Marvel Studios will feature a historic crossover with Netflix's Defenders Saga in one of its upcoming superhero movies. Before Echo's debut on Disney+, Disney finally dubbed the Defenders Saga canon with the greater MCU, fully integrating heroes like Daredevil and Jessica Jones into Marvel Studios' legacy. Looking ahead, this will finally come to fruition in the movies like never before in 2026.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed Jon Bernthal's starring role as the Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Although Charlie Cox reprised his role as Daredevil in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, his appearance only lasted for about a minute, making him not much more than a cameo. For the web-slinger's next solo movie, Bernthal will change that status in grand fashion.
Speaking with Games Radar, Feige addressed the promise at the end of No Way Home that fans will see Tom Holland's Peter Parker "being a proper Spider-Man" and "dealing with...street-level crime." He also pointed out a comic cover with Spider-Man and the Punisher that he loved, noting how the two have never interacted with one another on the big screen before:
"I think there's a promise at the end of 'No Way Home' that, for as sad as it is that Peter is forgotten by everyone in his life, we are seeing for the first time in the Tom Holland Spider-Man stories, him being a proper Spider-Man. It's him being by himself, dedicated to saving the city and dealing with, for lack of [a] better [term], street-level crime as opposed to world-ending events that he faced when working with the other characters. When you do that, you say, 'Okay, who are the other street-level characters that we've never seen them interact with?' And of course, I love that Punisher started in a Spider-Man comic, on that great cover."
Jon Bernthal's role as the Punisher in this movie marks the first time any character from Marvel's Netflix shows has had a significant role in an MCU film. It will only be the second time a Netflix character has been in an MCU movie, after Cox's inclusion in Spider-Man: No Way Home kicked off the trend.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the fourth solo Spider-Man movie in the MCU, picking up after Doctor Strange's spell forced the world to forget about Peter Parker's existence. The cast will bring back Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and Jon Bernthal and introduce newcomers such as The Bear's Liza Colón-Zayas. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will debut in theaters on July 31, 2026.
Other Possible Street-Level Characters in Spider-Man 4
Daredevil
Following the announcement confirming Jon Bernthal's Punisher for Spider-Man 4, fans ramped up their cries to see Charlie Cox play a bigger role in the next web-slinger film as well. Cox enjoyed a thrilling cameo in No Way Home when Matt Murdock met with Peter Parker to discuss his legal situation, but fans have yet to see their super alter-egos interact in live-action.
With Punisher already on board, fans are eager to see Daredevil suit up alongside his fellow red-suited vigilante, particularly after seeing Matt and Frank Castle take out enemies again in Daredevil: Born Again. While the story details are still murky, fitting the Devil of Hell's Kitchen into an adventure with Queens' finest would not be hard from a narrative standpoint.
Jessica Jones
In May 2025, Marvel Studios confirmed a comeback for Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter, who will bring the leather-jacket-wearing heroine back for a role in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. Now, as the Defenders slowly start to leak back into Marvel Studios' core plot, many hope to see her and Spider-Man take on a story together.
In past comics, Jessica previously attempted to reveal Peter Parker's identity, giving them something to work off of should Holland and Ritter share the screen with one another. Although that may not happen in the MCU due to Doctor Strange's spell, there is still plenty of hope to see them suit up next to each other and take out plenty of enemies.
Prowler
In 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, Donald Glover made his MCU debut as Aaron Davis, better known as both Prowler and the uncle of famous Spider-Man Miles Morales. Only seen in a short moment with Peter Parker, fans have only seen him pop up again via a live-action cameo in 2023's animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as many wait to see him fully evolve into the Prowler.
While the Prowler is mostly utilized as a villain, there are a few occasions in Marvel Comics where he has been a more heroic character. Marvel Studios could potentially change things around for him with an appearance in Spider-Man 4, although it would be his first time back in the MCU in nearly a decade.
Spider-Gwen
One hero fans are still waiting to see take the spotlight in the MCU is Spider-Gwen, one of the leading heroes from the Spider-Verse animated movies and a powerful hero in her own right. Usually from an alternate universe, Gwen Stacy embraces the power and responsibilities of being a superhero, swinging around gracefully through New York and protecting anybody she can.
Some rumors for Spider-Man 4 have teased Sadie Sink playing the MCU's Gwen Stacy after her reported casting in the sequel. This could give Sink a chance to take on an exciting ground-level hero, as fans are anxious to see what role she ends up playing in the story.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
