Tom Holland is back in action as Spider-Man in the first footage from Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
On social media, Holland confirmed the first trailer for his fourth outing as the web-slinger will drop on Wednesday (March 18), with short teaser clips set to roll out beforehand through fan accounts.
Some of these clips have already appeared online, offering a fresh look at Holland’s suit in the film. But eagle-eyed fans spotted a key detail that could change the Marvel hero in a potentially controversial way.
Fans notice key detail in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day look
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
As part of the unconventional release strategy, the first piece of footage shared was a clip of Holland’s friendly neighborhood hero saving a person’s life.
Subsequent clips show Holland as Peter Parker before he suits up as Spider-Man.
The clip that got most fans talking shows Spider-Man aiming his webs at a building, only to misfire and send him flying.
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Several users on X noticed that the brief footage does not show Holland’s character using his trademark web-shooters.
One person exclaimed, “NO WEB-SHOOTERS!!!!!”
“Is it just me, or does he not have web shooters?” a second asked.
A third added, “Is this him learning how to use organic webbing?”
Fans were confused by the absence of the web-slinger’s signature gadgets, which Holland’s version of Peter Parker created and has used since his debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
Is Spider-Man: Brand New Day adapting a controversial comic book storyline?
Image credits: Andrew Milligan/Getty Images
Although the first clip appears to feature Spider-Man’s webshooters, the film could swap them for organic webbing later in the story.
In the comics, the character begins with mechanical web-shooters but later gains the ability to spin organic webs. However, this ability was retconned after the One More Day storyline, which is a direct precursor to the Brand New Day arc.
Both storylines proved controversial among readers for changing beloved aspects of Spider-Man and essentially nullifying his character growth.
The film’s title is derived from the Brand New Day storyline, hinting it could borrow elements from the comic and reshape Holland’s character.
Those changes might not appeal to everyone and could divide the audience. As a result, the upcoming movie could become one of the franchise’s most controversial entries.
Who is directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Image credits: Stewart Cook/Getty Images
Jon Watts, who directed the first three Holland-led films, did not return for the fourth installment.
Instead, Marvel brought in Destin Daniel Cretton to direct. Cretton directed the MCU film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and worked on the Wonder Man series.
In a January 2026 interview with ComicBook, Cretton talked about helming a Spider-Man movie. He called it “one of the roles of a lifetime” while teasing a major tonal shift for the franchise.
“Of course, it’s still the Spider-Man that everybody loves, but this is a new chapter in his life, and that tonal shift was something that was really exciting to me,” he said.
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
The film also reunites Holland with his real-life fiancée Zendaya, who reprises her role as Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson.
Jon Bernthal returns as Frank Castle/The Punisher, while Mark Ruffalo reprises his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Meanwhile, Tramell Tillman and Sadie Sink have been cast in undisclosed roles.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to be released on July 31, 2026.
