Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will feature at least one character who also appears in the upcoming crossover blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday, strengthening the links between the two highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Speaking about the future of the MCU, Feige revealed that Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk and played by Mark Ruffalo, will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day before returning in Avengers: Doomsday.
Hulk Bridges Two Major Films
The confirmation makes Hulk one of the first officially confirmed characters to bridge the two films and signals that Brand New Day will play a significant role in setting up Marvel's next ensemble event. The announcement follows months of speculation after Ruffalo was spotted during production and briefly appeared in promotional footage for the Spider-Man sequel. While fans had suspected his involvement, Feige's comments are the clearest confirmation yet that the Green Goliath is an important part of Peter Parker's next adventure.
Plot and Cast Details
Spider-Man: Brand New Day sees Tom Holland return as Peter Parker following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Doctor Strange's spell erased the world's memory of his identity. The film follows Peter as he embraces life as a full-time neighbourhood superhero while confronting a mysterious new threat in New York City. Alongside Holland and Ruffalo, the film features returning MCU stars Zendaya, Jacob Batalon and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher. Michael Mando reprises his role as Mac Gargan, also known as Scorpion, while Stranger Things star Sadie Sink joins the cast in a mystery role that Marvel has yet to officially reveal.
Phase Six Connections
Feige's confirmation also reinforces Brand New Day's place in Marvel's wider Phase Six plans. The film arrives just months before Avengers: Doomsday, with both projects expected to build towards the multiverse-spanning events of Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. While Marvel remains secretive about Doomsday's full cast, the studio has steadily revealed connections between its upcoming films. Hulk's appearance suggests that Peter Parker's latest adventure will have consequences extending well beyond New York, even as the story focuses on his return to street-level crime fighting.
Release Dates
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into cinemas on July 31, 2026, while Avengers: Doomsday is set to follow later that year, making the Spider-Man sequel one of Marvel's final stepping stones before its next major crossover event.
