Holland has more or less set the fandom on fire with a little nudge that the webhead’s days in the MCU are ‘really bright’ and will be made for by ‘spectacular new characters’. In no time at all, fans have zeroed in on six of their top picks from Marvel they’re sure we’ll be seeing, with Miles and a host of other types of allies and nemeses at the top of the list.
He let it slip as he was touting for Spider Man Brand New Day, and the web went to work. Now there is so much chatter you could say the question isn’t whether we’ll get some new faces, but which ones make sense for Peter’s next act in New York.
There’s a method to it. You have to think about how No Way Home left things: with Peter’s identity in the wind and no more Stark or Avengers to lean on. People are picking up on a move toward something more down-to-earth, with the kind of messy ties you only find in your own backyard.
Holland’s tease ignites Spider Man buzz
On El Hormiguero, he didn’t give us any hard numbers, but you could see he’s in on Marvel’s plan for Peter. He was very insistent the road ahead is 'really bright‘ and that there are ‘spectacular new characters’ being worked on, though he’ll be the first to say he hasn’t seen the whole picture yet.
And that was enough to put theories all over social media. Everyone is trying to figure out who can put some meat on the bones of a Spider Man who is a bit more of a lone wolf now. The mood is for some good old-fashioned, human-sized conflict and partnerships with a few strings attached.
It’s worth noting when this is coming. Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider Man Brand New Day comes out July 31, 2026. It’s meant to be a fresh start in the wake of the way No Way Home left us, with the rest of the world having no recollection of Peter Parker.
The six comic favourites fans want in the MCU
So you have these six who seem to fit the bill, in terms of tone and where Peter is at. Instead of just listing them off, fans are looking at how they might put the hero in a spot or have his back.
Allies and anti-heroes
Miles Morales is the one you can’t miss in the replies. He’s had his run in the comics and on the big screen, so for a lot of people, a live action turn in the MCU is long overdue. Some are even putting together a scenario where Peter is the one to show the younger Miles the ropes, without him taking over the mantle.
We have some proof of concept for that. With Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis already in the fold, Marvel has given us a signpost. To many, that makes a Miles intro feel like it’s only a matter of when, not if.
Then you have the case for Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. Black Cat. She’s a natural for the part, with her way of being in the grey. As a top-shelf thief she doesn’t do anything in a straight line, and you can see her as a rival, a friend, or somewhere in between. Fans think her kind of repartee would be a welcome change for a Peter who is a little more jaded.
Cindy Moon, or Silk, is another one with some steam behind her. Since she was on the receiving end of the same spider bite as Peter in the source material, she’s a way to put a true Spider family on screen and show how the powers can be two different things for two different people.
And to close out the side of friends, there are those who want to see a proper working relationship with Daredevil, not just a cameo. Charlie Cox has been in the room with him, and the audience is ready for the obvious: two guys in masks holding down the fort in a story with a bit more of an edge and a lot less of the cosmic stuff.
Villains and the black suit
As for the bad guys, you could make an argument Scorpion is due for a return.
You could say the die was cast with Mac Gargan’s cameo in Homecoming. Now that Peter has been put through the wringer and is in a rebuilding phase, there’s a case to be made for Scorpion as a no-nonsense kind of villain-one that makes you earn your keep with some street smarts.
And then you have the whole Venom question. Eddie Brock made a multiverse run-in in his time, and we know a piece of the symbiote is out there after No Way Home. The fans are after the old story: Peter in the black suit, giving in to the dark side, and having to come to terms with it.
Put those six together and you have the makings of what people want to see in Brand New Day: some hard-hitting brawls, odd bedfellows, and consequences that matter. Marvel hasn’t put a name to any of it yet, but the writing is on the wall.
Here’s the short version of where the fanbase is at:
– Miles is in need of a guide; Peter can be it
– Black Cat for the trouble and the spark
– Silk to round out the Spider roster
– A natural fit for an NYC night with Daredevil
– Scorpion for the up-close-and-personal
– And the black suit is the one they all want
The logic behind the ground game
Holland’s Peter is back to square one. You don’t have the Avengers to fall back on, or Tony Stark’s tech, or even a friend who knows you from before. It’s an open invitation for more of a human drama, where what you do has a longer shelf life than a pyrotechnic display.
It gives you room to play with tone. Black Cat can be a friend one minute and a foe the next. With Daredevil, you can put the onus of a city on two shoulders. Scorpion is a thorn in your side without needing a deus ex machina to end the fight.
Venom is the ultimate test of character. The suit is a way to see what happens when power and hurt get in the way. It’s showy, sure, but it has to have some heart. That’s the line the audience wants to see.
Where this leaves Tom Holland
He’s been open about not being in the spandex for good, and about making way for the new kids while he’s still around in some capacity. It fuels the idea that we’re in for a slow handoff.
Miles Morales is the obvious choice, but not to put Peter on the shelf. Let him be a leader while Miles is in the thick of it. You get a better legacy that way.
Add in a run-in with Black Cat to ruffle some feathers, or a partnership with the Man Without Fear to put you in the crosshairs of the law. There’s pain with Scorpion and the lure of the symbiote. It’s a trial by fire.
Don’t let the buzz fool you, though. Holland has been careful with his words. He’s got some ambition, but he hasn’t signed off on anything. We’re putting the puzzle together because it seems to fit.
Eyes on July 31, 2026
Brand New Day is set for that date, with Cretton in the director’s chair. Who’s in it? We don’t know. But you can bet we’ll be combing through every set photo for a hint of a web or a feline silhouette.
If you take Holland at his word, this is a fresh start for Peter, not a write-off. "Spectacular new characters” is how he puts it.
So until we have something in writing, the theory stands: Miles, Black Cat, Silk, Matt, Mac, and the alien in the suit. One city, one Spider, and a lot of room for error.
We’re not asking if the world is going to get bigger. We’re just waiting to see which way the door opens. The rest is up to the MCU.
