Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theatres on July 31, arriving two weeks after The Odyssey dominated the same screens and marking Tom Holland and Zendaya’s fourth big-screen outing together. The critical response has been overwhelmingly positive, with the film currently sitting at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, the first Marvel film to cross that mark since Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. That is no small achievement. But as with any film this anticipated, the praise comes with caveats worth understanding.
The story picks up four years after the events of No Way Home. Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, is living in isolation, a direct consequence of his decision to have Doctor Strange erase the world’s memories of him in order to protect the multiverse. MJ, played by Zendaya, and Ned, played by Jacob Batalon, have no memory of him and are moving on with their lives after graduating from MIT and returning to New York. Peter watches from a distance, rehearsing the reunion speech he can never quite bring himself to deliver.
But his loneliness is not just emotional. His arachnid DNA is mutating and destabilising, causing paralysing headaches and threatening his control over his web-shooting abilities. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of a new and deeply unsettling threat: a telepathic villain capable of hopping between host bodies, meaning anyone in New York could be the enemy.
The word that appears most consistently across reviews is emotional. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney called it a “never-better” turn for Tom Holland, describing the film as one that “has the good sense to stop banging on about the damn multiverse” and instead foregrounds the humanity that has always been Spider-Man’s greatest strength. Polygon gave the film 92 out of 100, calling it the best Spider-Man film since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, a comparison that carries real weight.
GamesRadar gave it 4 out of 5 and called it “Marvel Studios’ strongest standalone outing since Endgame“. The Wrap’s William Bibbiani called it “a fantastic film about Peter Parker and his ongoing, often disastrous attempts to be a good person.” He described it as one of the highlights of the entire franchise and noted that the other MCU characters and superheroes who appear contribute meaningfully to the story and themes without ever outstaying their welcome or hogging the spotlight.
ScreenRant’s Molly Freeman was equally emphatic, calling it the best Spider-Man film yet and describing it as “what Marvel movies—what all superhero movies—should aspire to be.” Metro gave it 4 out of 5, praising the way it strips things back to let Holland’s Peter Parker truly shine, while Den of Geek echoed that sentiment, calling it a liberating film where Holland is finally allowed to play the joy alongside the agony.
Across nearly every review, Tom Holland’s performance is the emotional centre of the conversation. The Hollywood Reporter’s Rooney noted that Holland has soulful new notes to play here, portraying a Spider-Man rendered more vulnerable by grief as he mourns Aunt May while watching the people he loves most carry on without any memory of him.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw acknowledged that Holland is “maturing in the role”, though he questioned whether the role is maturing with him. The emotional thread connecting Peter to MJ and Ned, built across four films, pays off here with moments that Rooney says will leave some fans misty-eyed.
Among the supporting cast, Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, the Punisher, emerges as one of the film’s most celebrated additions. Collider called him an absolute scene-stealer, while The Wrap describes Bernthal’s Punisher as a bitter, middle-aged vigilante who treats Spider-Man like his very own Dennis the Menace. Bibbiani called the pair “comedy gold”, saying their dynamic somehow does not diminish the Punisher’s darker reputation. Holland’s Spider-Man, meanwhile, is described as so warmly energetic that he could “soften Galactus’ image just by standing on his shoulder and waving.”
The Hollywood Reporter described the spiky chemistry between a more mature Spider-Man and the rough-hewn vigilante as an extra dose of heart. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, now teaching college physics, and the Hulk both deliver warmth and mordant humour. Michael Mando’s Scorpion returns and serves as a compelling early red herring. Sadie Sink, whose character has been kept completely under wraps, has drawn significant praise across multiple reviews. The Hollywood Reporter described her performance as putting a new face on a familiar type of character with a painful backstory, setting up what appears to be a larger role in future films. Collider called her every bit the powerhouse fans were hoping for.
The Guardian added a notable observation about Zendaya, describing her performance as the element that “saves” the film during its quieter, more emotionally delicate moments. It is a strong compliment, and one that speaks to how much the relationship between Peter and MJ continues to anchor the emotional core of the franchise.
On a technical level, the film has impressed critics across the board. The Hollywood Reporter praised director Destin Daniel Cretton’s action sequences as “supercharged set-pieces impressively executed”, highlighting the tank chase through New York as a standout. The wire-fu sequences involving The Hand, a group of red-clad ninja adversaries, were compared favourably to the action in Cretton’s own Shang-Chi. Michael Giacchino’s score was also singled out as one of the film’s greatest strengths, weaving melancholy through the spectacle in a way that keeps the emotional stakes intact.
Not every voice was celebratory. The Guardian awarded the film 3 out of 5, arguing that it ultimately gravitates towards the same apocalyptic spectacle as every other MCU film. While calling it entertaining, the review suggested it falls into “generic déjà vu overfamiliarity” and argued that a more radical reboot was needed. Variety described the film as “arduous” and “busy and self-serious”, contending that its 145-minute runtime is excessive and that at least 30 minutes could have been trimmed.
IndieWire was even more pointed, calling it “a dull and downbeat sequel” that tries to juggle too many ideas at once. Rolling Stone similarly argued that the film offers “nothing new” and ultimately gets “tangled in a complicated web of its own making.”
Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives at a moment when the MCU genuinely needed a win. After years of mixed reactions to its post-Endgame output, this is the film that reminds audiences why they fell in love with these characters in the first place. A 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, a performance from Tom Holland that critics are calling his best yet, and a supporting cast firing on all cylinders combine to make this more than simply another successful superhero movie. It is, by most accounts, simply a very good film.
Whether it can match No Way Home’s remarkable $1.92 billion global box office remains to be seen. But based on the critical consensus, Brand New Day has earned every bit of the excitement surrounding its release. Spider-Man is back. And he has never felt more human.
Film Details: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Writers: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Liza Colón-Zayas, Michael Mando, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei
Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure
Music: Michael Giacchino
Production Companies: Marvel Studios, Pascal Pictures
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: 31 July 2026
Running Time: 145 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Country: United States
Language: English
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