With just over a month left until Peter Parker swings back onto our screens, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have dropped a second trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The fourth Spidey-film to star Tom Holland, this time directed by Destin Daniel-Cretton, releases in UK cinemas on July 29, 2026.
Check out the trailer below!
Just like before, we are here to break down all the new tidbits and hidden clues to figure out what kind of crazy situation Peter is dealing with in his fourth solo outing.
We open with a nighttime battle featuring Spider-Man taking on the Scorpion. The character was first teased in Spider-Man: Homecoming as an inmate in the same prison where the Vulture ended up. That scene nodded to a prior history with Spider-Man before the film even started, though Vulture ultimately refused to aid Mac Gargan in identifying Spidey’s real name.
The way this new fight plays out implies that Peter is getting stronger—and more reckless. We hear Peter himself saying, “I’m losing my mind,” “I’m totally out of control,” and “I gotta fix whatever this is right now”—though it’s safe to say these lines are likely spliced together for the trailer and won’t be a single, connected monologue.
Next, we see Ned and MJ on a livestream celebrating their final semester at MIT, with Peter watching wistfully from afar. However, when he suits up as Spider-Man later on, he hits his web-shooters only for organic webbing to shoot directly out of his wrists (just like Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man), leaving Peter visibly horrified. We then see Peter making his way into one of Bruce Banner’s lectures to ask about his research on how to suppress specific parts of DNA.
It’s here that a major MCU continuity question kicks off. During Avengers: Endgame, Bruce managed to ‘merge’ with the Hulk to become a brand-new persona entirely. Yet, in Shang-Chi, we saw him back in human form using a special wrist device, and he appeared again in She-Hulk (a series whose place in the definitive canon remains a bit up in the air). As a result, it’s currently unclear what has happened to Bruce Banner and the Hulk, and why the monster still needs to be kept at bay.
Bruce Banner retorts by asking how someone decides which parts of nature are good or bad, while quickly deducing that Peter isn’t actually one of his students. My guess is that Peter eventually reveals his true identity to him, as he clearly needs the help.
We then zip through a montage of action scenes while Tramell Tillman’s character discusses a new threat they can’t control or see. A large pulse of energy emits from the middle of New York, affecting and possessing almost everybody in its wake—though Frank Castle does not look like he gets affected. Much like in the first trailer, this mystery villain is jumping from person to person, taunting Peter as he gives chase.
Next, we return to a scene from the first teaser where Peter finds Ned’s Spider-Man wall and is subsequently introduced to MJ. It’s a touching moment; even though Ned and MJ don’t explicitly remember Peter Parker, something deep inside them is clearly trying to find its way back to him.
The trailer then leaps back to Peter chasing this possessing villain, who clearly knows exactly who Peter Parker is. They straight-up taunt him by threatening to “check in on MJ.” Peter retorts that they won’t get away with this, leading right into the trailer’s biggest moment: the possessor takes over Bruce Banner’s body, destroys the containment device on his wrist, and unleashes a truly rampaging Hulk! We even get a classic Hulk Smash that sends Spider-Man flying.
Following this, Spider-Man climbs into MJ’s apartment to warn her that she is in danger. Despite how guarded this version of MJ can be, she is quick to trust him. He takes her to the one safe place he knows: Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher! It’s pretty ironic considering Daredevil previously crashed Frank’s place when he needed a hideout; Frank really can’t catch a break!
The footage then flashes back to Spidey’s fight with the Hand in the prison (which we saw in the first trailer), alongside shots of MJ talking to Frank, and Frank yelling at what we can assume is Spider-Man to do something during a chaotic chase sequence. We also get an emotional shot of Peter visiting the grave of Aunt May, who tragically died in No Way Home.
The trailer builds to its climax with a shot of Spider-Man hurtling toward the ground with a massive pile of rubble collapsing behind him, and a furious Hulk hot on his heels.
Finally, we close on a bonus stinger joke: Spider-Man stretches and warms up in front of a squad of heavily armed guards. It’s clear this version of Spider-Man doesn’t take these guys seriously at all.
We have a lot to unpack here. Why is the Hulk suddenly something that needs to be contained again? How does Frank ‘The Punisher’ Castle tie into all of this, and what is his history with Spider-Man? Who is the possessing villain, and what is their motive?
The Hulk returning to hit roots
The Hulk has had an interesting journey since he last appeared in Infinity War, where Thanos effortlessly took him down and the monster subsequently refused to come back out. The next time we saw him in Endgame, he and Bruce had fused into a hybrid persona known as Smart Hulk. We then saw him again in the She-Hulk series, and previously in Shang-Chi back in his human form with his arm in a brace post-Endgame.
I’m not entirely convinced that She-Hulk is still considered strict canon to the mainline events of the MCU, since we have not seen or heard from his son Skaar or from Jennifer since the finale (even the Daredevil series makes no mention of Matt’s exploits with She-Hulk). However, we do see Bruce wearing an inhibitor device when talking to Shang-Chi in that post-credits scene—the very same device that will play a major role in this Spider-Man film. Tons of fans have expressed a dislike for losing the rampaging, more animalistic version of the Hulk, so it’s refreshing to see that we’ll be getting a proper rampage in this film. But that leaves us with a lingering question: will Smart Hulk be gone for good after this?
Loads of fans have expressed a dislike at the concept of us losing the rampaging, more animalistic version of the Hulk since Infinity War, so it’s refreshing to see that we’ll be getting a nice new rampage in this film, but the question then leaves us, will Smart Hulk no longer be a thing after this?
Frank Castle goes ‘PG’
Another MCU hero is joining forces with Peter: Frank ‘The Punisher’ Castle, who recently had his own spotlight on Disney+ alongside a short reappearance in the Daredevil revival series. Not much can be said here for now, beyond the fact that he has clearly crossed paths with Spider-Man previously. They seem to have a love/hate dynamic based on the encounters we have seen in these two trailers. It successfully leans into the idea of this world continuing to move forward without us witnessing every single big event off-screen, though seeing Frank Castle restricted from swearing or brutally killing people will be hilariously jarring.
Who is the body hopping villain?
The main antagonist of the film appears to be someone who can body-hop between nearby people. Based on my knowledge of the Marvel Universe and Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, it’s not an ability that many characters possess.
However, looking at the mystery role handed to Sadie Sink, rumors of toy lines showing her character with pink energy powers, and these psychic abilities, it is nearly guaranteed that this ‘villain’ will be none other than X-Men member Jean Grey.
Obviously, this isn’t a GYCO exclusive theory since the whole internet is saying the same thing, but the question remains: why is she playing the villain here?
Possible theories suggest she might be stranded from an alternate universe and is willing to do anything to get back home. Alternatively, this could be a version of Jean Grey who is a young, powerful mutant who hasn’t met Professor X yet and has no control over her telepathy and telekinesis. She clearly has a vendetta against Peter, though, and seems to remember the events of No Way Home based on her dialogue in the first trailer. Perhaps it was those multiversal events that caused her breakdown—even if it is strangely happening years after those events occurred.
Whichever way it plays out, Sony and Marvel are keeping their cards close to their chest. We’ll just have to wait and see when Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into UK cinemas on July 29th, and the rest of the world on July 31st.
