‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Press Conference

(L to R) Michael Mando, Liza Colón-Zayas, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, Tom Holland, Tramell Tillman, Destin Daniel Cretton, Zendaya, Marvin Jones III, Jacob Batalon and Eman Esfandi attend the World Premiere of Columbia Pictures ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ at the Dolby Theatre on July 27, 2026 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

Spider-Man is swinging back into theaters on July 31st with ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, which will follow the events after Peter Parker made the ultimate sacrifice and allowed the world to forget who he is.

“A brand new day starts now.”

Release Date: Jul 31, 2026

Run Time: 2 hr 25 min

Budget: $225,000,000

Moviefone attended a virtual press conference with stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, as well as Director Destin Daniel Cretton, and Producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal.

Related Article: Sadie Sink and Destin Daniel Cretton Talk ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

1) Tom Holland Credits Destin Daniel Cretton For Making This Movie What It Is

(L to R) Tom Holland and director Destin Daniel Cretton on the set of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

When asked about the final cut of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland explains that it wouldn’t be what it is without Destin Daniel Cretton at the helm.

Tom Holland: I think we can all agree that Destin nailed it. I think we are so lucky to have Destin as the captain of our ship. He came into this process when the movie was going in a hundred different directions, and really what we needed was someone to come in and focus us all on one idea. What’s so amazing about Destin is that he’s able to do that and focus on this idea of what is life like for a young person who is alone. And that is something that people deal with all across the world. It doesn’t sacrifice the action. It doesn’t sacrifice the scope and scale of the movie. So if we didn’t have Destin, this movie wouldn’t be half of what it is.

2) Jacob Batalon Explains That Ned and MJ Feel Like Something Is Missing

Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Jacob Batalon notes that while Ned and MJ might seemingly be living their best lives, there is still a connection to Peter there, and they both feel like something is missing.

Jacob Batalon: I think, unfortunately for Peter, Ned and MJ live really great full lives. But I think there’s alsothat sort of veil of they do feel like something’s kind of missing. And I think, I guess for Ned, really like the Spidey tracker thing is kind of like his way of finding like that missing link between them and Spider-Man. Like, why is he always trying to save their lives? For example, like, is he like stalking us?

3) Tom Holland Says ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Serves As A Cautionary Tale Of Living Life Alone

(L to R) Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo star in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Tom Holland describes what Peter is going through at the start of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.

Tom Holland: I think you really meet Peter Parker at the beginning of the darkest chapter of his life. The thing I love the most about the film is that it really represents, or it’s a cautionary tale for the dangers of living a life alone and not having a community, not having friends. And a lesson that he learned from Andrew [Garfield]’s character in the previous movie is that sometimes the bravest thing that you can do is ask for help. And he is actively ignoring that advice, and it is having a profound effect on his life as a human being. But then on the other side of that, as Spider-Man, he is thriving. We’re probably seeing the most truthful version of what Spider-Man means to New York City at the beginning of this movie. And the smashing of those two worlds is such a fun thing for us to play with.

4) Zendaya Says That Peter and MJ Switch Attitudes In ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

(L to R) Tom Holland and Zendaya star in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Zendaya explains that even without Peter in MJ’s life, he somehow has an effect on her.

Zendaya: Clearly there’s an effect of Peter on our lives. The fact that [Ned and MJ] are even friends and still living in New York together must mean something to them, you know? I think that in previous films, MJ was always the pessimist and it was Peter that was always the optimist. So it’s interesting to see that reversal now that he’s alone, he’s kind of adopted that negativity and she’s adopted his positivity without even knowing it. So there’s clearly something still there. I mean, we always root for them and hope. Peter is, he’s one of those characters you just love and you want them to make the right decisions.

5) Jon Bernthal Questioned How Punisher Would Fit Into ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

Jon Berntha stars in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

The Punisher is an R-rated character, for lack of a better word, and even actor Jon Bernthal wondered how he would fit into Spider-Man’s PG-13 world.

Jon Bernthal: I’m enormously protective of Frank and the Punisher fans and what he stands for. That was a real question for me and it’s such a testament to Destin and to Amy and to Kevin and to Tom and this entire group. It was a concern for them, too. And I often think, in art, when you get to the crux of an issue, if you dive into it, if you don’t try to avoid it, if you don’t try to run away from it, or if you treat the audience with the respect that they’re also going to have an issue with it, you get something really great.

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. opens in theaters on July 31st.

What is the plot of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?

It’s a BRAND NEW DAY for Peter Parker. Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him — and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him — sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control. But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves — a powerful villain no one can even see. The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.