MCU Brings Back Street-Level Spider-Man Vibe
For a while now, Spider-Man fans have been hoping that Tom Holland’s MCU version—after engaging in galactic battles and multiversal chaos—might return to his roots. “Street-level,” as it were, refers to the friendly neighborhood hero operating in New York and teaming up with other, similarly grounded characters. Now, that finally appears to be happening with the major Spider-Man “reset,” Brand New Day. A new article from Forbes confirms that this shift is officially underway. With this change, Marvel seems intent on reestablishing Peter Parker’s identity as a more grounded and relatable figure—bringing the Street-Level Spider-Man fully back into focus within the MCU.
Street-Level Spider-Man Won’t Appear in Avengers: Doomsday
This direction has been hinted at for some time. One of the clearest signs was Marvel’s confirmation that Spider-Man, despite being arguably the biggest franchise hero left, will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Tom Holland was notably absent in the infamous “chair name” stream.
Could a cameo still happen? Maybe. But a starring role? No. This absence supports Marvel’s choice to scale back Spidey’s cosmic role and instead refocus on his street-level stories.
Punisher Joins the Grounded Lineup
Then, it was confirmed—surprisingly—that none other than Frank Castle, The Punisher, played by Jon Bernthal, would appear in Brand New Day. While that’s presumably a PG-13 version of the character, Punisher in NYC is about as street-level as you get. Moreover, his inclusion strongly reinforces the grounded direction Marvel is aiming for in this new chapter of Spider-Man’s story.
The gritty tone and street-level dynamic signal a real shift from multiversal storytelling back to the kind of crime-fighting arcs that defined the character early on.
“We Are Gonna Use the Streets of Glasgow”
Now, Tom Holland is talking about this pretty openly in a new interview with Flip Your Wig:
“We were really restricted with what we could do in the last movie because of COVID… Now we’re really gonna lean into that old school filmmaking & shoot in real locations… We are gonna use the streets of Glasgow for this massive set piece that we are putting together.”
There was recent reporting that Holland was in Scotland for The Odyssey, the Chris Nolan film he’s leading. However, that now appears to have been for Spider-Man instead. In filmmaking, Glasgow is often used as a stand-in for NYC, as it’s easier to film in than the actual New York.
Street-Level Spider-Man Sets the Stage for Crossovers
Spider-Man went deep—deep—into the magic and multiversal madness with No Way Home and Multiverse of Madness. While it was undeniably fun to see Toby and Andrew back in action, returning to a more grounded version of the character is certainly welcome.
The inclusion of The Punisher also seems to open up new possibilities. Characters like Daredevil or Jessica Jones could easily fit into this re-focused narrative. Interestingly, Johnny Storm actor Joseph Quinn from the upcoming Fantastic Four has already talked about wanting to shoot with Holland’s Spidey. The two characters also have a long comic book history together.
This Reset Brings Familiar Faces and New Grit
It’s not like Spider-Man not being street-level hasn’t worked out—No Way Home made almost two billion dollars. And his appearance in Avengers: Infinity War gave us one of the most memorable MCU moments ever:
“Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good.”
Still, this hard reset feels like the right time for a change. Even with the confirmation that Michelle and Ned are returning for the film, the addition of Punisher and real-world set pieces promises something new. As a result, the film is expected to strike a balance between familiar emotional dynamics and a fresh, grittier tone that aligns with the vision for the Street-Level Spider-Man in the MCU.
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