‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ First Reactions: Tom Holland Has ‘Never Been Better’ in a Sequel That Ditches ‘Multiverse Tedium’ and Delivers a ‘Grounded Spider-Man Tale’

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has finally been unveiled to members of the film press, who are calling Tom Holland’s fourth standalone movie “a grounded Spider-Man tale” that is “thrilling, heartfelt and confidently character driven.” Fandango correspondent Erik Davis shared a glowing review on X, writing that Destin Daniel Cretton’s sequel “feels deeper, more thoughtful and more mature than the previous trilogy.” “That maturity extends beyond the story to the action, with Cretton crafting some of my favorite Spider-Man fight sequences of the Holland era,” he added. “Part detective story, part psychological thriller, part buddy comedy (the Spider-Man/Punisher banter is so much fun), it stretches in exciting new directions before becoming a genuine love letter to the fans. When you see it, you’ll get it.” Critic Wendy Lee Szany wrote on X that she has “no notes” for “Brand New Day,” which delivered “top-tier action” and a few “tearjerker” moments. TV host and entertainment journalist Brandon Pope echoed the praise. He wrote in his own X review, “‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ may be the most Marvel Marvel movie I’ve ever marveled. Destin Daniel Cretton honors beloved Spider-Man media – especially Raimi- to create something soulful + thrilling. Hulk, Punisher deliver. Big reveal lives up. The best of the Tom Holland Spidey series.” Fellow film writer Peter Howell likewise adored the Marvel sequel. He wrote on X that “Brand New Day” cut back on the “multiverse tedium to give us a grounded Spider-Man tale that’s back to the city roots of the comic book hero we knew and loved.” “Tom Holland finally nails the sarcasm, angst and love hassles of Spidey/Peter Parker as Stan Lee first envisioned the character,” he added. “The film negotiates the emotional landmines left by ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ five years ago while a seriously scary villain emerges in the person of a malevolent telepath. Solid support from Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo and ‘Stranger Things’ star Sadie Sink.” Nexus Point staffer Kevin Verma wrote on X, “‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is exactly the refresher Marvel needed. Tom Holland has never been better and the Spidey-Punisher pairing is pure gold. Destin Daniel Cretton outdoes himself, but the script is the real superhero- thrilling, heartfelt and confidently character driven.” Holland returns as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in “Brand New Day,” which is set four years after the events of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” That movie ended with Doctor Strange casting a spell in which Peter is erased from everyone’s memory, so now the web-slinger is fighting crime in New York City without the support of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). A new threat emerges in the form of Sadie Sink’s mysterious villain at the same time as Peter’s spider powers begin evolving beyond his control. The supporting cast includes Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Jon Bernthal as Punisher. Expectations for “Brand New Day” are sky high after 2021’s “No Way Home” became a pop culture sensation with $1.9 billion at the worldwide box office. It was Holland’s second billion-dollar-grossing “Spider-Man” movie after 2019’s “Far From Home” earned $1.1 billion on the heels of “Avengers: Endgame.” While Marvel has had its ups (“Deadpool and Wolverine”) and downs (“Captain America: Brave New World”) in recent years, “Brand New Day” should get the MCU back on strong box office footing ahead of December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.” Holland played a greater role in the development of “Brand New Day” compared to his previous “Spider-Man” movies. He took deep dives on the internet to understand what exactly Spider-Man fans wanted to see in his latest outing as Marvel’s iconic web-slinger, then took these fan ideas directly to studio executives and the movie’s screenwriters. “What’s been really fun about this most recent movie is designing the suit and being a part of that process and understanding what we wanted to try and achieve,” Holland told LADbible about having greater involvement in the movie’s development this time around. “I have been actively sifting through the internet and trying to best understand what it is that the fans want from a ‘Spider-Man’ movie, and that’s been my driving force in these pitch meetings,” he added. “I think the producers, at times were like, absolutely sick of me, but I think it’s really important, because we make these movies for [the fans].” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” opens in theaters nationwide July 31.