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Tom Holland is putting the mask back on, but this time, he’s trading in green screens for real streets. The actor recently opened up about the direction of his next Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, during an interview with “Flip Your Wig” at his Bero Padel Classic tournament, and he teased a major shift in how the movie will be made. After the COVID-impacted production of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was largely filmed on soundstages, Holland says the new installment is going “old school.”
“We were really restricted with what we could do in the last movie because of COVID. We shot the entire film on stages,” Holland said. “Now we’re really gonna lean into that old school filmmaking and shoot in real locations, which is why we’re starting in Glasgow.”
The film will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, best known for helming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, replacing Jon Watts, who directed Holland’s first three outings as the web-slinger. The new direction not only represents a change in visual approach but also in tone. According to Holland, the use of practical locations and grounded set pieces will give the film a different energy, one that harkens back to his earlier days in the role.
“It’s gonna feel like making [‘Homecoming’] again,” Holland continued. “It’s been such a long time that I’ve done it that it’s gonna feel like a breath of fresh air. I think the fans are going to be over the moon with what we’re putting together.”
Spider-Man: Brand New Day was previously described by Holland as a “fresh start” during a presentation at Cinema-Con earlier this year. He referenced the dramatic ending of No Way Home, in which Peter Parker erased his own identity from the world to protect those he loves. “It is exactly that. A fresh start,” Holland reiterated. “That’s all I’ve been allowed to say.”
Details around the film’s plot are still under wraps, but the cast is already shaping up. Jon Bernthal is confirmed to return as the Punisher, and Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink will be making her Marvel debut in an undisclosed role. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are also expected to reprise their roles as MJ and Ned.
With a box office history that includes $880 million for Homecoming, $1.13 billion for Far From Home, and $1.9 billion for No Way Home, expectations are sky-high. But if Holland’s words are any indication, Brand New Day could offer something even more valuable: a Spider-Man film with heart, grit, and the city streets under its feet.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to hit theaters on July 31, 2026, from Disney and Marvel Studios.
