Tom Holland has revealed that he, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon "hated" an early cut of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, after test screening notes were incorporated into a version of the film that changed its direction. Speaking on the podcast Quotable, Holland explained that a cut built around audience feedback failed to match the cast and crew's creative vision, even though it delivered what test viewers had asked for. The anecdote highlights the sometimes fraught relationship between studio test screenings and a filmmaking team's original intentions, and offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how the blockbuster took shape before release.

Holland said the team watched numerous cuts during post-production, describing one version built entirely from test-audience notes as something that "totally didn't work" despite giving people what they'd requested. He added that the experience ultimately proved instructive, helping shape a final version more aligned with the filmmakers' vision. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, due for release on 31 July 2026, currently holds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes and is expected to post the biggest opening weekend of 2026; IGN's own review scored the film 7/10.