CinemaCon 2026 featured a deeper look into all of Sony’s upcoming projects. Including the Tom Holland led Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film marks the fourth installment into Holland’s Spider-Man franchise and we got a look into where Peter Parker is in his new reality.
At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter erased himself from the minds of his friends and loved ones in order to save the world. Meaning that he is completely alone but still trying to connect with his friends who knew him best: Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya). The problem though is that they don’t know who he is.
Peter sees Ned getting beer for a party and says he’s their neighbor and is in the party with his ex-best friend and his ex-girlfriend and if you ever felt the need to sob over Peter Parker, this movie is going to be one for you.
The fun parts of the scene include Ned’s theory wall on who Spider-Man is (including a potential reference to Miles Morales). He comes up with two theories: Flash Thompson and their former teacher, Roger Harrington. Peter obviously finds it funny but it is rooted in Ned’s bits of memories of Peter and the connection they once had.
It is the same with MJ who tells Ned that she feels like she’s waiting for something when asked about a potential job offer. But that feeling, the unknown or the missing of something, comes from both of these people not knowing that an important person in their life is gone.
Sad Peter is kind of the best Peter
Like any good Peter story, he is still a hero. But he isn’t exactly thriving. Part of why I love Peter Parker so much is that he’s not a perfect hero but he tries to be. He sacrifices parts of himself to save the city he loves time and time again and while Holland’s Peter has had a lot of growth to do, it all led to him taking on that Spider-Man legacy in stride.
Did the scene make me realize that Ned and MJ are probably going to remember Peter at some point in Brand New Day? Yes, but I also didn’t think there was a world where they wouldn’t remember who he was. Until we get more though, the scene I saw at CinemaCon had me a sobbing mess over my beloved boy so…you know that’s going to be something special.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31.
(featured image: Sony Pictures)
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