragic flaws that frequently collided with Peter’s desires. Finally, the constant friction between Peter’s need to maintain a steady income at the Daily Bugle and his rigorous academic pursuits at Empire State University helped shape the man Peter Parker eventually became. The MCU iteration lacks all aspects of this layered web of civilian struggles.
The conclusion of Spider-Man: No Way Home provides a narrative tool that can fix that MCU problem. By having Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) cast a mind-erasing spell that wiped Peter’s existence from global memory, the MCU severed the codependency between the Web Crawler and his closest allies. Plus, since Spider-Man: Brand New Dayis set four years after the latest movie, Ned and MJ had the time to pursue higher education, define their career ambitions, and establish fresh social circles. In other words, Ned and MJ have a life beyond Peter, which can help them become three-dimensional characters instead of occasional sounding boards.
When Spider-Man: Brand New Day inevitably reunites this core trio, the production could easily fall back into its worst habits. Trailers confirm that the film’s body-hopping antagonist actively targets MJ, forcing Peter into a familiar rescue mission. Furthermore, the footage reveals Ned has a conspiracy board dedicated to his obsession with Spider-Man. Since the movie is already filled with major characters such as the Punisher (John Bertham) and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the narrative risks reducing Ned and MJ right back to their shallow selves. However, this fresh dynamic also offers a definitive opportunity to break the cycle. Because MJ and Ned no longer share a history with Peter, their collision with the superhero world can finally grant them the agency the MCU has historically ignored.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is officially scheduled for July 31st.
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