The Complete Story Leading Up to Spider-Man: Brand New Day

On July 31, Tom Holland finally swings back onto the big screen in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day". But this Peter Parker is no longer the same person he once was. The eager teenager we first met in "Captain America: Civil War" is gone. More than that: the entire world has completely forgotten him.

But before we dive into the next chapter, let's take a look back. How exactly did Peter reach this absolute low point? What were the key moments in his journey to date that have shaped him so profoundly? And most importantly: what happened to him during the four years between "No Way Home" and "Brand New Day"? This article will get you fully prepared for your trip to the movies to see "Brand New Day"! We'll give you a summary of the entire story of Tom Holland's Spider-Man and explain what it all means for the new movie. So stick around: this journey is truly spectacular!

The Boy from Queens in Iron Man's Shadow

It all began in 2016: a naive kid from Queens was suddenly drawn into a global conflict involving the Avengers. Tony Stark recruited Peter for the battle at Leipzig Airport, laying the foundation for the immense pressure that would weigh on Peter for years to come.

In "Homecoming", we saw a hero desperately trying to live up to his mentor's expectations. He wanted to become an Avenger and fight the biggest threats – but in doing so, he often lost sight of the ordinary people in his neighborhood. The battle against Vulture was Peter's first real trial by fire. And when Stark took away his suit, Peter had to learn the hard way that it's not high-tech gadgets that make a hero, but the will to do the right thing.

But his greatest test was yet to come: in "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Endgame", Peter experienced the unimaginable. He traveled into space, fought Thanos, and was wiped out for five years by the Blip. And after his return, he had to witness firsthand how his mentor and father figure, Tony Stark, sacrificed himself to save the universe.

This loss defined the next phase of Peter's life. In "Far From Home", the world expected him to step into Iron Man's big shoes – a tremendous amount of pressure to bear for a high school student. Peter just wanted to be a normal teenager, spend time with his great love MJ, and go on a school trip. But the villain Mysterio ruthlessly exploited that emotional vulnerability. He manipulated Peter, stole powerful Stark technology, and upon his death left behind a gift that seemed destined to destroy Peter's life forever: he revealed to the whole world that Peter Parker was the man behind the Spider-Man mask.

The Ultimate Cost

This brings us to "No Way Home" – the undisputed highlight of Holland's Spidey career so far. Peter's identity was public, and his life and those of his friends were ruined. In his desperation, Peter turned to Doctor Strange to make the world forget who he is.

We all know how disastrously that turned out: the spell spiraled out of control, the multiverse ripped open, and legendary villains from other dimensions were pulled into the MCU. Peter's good-natured attempt to cure the villains instead of simply sending them to their deaths cost him the most important person in his life: Aunt May. Her death at the hands of the Green Goblin was the moment when Tom Holland's Spider-Man ultimately lost his innocence. May's last words – "With great power there must also come great responsibility" – were burned into his soul forever.

To save the collapsing multiverse in the final battle, Peter had to make the hardest decision of his life. He asked Strange to cast one final spell: everyone – absolutely everyone – should forget who Peter Parker is. No exceptions. MJ, Ned, Happy... no one was left to remember that he had ever existed.

The movie ended with Peter having absolutely nothing left: no money, no friends, no family, no billion-dollar Stark technology. He paid the ultimate price to protect his loved ones.

The Years in Between – A Ghost in New York City

And this is exactly where "Brand New Day" picks up. What has happened in the meantime? According to the official trailers and statements from director Destin Daniel Cretton, about four years have passed in the MCU since the events of "No Way Home". Four years during which Peter Parker has lived an isolated life.

Just think about it: he's now a young adult who has completely cut himself off from normal society. No life beyond the fight against evil. No one he can talk to. As Cretton puts it, he has dedicated "his entire existence" to the role of Spider-Man.

As such, he is praised by the citizens of New York and has even been awarded the key to the city. But that complete isolation has left a deep mark on him. According to Tom Holland, we will see a much more aggressive Spider-Man in "Brand New Day", whose powers have even physically evolved due to the immense stress.

A Brand New Day

The trailers for "Brand New Day" reveal even more details. For example, Michael Mando's long-awaited appearance as Scorpion, which was teased back in "Homecoming"! And the battle against the red ninjas from the criminal organization "The Hand".

But the story initially seems to center on Spidey losing control of his own powers. None other than Bruce Banner is set to help him – after all, he developed this special technology to keep his own aggression under control. Lucky for us, though, there's still a fight against an angry Hulk.

We are especially looking forward to the encounter between Peter and Frank Castle. The dynamic between the two already strongly resembles "Deadpool & Wolverine": the loudmouth on the one hand, the annoyed loner on the other. Something fans will certainly be happy about as well: MJ and Ned's roles appear to be larger than originally reported – at least the trailer makes it look like they'll be more than just simple cameos.

The biggest mystery, however, still revolves around the role of "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink. Many are now almost certain that she will play the mutant Jean Grey. In the trailers, we see a hooded figure who appears to possess telepathic abilities to control other people. She has also already signed on for additional Marvel projects – and the X-Men are known to be the pivotal element of the next phase of the MCU.

This also aligns with the role of Tramell Tillman: he plays Bill Metzger, the head of the Department of Damage Control. This is a government agency that is becoming increasingly dedicated to hunting down superheroes and mutants in the Marvel universe. Tillman has also already signed a contract for multiple MCU projects.

That's why we believe: the trailers have only shown a small part of the final film so far – there's surely much more to come regarding Sadie Sink's role. And the movie definitely has plenty of time for a rich storyline: at 150 minutes, it is the longest "Spider-Man" movie ever made.