Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day introduces a new chapter for Peter Parker following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film is set four years after Doctor Strange’s spell erased Peter Parker’s identity from the world’s memory. As Peter adjusts to life without his closest friends, the film brings back familiar faces while introducing several new characters who expand Spider-Man’s corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Here’s a complete guide to the principal cast and the characters they portray in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
Character: Peter Parker continues protecting New York as Spider-Man while living in complete anonymity after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. With no one remembering who he is, Peter has spent years rebuilding his life alone before a new threat forces him into another battle.
Known for: Holland has portrayed Spider-Man since his Marvel debut in 2016 and previously led Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. He also recently appeared in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Zendaya as MJ
Character: Zendaya returns as MJ Jones-Watson, now attending MIT alongside Ned Leeds. Because of Doctor Strange’s spell, she has no memory of Peter Parker, creating one of the film’s central emotional conflicts.
Known for: After beginning her career on the Disney Channel, Zendaya earned two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for Euphoria and recently appeared in The Odyssey.
Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds
Character: Peter’s former best friend is now studying at MIT with MJ, unaware that Peter was ever part of his life.
Known for: Batalon has played Ned Leeds across multiple Marvel films and has also appeared in Reginald the Vampire, Every Day, and Novocaine.
New Characters
Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
Character: Sadie Sink makes her MCU debut as Jean Grey, the iconic X-Men mutant whose introduction signals the growing presence of mutants within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Known for: Sink is widely recognised for playing Max Mayfield in Netflix’s Stranger Things and has also appeared in the Fear Street trilogy.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle / The Punisher
Character: Jon Bernthal reprises Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, bringing his uncompromising approach to justice into Spider-Man’s world.
Known for: Bernthal previously portrayed the Punisher across Marvel television projects and is also known for The Walking Dead, King Richard, and Ford v Ferrari.
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk
Character: Bruce Banner returns to provide additional Avengers support as Peter confronts a growing threat in New York.
Known for: Ruffalo has portrayed the Hulk since The Avengers (2012) and has received four Academy Award nominations during his career.
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Character: Florence Pugh reprises Yelena Belova, connecting Peter Parker’s story with the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Known for: Pugh received an Academy Award nomination for Little Women and has also starred in Midsommar, Oppenheimer, and multiple Marvel projects.
Villains and Supporting Characters
Tramell Tillman as William “Bill” Metzger
Character: Tillman portrays the head of the Department of Damage Control’s Manhattan branch, a government official whose increasingly aggressive methods place him in conflict with enhanced individuals.
Known for: Tillman won an Emmy Award for Seth Milchick in Severance and also appeared in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Michael Mando as Mac Gargan / Scorpion
Character: After first appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mac Gargan finally returns as the fully realised Scorpion, becoming one of Spider-Man’s principal adversaries.
Known for: Mando is best known for portraying Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul.
Marisa Tomei as May Parker
Character: Marisa Tomei returns as Aunt May through flashbacks that remind Peter of the personal sacrifices that shaped his journey.
Known for: Tomei won the Academy Award for My Cousin Vinny and has portrayed Aunt May since Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Additional Cast
The ensemble extends well beyond its principal cast. Naomi Watts voices the mysterious E.V., while Liza Colón-Zayas joins the franchise as Detective Jean DeWolff. Marvin Jones III portrays Lonnie Lincoln (Tombstone), introducing another classic Spider-Man villain into live action. Keith David voices the narrator of an in-universe “Spider Video,” while Eman Esfandi appears as Harry and Zabryna Guevara plays Sheila Rivera. Together, these supporting performances further expand Peter Parker’s world as the franchise enters its next chapter.
With a mix of returning Marvel veterans, new MCU additions and classic Spider-Man characters making their debut, Spider-Man: Brand New Day assembles one of the franchise’s largest ensembles to date. The film balances familiar relationships with new alliances and adversaries, setting the stage for Peter Parker’s next chapter while introducing several characters expected to play a larger role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward.
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