Justifiably, comic-book film discourse over recent years has been dominated by the phrase ‘superhero fatigue’. This is the idea that the quantity of studio releases considerably supersedes their quality, exhausting filmgoers from engaging meaningfully with them.
However, Destin Daniel Cretton’s ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ builds on the hope instilled by James Gunn’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Three’ (2023), ‘Superman’ (2025), and Jake Schreier’s ‘Thunderbolts’ (2025). It should harness the hope of its characters, and the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), for the audiences of the future.
All four films are examples of superhero cinema with substance. Instead of feeling as though they are being churned out to provide context for future projects, the films function perfectly as pictures to be enjoyed on their own merits, and for their own unique perspectives in richly embodying how a superhero can inspire.
In the build-up to the film’s release, Tom Holland, who reprises his role as Spider-Man for a fourth stand-alone film, stressed to fans that the film’s production team were listening to audience concerns.
The actor, in an interview with LADBIBLE stated: “I have been actively sifting through the internet and trying to best understand what it is that the fans want from a Spider-Man movie, and that’s been my driving force in these pitch meetings… I think the producers, at times were like, absolutely sick of me, but I think it’s really important, because we make these movies for [the fans].”
For fans of the character, the film certainly does deliver. After opening with a montage of flashbacks which recreates iconic comic covers, we are catapulted into Peter Parker’s isolation as he wrestles with his identity as being Spider-Man. His disconnected scrolling on social media while sitting silently, atomised and alone, is an experience that the film’s slightly older audience strongly resonates with
In becoming less of a man, Peter sees himself literally becoming more of a spider. Our ‘Friendly-Neighbourhood’ wall-crawler undergoes an external transformation as he suppresses his internal emotions; these emotions of grief and loneliness powerfully underpin the film’s darker tone. Tom Holland elevates his performance as the character to new levels through portraying Peter’s mournful torment of being a superhero without a self.
Yet the strengths of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ are not limited to its more dramatic elements. Amidst the chaos, Spider-Man retains his quick-witted quips alongside The Punisher, played by Jon Bernthal for the first time on the big screen, and attempts to rekindle his relationships with MJ and Ned. Both dynamics provide relief and optimism, the latter albeit more bittersweet, as fans adjust to their different relationship after ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ ended with the erasure of Peter Parker’s personhood.
The standout performance was given by Sadie Sink. As Jean Grey, she initially plays a manipulative mind-controller to devastating effect but as the film matures, so do the audience’s understanding of her motivations, and empathy to her cause. In her final actions as Bill Metzger’s captive, the rawness of her painful fury was crushing in its delivery when she realises the fate of her sister. Equally, the moments she had with May inside Peter’s mind were poignantly heart-breaking.
This range should leave MCU fans’ expectations in a good place for the studio’s future post-Secret Wars; ‘Thunderbolts’ director Jake Schreier is already attached to direct an X-Men film as casting rumours are continually circulated.
Credit must also be given to the film’s director, Destin Daniel Cretton. We see New York as part of Peter’s character through shots of him swinging through streets, exhilarating action scenes that put the previous trilogy to shame, and a grounded, small-scale film with a lot of soul. The juxtaposition of the small-scale anchoring of New York’s public life with the breath-taking shots of the city’s skyline constantly reiterated the constant tension of staying centred at the heart of the film.
There are moments that inspire awe, which pretentious people refer to unwittingly as ‘fan service’, but every character serves a purpose to elicit a certain reaction which either advances Spider-Man’s character or the story in a valuable way.
In particular, the close combat scenes were masterfully executed in a way that united fans to Spider-Man at his lowest. The final twenty minutes draw out such resilience from its characters that, when watching, we cannot help but feel hopeful for them. This understanding also gives fans hope, as it has become clear that directors now understand what audiences want from them: movies with meaning.
Cretton relayed in an interview with GQ that “this is a film about connection.” His direction builds on the messages of the first three films mentioned at the start of the article [no need for start of the article: you could say simpler the first three MCU Spider-Man films] by embracing their three key themes: self-acceptance, hope and vulnerability. Even superheroes must not do it all on their own. These messages collectively highlight the need for community in an increasingly individualised world, which is why they strike such a delicate cord.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that the reception to all of these films has been overwhelmingly positive. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has the heart that wider audiences, especially those who may have missed most films that were not ‘Avengers Endgame’, have been crying out for. It gives fans the childhood feeling of superhero splendour, combined with a profoundly resonant and maturely cathartic narrative that marks a positive shift for modern superhero cinema.
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