Any superhero is only as good as their villain, and Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day will arrive at an interesting point in the franchise.
If lore is to be followed, Peter Parker will be part of the Secret Wars adventure and it is on Battleworld where he will get his symbiotic suit.
Before that, the rumor is that we will get a street-level Spider-Man story after Avengers-centric and multiverse hopping instalments.
This would make sense, given where the last instalment left Parker.
A casting call that has gone out for an Asian actor between the ages of 30 and 50 for what is said to be a major role.
Scooper DanielRPK broke the news, and this has led to speculation that the character being cast is Martin Li.
Anyone who knows their Spider-Man knows that Martin Li was introduced during te Brand New Day storyline in the comics, and his alter-ego is Mr. Negative.
In the comics, Martin Li is a benevolent and kind philanthropist who founded an indicative to help the homeless. This was the F.E.A.S.T. Project.
Providing “Food, Emergency, Aid, Shelter & Training”, the organisation was already referenced in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Of course, nothing is straightforward, and Martin Li has a split personality with half of his consciousness being taken up with Mister Negative, a ruthless crime lord who leads the Inner Demons gang and battles for control of New York’s Chinatown.
When he is in this persona he has the appearance of a photographic negative.
His powers include powers of healing, or to corrupt by touch. So like Russell Brand, then?
He also has mind-control and can create an electrical charge.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set for a July 31st 2026 release, and filming starts as soon as Tom Holland is off Christopher Nolan’s Odysseus.