Spider-Man: Brand New Day Confirms An OG Avenger and a Retro Villain

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In many ways, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels like a fresh start for Tom Holland’s version of the wallcrawler. The hero has been freed from the confines of his MCU “Home” trilogy, and Sony can now experiment with the different corners of the MCU, pairing Spidey with a range of options from the comics, and the character’s history.

One such pairing, we already knew about. Jon Bernthal has signed on the dotted line to play Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, in Brand New Day. Now, as filming prepares to ramp up on the streets of Glasgow, two more major names are being added to the cast sheet.

The Hulk Will Appear In Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Some fans have made the argument that Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has been wasted in the MCU for many years. The “Smart” version of Hulk appeared in Avengers: Endgame, and the character served as a mentor to Jennifer Walters in the single season of She-Hulk. There hasn’t been a lot of smashing for Hulk, who got his rear end handed to him by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and had a tough time rebounding.

But most accounts claim that it will be a savage version of The Hulk that fans will see in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, as The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Mark Ruffalo has joined the expanding cast.

Team ups are nothing new to Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Man. Robert Downey Jr. reprised his role of Tony Stark in Holland’s initial Spider-Man: Homecoming, while Benedict Cumberbatch played a significant role as Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Will Spider-Man and The Punisher have to fight The Hulk? That’s what you’d assume, until you hear about yet another name being added to the mix.

The Scorpion Will Return For Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Mac Gargan is a villain who hasn't yet had his proper due. Better Call Saul standout Michael Mando played the character in Spider-Man: Homecoming, though he was injured and jailed by the film's end. The villain did appear in the first season of the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but we have yet to see the villain in live action.

It sounds like that is about to change, however, as THR also notes that Mando will reprise his role of The Scorpion, and appear with Tom Holland, Mark Ruffalo, and Jon Bernthal in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This is what’s possible when you have a true Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just like in the panels of the comic books, characters that are known to be in New York City can be part of the action.

It’s unclear at the moment if Mando’s The Scorpion will be the main villain, if The Hulk will be the main villain, or if other rumors of villains like Mister Negative could be the driving force behind this sequel’s narrative. Today was really the first official day of filming, and we already know a good deal about this movie. It won't be in theaters until July 2026, so stay tuned.