After the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy received one common complaint, I am certain Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s new cast member will make sure it does not continue. The story of Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the first centered around the webslinger since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. No Way Home’s ending saw Peter Parker forgotten by the rest of the world, raising intriguing questions about where exactly Brand New Day’s story will go.
Questions remain over whether the story will tie to other upcoming Marvel movies like Avengers: Doomsday or who the film’s true villain will be. That said, recent casting news about Spider-Man: Brand New Day has confirmed links to another section of the MCU after Daredevil: Born Again’s ending. A character from the recent Disney+ show will make his cinematic debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, convincing me that a long-lasting complaint about the MCU’s iteration of Peter Parker will be rectified.
The MCU’s Spider-Man Trilogy Was Criticized For Being More Lighthearted Than Other Iterations
Despite Spidey’s Usual Humorous Nature
The complaint in question links to the tone of the MCU’s Spider-Man timeline, with many deeming it too lighthearted thus far. Although Spider-Man had always been a character who cracks jokes with his quippy sense of humor, many agree that this dynamic works better when contrasted with more serious storylines. This was certainly the case with Sam Raimi’s original trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, which, while not without its brand of pulpy humor, tackled some serious subject matter.
Only No Way Home has been noted as having a somewhat darker tone…
Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was the same, dealing with the incredibly tragic storyline involving Gwen Stacy’s death. Of the MCU’s Spider-Man efforts, only No Way Home has been noted as having a somewhat darker tone. After all, the ending of that movie was beloved for a reason, with fans online pointing out that Peter Parker being at his lowest point will allow his future Spider-Man endeavors to hit even harder. The two movies prior to it, though, received criticism for airing too far on the side of lighthearted fun.
The Punisher Will Add A Sense Of Darkness To Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Frank Castle Is Anything But Lighthearted
This brings me on to the aforementioned casting addition to Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Jon Bernthal. June 2025 saw Bernthal announced as the film’s newest cast member, reprising his role as Frank Castle/The Punisher. The Punisher made his MCU debut in 2016’s Daredevil season 2, before appearing in his own spinoff and Daredevil: Born Again. In 2026, the ruthless vigilante will make his cinematic debut – at least where Bernthal’s version is concerned – alongside Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
While Castle’s exact role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s story has not been confirmed as of yet, one thing is for certain: The Punisher will bring darkness. Castle is an inherently dark character, having a tragic backstory involving the murders of his wife and children that set him on a path of, well, punishment. Castle is no stranger to putting those he deems worthy of punishment in the dirt, which is a stark difference from Peter Parker’s usually non-lethal methods. The Punisher does not go around cracking jokes, meaning Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be tonally removed from previous movies.
Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Ending Makes Brand New Day’s Darker Elements Even Better
The Tonal Shift Will Not Be Too Drastic
The added edge that Bernthal’s Punisher will bring to Spider-Man: Brand New Day should not feel too drastic either, given No Way Home‘s ending. In the final moments of the 2021 film, Peter Parker told Doctor Strange to cast a spell that made everyone forget him. The reason for this was to stop the multiversal incursions caused by his previous dabbles with magic, resulting in Peter losing connections like Happy Hogan, friends like Ned Leeds, and his girlfriend, MJ.
Spider-Man lived on, but Peter Parker was essentially no more. This would undoubtedly affect anyone mentally, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day could explore this. If the movie delves into a darker side of Peter as a result of No Way Home‘s developments, The Punisher’s inclusion makes a lot more sense. Frank Castle could be like the devil on Peter’s shoulder, opening the webslinger up to his darker urges. Even if this is not how Punisher is depicted, the character will certainly embody Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s darkness more than anything in the MCU’s Spider-Man series has thus far.
