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‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Review: Tom Holland Bares His Soul in a Superhero Installment That Balances Self-Reflection With Action
The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney has reviewed "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," the follow-up to 2021's "No Way Home," praising director Destin Daniel Cretton's more introspective approach to Tom Holland's Peter Parker. Rather than leaning further into multiverse spectacle, the film focuses on Parker's emotional isolation after erasing the world's memory of him, grounding the superhero action in character-driven humanity while still delivering plenty of villain-fighting thrills.
The film, written by returning screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, features a shape-shifting telepathic villain who can jump between host bodies, alongside notable Marvel Cinematic Universe crossovers including Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk and Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle/The Punisher, plus two further unnamed cameos from the Avengers and X-Men properties. The cast also includes Zendaya, Sadie Sink and Marisa Tomei, with the PG-13 film running 2 hours 25 minutes and opening in cinemas on Friday, 31 July.
In short
- Review praises Tom Holland's introspective turn in "Brand New Day"
- Film ditches heavy multiverse focus for character-driven storytelling
- Ruffalo's Hulk, Bernthal's Punisher and secret cameos feature; out 31 July
Explained simply
Tom Holland has played Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2016, starring in multiple interconnected films. The previous Spider-Man film, "No Way Home" (2021), was a record-breaking blockbuster that drew audiences through its multiverse concept, which brought together characters from different previous Spider-Man film franchises.
The new film, "Brand New Day," represents a different creative direction for the Spider-Man character. Rather than expanding the multiverse concept further, it takes a more introspective approach. This shift in tone from the previous instalment marks a notable change for the franchise.
The film reunites Holland with the returning screenwriting team and introduces new director Destin Daniel Cretton to the Spider-Man series. It also features appearances from other established Marvel characters, maintaining the interconnected storytelling that has become central to these films.
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