Spider-Man is Marvel’s most popular hero for a reason. Beneath the wall-crawling, web-slinging, and extremely questionable work-life balance, Peter Parker is just a regular person trying to do the right thing while his life repeatedly catches fire around him. His stubborn goodness, charming quips, and relatability have made Spider-Man a forever fan-favourite character.
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker began as an excitable teenager desperate to join the Avengers. By the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, he’s lost his mentor, his aunt, his identity, his friends, his love, and every person who ever knew him. Spider-Man: Brand New Day picks up with Peter fighting crime full-time in a New York that no longer knows he exists, and this is our list of what to watch before he swings back onto the big screen on July 31st.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Tom Holland makes his MCU debut as a teenage Peter Parker recruited by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to fight alongside the Avengers. Peter is only in the film briefly, but his personality arrives fully formed as a brilliant, awkward, endlessly talkative teen who is just thrilled to be there. Watching Civil War now shows a version of him that feels like a striking contrast to the older, lonelier adult Peter of Brand New Day.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Homecoming skips the typical Uncle Ben origin story, and shows us a Peter trying to survive high school while convincing Tony Stark that he is ready for bigger things. His battle with Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), The Vulture, forces him to discover who he is without the Avengers, Stark technology, or anyone’s approval. It is funny, warm, and focuses on the everyday problems that make Spider-Man feel so relatable. More importantly, it establishes Peter’s moral centre. Peter does not choose to save people based on whether or not they deserve it, but because he can and should. The film also introduces Mac Gargan (Michael Mando), who is returning in Brand New Day.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Peter finally becomes an Avenger, although the occasion is spoiled by Thanos (Josh Brolin) attempting to erase half the universe. Infinity War pulls Peter into a battle far beyond anything he has experienced before. His excitement gradually gives way to fear, culminating in one of the MCU’s most upsetting scenes as he is “blipped” alongside many of the other heroes. This marks a point where being Spider-Man feels bigger than just a fun adventure, and there are higher stakes than ever.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Peter is not in Endgame for very long, but the consequences of how the movie plays out reshape his entire life. Tony Stark’s death leaves him without the mentor who brought him into the Avengers and made him believe he belonged there. That loss becomes the emotional foundation of the next two Spider-Man films, pushing Peter to seek reassurance from people he should not trust and convincing him that he must shoulder his "great responsibility" alone.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
In Far From Home, Peter would like to enjoy one normal school trip with his classmates, and tell MJ (Zendaya) how he feels about her. However, while still grieving Tony, he places his trust in Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), who presents himself as the older, wiser hero Peter needs as a mentor. Mysterio exploits that trust, manipulates Peter, and ultimately exposes his identity to the world. That final scene destroys the carefully built separation between Peter Parker and Spider-Man, setting up the next film.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
This is the one film on this list you absolutely cannot skip. After Mysterio reveals his identity, Peter asks Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to make the world forget that he is Spider-Man. The spell goes disastrously wrong, pulling villains and other versions of Peter Parker into his world, setting up the Spider-Man multiverse in the MCU. Seeing Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland together is pure nostalgic joy for Spider-Man fans, but No Way Home works because the returning heroes are more than cameos. They show Holland’s Peter how grief can affect him, and remind him that he can still choose to do the right thing even after immense loss.
Peter asks Doctor Strange to erase him from everyone’s memory at the end of the film. This sacrifice is the starting point for Brand New Day. Peter is finally the anonymous friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man he once wanted to be, but after paying the ultimate price.
Supplemental Watches For Added Context
Outside of the MCU films that have shaped Peter’s arc leading into Brand New Day, you can also add the following to your watchlist for a deeper dive into the street-level world the movie will explore.
Daredevil season 2, The Punisher seasons 1-2, Daredevil: Born Again season 1
While he’s spent years fighting aliens and multiversal villains, Spider-Man has always felt most at home on New York rooftops. If you have the time, these shows will give you an idea of the city filled with vigilantes, organized crime, and competing ideas of justice that Peter finds himself caught up in. They also introduce and expand on Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), who will start off in Brand New Day clashing with Peter, but will eventually become a mentor-like brotherly figure.
The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)
This recent Disney+ installment provides a quick update on New York’s volatile criminal and political landscape, along with Frank Castle’s current state of mind going directly into Brand New Day.
Wonder Man (2026)
This underrated show, which aired on Disney+ earlier this year, is the most optional, but it may give you useful context about the Department of Damage Control. The organization could pose a serious threat to Peter, and is headed by Bill Metzger (Tramell Tillman) in the upcoming film.
Generations: The Evolution of Spider-Man (2026)
This Disney+ documentary short celebrates the three live-action eras of Spidey, played by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland. It includes a brief behind-the-scenes look at Brand New Day, making it an easy, low-commitment watch for anyone wanting to get properly excited about the new movie.
Spider-Man has always been the hero who gets knocked down, loses almost everything, and still, somehow, finds a way to get back up. Brand New Day will show us what happens when he has to keep doing it with no one left to catch him, as he faces both external threats and inner psychological turmoil amidst an evolution in his superpowers.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theatres on July 31st.
