SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Rumor Teases Hulk, Punisher, and a Dangerous New Twist
Marvel Studios is keeping things locked down on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but a new rumor is starting to paint a much clearer picture of what Peter Parker is up against next.
The fourth MCU Spider-Man movie looks like it’s leaning hard into crossover chaos, with the Hulk and the Punisher both playing major roles in a story that sounds darker, stranger, and more personal than what we’ve seen before.
The MCU’s Spider-Man sub-franchise has always liked surrounding Peter Parker with bigger heroes, and Brand New Day is continuing that trend in a big way. Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man, and this time he’s sharing the screen with Mark Ruffalo and Jon Bernthal.
Bernthal’s return as Frank Castle was confirmed in June 2025, with Ruffalo following soon after, and it’s going to be fun to see Hulk smashing things again.
According to X user @Majestic_ucm, a source known for reliable Marvel leaks, the Punisher’s role is tied directly to a new character entering the MCU. Frank Castle is said to be protecting Jean Grey, who may be played by Sadie Sink, from Damage Control.
Peter Parker reportedly seeks out Bruce Banner after “experiencing a crisis with his powers, similar to Tobey Maguire’s, with malfunctions linked to his emotional state.” If true, that puts Spider-Man in a vulnerable place following the emotional reset at the end of No Way Home, and Banner becomes more than just a scientific consultant.
Things spiral when the story threads collide. The rumor claims that “Jean’s powers end up transforming Banner into the Grey Hulk.” That moment lines up with earlier chatter suggesting Spider-Man and the Punisher would team up, with the two street-level heroes forced to take on the Grey Hulk together.
Banner’s Hulk is also described as “a secondary antagonist” in Brand New Day, while Tombstone and Scorpion handle main villain duties.
The film picks up after the events of No Way Home, where the world forgot Peter Parker entirely. That clean slate allows Marvel to push Holland’s Spider-Man closer to his comic roots, isolated and dealing with consequences without a safety net. Brand New Day was filmed from August through December 2025, with Destin Daniel Cretton directing.
Familiar faces return alongside the new additions. Zendaya is back as MJ, Jacob Batalon returns as Ned Leeds, and Michael Mando reprises his role as Mac Gargan, aka Scorpion. The cast also includes Liza Colón-Zayas and Tramell Tillman, with Marvin Jones III playing Tombstone.
If these plot details hold up, Spider-Man: Brand New Day could be one of the MCU’s most unusual Spider-Man stories yet, blending mutant-level power, street justice, and a Hulk gone very wrong.
The movie is set to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.