Tom Holland’s fourth solo outing as Peter Parker is on track to pull together a number of Marvel Comics characters, from both inside and outside of Spider-Man’s world. In addition to crossing paths with long-time members of his comic rogues’ gallery in Tarantula, Boomerang, Scorpion, and Tombstone, Spider-Man will also get to meet both Bruce Banner and the Punisher, and possibly Daredevil as well.
Of those, Spider-Man is confirmed by the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer to go toe-to-toe with Scorpion, Boomerang, and Tarantula. That’s to be expected, of course, as these are traditional foes of the wallcrawler. But there might be some surprise match-ups hiding in Brand New Day too, especially if certain theories regarding Spider-Man’s DNA mutation ring true.
Why Spider-Man: Brand New Day Could Include A Man-Spider vs. Hulk Battle
In the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, Peter quite clearly develops organic webbing and is informed by Bruce Banner of a mutation in his DNA. This reveal bears a striking resemblance to two Spider-Man storylines – Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ take on “The Six Arms Saga” and “The Other.”
In the classic “Six Arms Saga,” Spider-Man tries to cure himself of his abilities and winds up with four additional arms. Spider-Man: The Animated Series tweaks the story to have Spider-Man acquire both his six-armed look and a bestial transformation known as Man-Spider. Both are a consequence of Dr. Curt Connors telling Spider-Man that he’s going to mutate into something that may not be human.
Released in the early 2000s, “The Other” weaves a similar, albeit darker narrative, while also incorporating some mystical elements and a new threat in the form of Morlun. It’s here in this story that Spider-Man acquires organic webbing, which helped the comic character align with the live-action iteration of hero at the time, which was Tobey Maguire’s.
Based on what’s in the trailer, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is pulling from multiple directions, honoring elements of both “The Six Arms Saga” and “The Other.” What’s not clear, though, is where it will all lead. If it winds up following the course of the TV series, viewers may soon be treated to the first-ever live-action Man-Spider, with Peter mutating into a shell of his former self.
With Peter potentially appearing as a monstrous, eight-legged creature in a tattered Spider-Man costume, it would truly be a sight to behold.
Bruce Banner Could Regain His Savage Hulk Persona
Man-Spider isn’t the only transformation that might occur in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Bruce Banner’s return to the MCU has renewed hopes that the Savage Hulk is on the cusp of a much-needed comeback. Given that his last appearance was a humiliating defeat at the hands of Avengers: Infinity War, there’s been a persistent wish among fans that Marvel finally redeem the Hulk.
That hasn’t happened, despite significant appearances from Mark Ruffalo’s character in Avengers: Endgame and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. With Marvel putting aside the Smart Hulk persona, it’s worth wondering if it’s about to restore Banner to the status quo.
There are multiple ways that could happen in the upcoming Phase 6 film. One theory is that the mind-controlling enemy in Spider-Man: Brand New Day – either intentionally or incidentally – unleashes the Savage Hulk by trying to seize control of Bruce Banner’s mind.
Or, it may be that in his efforts to help Spider-Man with his problems, he’ll open himself up to just the sort of stressful situation that the Hulk needs to return.
Why A Man-Spider vs. Savage Hulk Fight Could Happen In Spider-Man: Brand New Day
With there being sufficient setup for both Savage Hulk and Man-Spider to appear in the MCU, a showdown between the two certainly feels like it would be on the table. And were the two transformations to take place on the big screen, it’s difficult to imagine the MCU passing up an opportunity for what would most assuredly be one of the most thrilling and talked-about superhero match-ups in recent history.
In addition to the instant hype such a fight would generate, there’s the matter of how easy the battle would be to arrange. Both are depicted as out-of-control, rampaging monsters, so just putting them in the vicinity of each other would be enough to launch a brawl of epic proportions.
It would also be a fight that’s unique to the comics. Spider-Man has had his fair share of battles with the Hulk, but Marvel has done very little with Man-Spider outside of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. It’s offered similar transformations, but has yet to pit one of them against the Hulk.
As for how it could happen within the story of Brand New Day, it’s possible that Peter’s transformation into Man-Spider – or an enemy targeting Spider-Man – puts Bruce Banner in peril. A threat to his life could lead to Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk and subsequently clashing with the Man-Spider.
Interestingly, this would be in line with what the original version of “The Six Arms Saga” did with Spider-Man, who accidentally brought his problems to Dr. Curt Connors’ doorstep. Unsurprisingly, this set the stage for the six-armed Spidey to come to blows with the Lizard. And with Bruce Banner seemingly taking the role of Dr. Curt Connors, a similar scenario occurring with his character does appear plausible.
Another possibility is that the Savage Hulk has to step up in order to rein in Man-Spider. If he’s wreaking havoc in New York City, a heavyweight of his stature may be required to stop him and revert back to his normal state. Bruce Banner may take the risks that come with unleashing the Hulk in order to stop the Man-Spider.
Chances are, he’d succeed in this endeavor. Man-Spider is considerably more powerful than Spider-Man, but he lacks the hero’s intelligence that often serves him well in battle. Having extra appendages will obviously make him a challenge to deal with, but it would take more than a boost in raw power to make him a true rival to the Savage Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Director
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Destin Daniel Cretton