SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY's Timeline Reveal Could Change Everything for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY
For a while, it looked like Spider-Man: Brand New Day would simply be Peter Parker's next solo adventure, landing between the two biggest Marvel movies of the Multiversal Saga without being heavily tied to either of them. That assumption just got flipped on its head.
A surprisingly simple comment from Kevin Feige may have answered one question while creating several more, and it has some pretty massive implications for Avengers: Doomsday.
If Marvel Studios sticks to what Feige has now confirmed, there's suddenly a much stronger case that Tom Holland's Spider-Man will be swinging into the next Avengers movie after all.
Marvel Studios has shifted its focus toward a much smaller lineup of theatrical releases as it races toward the end of the Multiversal Saga. This year brings Spider-Man: Brand New Day followed by Avengers: Doomsday, with Avengers: Secret Wars arriving next year to bring this era of the MCU to an end.
When Marvel delayed Doomsday until December, many fans assumed the move was simply about giving the film a prime holiday release window. But Feige's latest comments suggest there may have been another reason for switching the release order.
While speaking with Collider about where Brand New Day fits into the MCU timeline, Feige confirmed: “It takes place before.” When asked if the movie leads directly into Doomsday, Feige didn't offer any additional details, simply responding: “No, it’s before.”
Marvel hasn't revealed exactly how much time separates the two films. Brand New Day could end moments before Doomsday begins, or there could be months between them. Either way, Peter Parker's story now officially takes place before Earth's next major Avengers-level crisis instead of afterward.
Some fans think that completely changes the conversation surrounding Spider-Man's role in Doomsday. One of the biggest surprises when Marvel unveiled the film's massive cast was the absence of Spider-Man.
Considering he's arguably Marvel's biggest character across movies, comics, games, and television, fans immediately started wondering why Holland wasn't included alongside names like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and the returning X-Men cast.
Of course, there was a practical explanation. Holland spent a good portion of that production period working on Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey while also filming Brand New Day. Scheduling conflicts certainly could've played a part.
Still, with Brand New Day now confirmed to happen before Doomsday, fans think there's no story reason keeping Peter Parker away from the Avengers. If his solo adventure wraps up before Doctor Doom's threat reaches full force, the door is wide open for Spider-Man to jump straight into the larger crossover.
Feige's timeline reveal also makes Holland's own comments about the movie's title even more interesting. While appearing in the Disney+ documentary Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man, Holland explained that fans may be interpreting the title the wrong way. “It isn’t the beginning. It’s the last frame of this movie.”
One popular theory points to the shot where Peter's eyes appear to turn black, leading many to speculate that Marvel could finally introduce the symbiote suit into the MCU.
If that's connected to the film's closing moments, it would certainly explain why Holland described the title as referring to the ending rather than the beginning. At this point, though, Holland hasn't confirmed or denied any of those theories.
Then there's another piece of the puzzle. Several insiders have reported that Brand New Day includes a single post-credits scene designed specifically to lead into Avengers: Doomsday. While that hasn't been officially confirmed by Marvel, it lines up surprisingly well with everything Feige has now revealed.
Taken together, the timeline placement, Holland's comments about the movie's ending, and the reports of a direct post-credits connection all paint a picture of Marvel carefully setting the stage for Peter Parker's return alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
It would also explain why Marvel has kept Spider-Man's involvement in Doomsday under wraps. Revealing him in the cast announcement would've spoiled one of the biggest surprises Brand New Day could have waiting after the credits.
Personally, I’ll be very surprised if Holland’s Spider-Man shows up in Doomsday. He had no time to shoot the movie!
With only a handful of movies left before Avengers: Secret Wars closes out the Multiversal Saga, Marvel has every reason to make each remaining chapter feed directly into the next. If that's the plan, Peter Parker may be much closer to joining the fight against Doctor Doom than anyone initially expected.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, with Avengers: Doomsday following on December 18.