Spider-Man: Brand New Day has swung into theaters to big crowds and even bigger praise, with many fans calling it Tom Holland’s strongest solo outing to date.
The film, Holland’s fourth as Peter Parker, picks up after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. This time there are no multiverse cameos. Instead, Parker is alone in a New York City where everyone, including his closest friends, has forgotten who he is. He spends his days protecting the city and trying to figure out how to live a normal life.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton — who previously helmed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — the movie leans into character over spectacle. And that choice seems to be resonating
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin called it “the best Spider-Man film since the Tobey Maguire era,” pointing specifically to the relationship between Holland and Zendaya. He wrote that the two bring “real yearning and perplexity” to Peter and MJ, a depth we haven’t seen from them before.
The Wrap’s William Bibbiani described it as the strongest entry in Holland’s run, praising its “wonderful, propulsive quality” and emotional focus.
Empire gave it four stars, declaring Spider-Man is “still Marvel’s ace in the pack.” The Standard went further with five stars, citing the film’s “verve, intelligence and above all, heart.”
Not every review was glowing. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw said Zendaya “saves this film” from moments of “silliness and the generic déjà vu overfamiliarity.” The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney noted “occasional patch of sluggishness and the usual overly convoluted plot contortions,” but added that the intimate scenes with MJ and Ned supply the real emotional charge.
Financial Times’ Danny Leigh gave it three stars. He liked the chemistry between Holland and Zendaya but wished the film relied less on CGI-heavy action.
The common thread: critics appreciate the decision to scale back after No Way Home’s multiverse chaos and focus on Peter Parker as a person, not just a hero.
Outside cinemas in London and across the US, queues formed on opening weekend. Many wore Spider-Man T-shirts and carried themed popcorn buckets.
Sam, a lifelong fan, said it was his favorite Holland film. “I have been a Spider-Man fan since I was six years old, but it’s only in the last decade I have really got into it, all because of these films.” He praised Holland for his “most mature performance” as Peter.
Kimberly agreed Holland does a “fantastic job,” but admitted she still has a soft spot for “the OG” Tobey Maguire, who played Spider-Man from 2002 to 2007.
Joe, another fan, highlighted Holland’s growth in the role. “Half his life he has been doing this character. He’s handled it very well.” When asked if he’s ready for Holland to leave, he laughed: “I hope not! I think we still have a lot more to see from him.”
Danika was more open to change. “Zendaya and Holland have had a good run so I would not be disappointed as long as they end the characters in a good way.” She called Zendaya’s acting “amazing” and labeled Brand New Day “the most comic accurate Spider-Man movie.
Holland returns alongside his real-life wife Zendaya as MJ. Jon Bernthal also makes his MCU feature debut as The Punisher. Newcomer Sadie Sink joins the cast in a role that Marvel has kept under wraps.
Cretton said the goal was to ground the story. After two films built around Iron Man’s legacy and a third built around multiverse nostalgia, Brand New Day puts Peter back on the streets of New York, figuring out rent, relationships, and responsibility without anyone knowing his name.
That shift appears to be working at the box office too. Brand New Day is tracking to become one of Marvel’s biggest releases of the year. Sony will be hoping it can approach the numbers of No Way Home, which grossed $1.9 billion worldwide in 2021 thanks in part to the returns of Maguire and Andrew Garfield.
Holland and Zendaya first met on Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, when they were 20 and 19. Ten years later, speculation is growing that their time in the MCU may be winding down.
“It’s going to change, for sure,” he said. “There is a whole plan that we have been working on since, I would say, Spider-Man No Way Home. I have a really clear vision to the passing on of the baton, and I think it is really exciting.”
Zendaya has also spoken about slowing down. In an interview with Elle earlier this year she said, “I think that after this, I’m going to have to take a little bit of a break.” Her 2026 slate includes The Drama, The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune: Part Three.
At the NYC premiere of The Odyssey, when asked what’s next, she joked: “Oh, girl, nothing. Just mind my business!”
For now though, the focus is on Brand New Day. A film that strips Spider-Man back to basics: a kid from Queens, trying to do the right thing, in a city that doesn’t remember him.
