Tom Holland says the new Spider-Man movie from Sony, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” tells a different kind of superhero story, one built around vulnerability rather than typical action heroics.
“The movie kind of serves as this cautionary tale about living a life alone, the importance of community, and how sometimes the bravest thing to do in life is to ask for help,” Holland told Reuters in New York.
He added that the film has a heavier and more grounded feel than earlier entries. “It’s definitely more grounded; it’s grittier, it’s more emotional, but that doesn’t mean we sacrifice the humor and the fun.”
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The story picks up after No Way Home
The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and is set a few years after “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which was directed by Jon Watts.
In this new chapter, Peter Parker is still dealing with the effects of a spell cast by Doctor Strange, one that erased everyone’s memory of him, including the fact that he is Spider-Man.
This has deeply affected the people closest to him, including his girlfriend Michelle “MJ” Jones Watson, played by Zendaya (Holland’s real life wife), and his best friend Ned, played by Jacob Batalon. Neither of them remembers ever knowing Peter.
Spider-Man finds an unexpected ally in the Punisher
As Peter tries to adjust to his new reality, he crosses paths with the vigilante Punisher, played by Jon Bernthal. This marks a crossover from the Marvel series “Daredevil” and Netflix’s “The Punisher.”
Although their relationship starts off tense, the two eventually build a bond.
Bernthal explained what makes their dynamic interesting. “I think it’s always interesting when you have two characters who are just trying to push everything away. That’s sort of the opposite of what being a human being is, and sometimes it just sort of takes over, and all of a sudden you find yourself caring about someone you swore you never would.”
More familiar faces join the story
The Punisher isn’t the only well known character appearing in the film. The cast also includes Florence Pugh as the assassin Yelena Belova and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk.
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One mystery still has fans guessing, the true identity of the character played by “Stranger Things” star Sadie Sink. She admitted that keeping the secret has become harder as promotion for the film ramps up.
“Now that I have to talk about it all day, it is a little bit more difficult than I thought,” she said.
The director wants fans to enjoy the surprises
Cretton, known for directing “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and executive producing Marvel’s “Wonder Man,” hopes viewers will still be caught off guard by parts of the story.
“Trying to figure out the puzzle beforehand is fun and exhilarating and creates anticipation. But I do hope that people don’t look too hard, because the experience of watching it on the big screen in a room full of people, it’s great to still have a lot of surprises for them,” he said.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” releases in theaters on July 31.
FAQS
1.When does Spider-Man: Brand New Day release in theaters?
The film arrives in theaters on July 31.
2.What is the movie about?
It follows Peter Parker dealing with isolation after Doctor Strange’s memory erasing spell wipes out everyone’s knowledge of him, including his identity as Spider-Man.
