Spider-Man: Brand New Day set photos revealed Peter Parker's meeting with the Punisher in the much-anticipated flick. Next year will be the biggest yet for Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, as he returns for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, a solo Disney+ Special Presentation, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. All three productions filmed on location, leading to the first look at Punisher’s new MCU costume, along with shots of his upgraded battle van for Brand New Day.
In the early days of Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s filming in Glasgow, Scotland, a suited-up Peter Parker was pictured atop an upgraded battle van, driven by Frank Castle. This marks the first look at Spider-Man and Punisher together in Brand New Day. With the chase scene heavily speculated to land near the opening of Spider-Man 4, it seems the conflicting heroes may meet early on.
As Spider-Man and Punisher look to be talking through the windscreen, they may be debating how to handle whatever mutual threat they are facing. The two heroes will likely end up at odds in Spider-Man 4, with Punisher undoubtedly pushing for the more lethal, murderous approach.
Much like Spider-Man, Punisher looks to be in hot pursuit of the tank, tearing through the streets of New York, or rather, Glasgow.
Further set photos indicated this tank may be en route to a Damage Control facility to cause a prison break that may free Michael Mando’s Scorpion.
As of now, fans are still waiting to see Jon Bernthal himself on the Spider-Man: Brand New Day set, but perhaps the returning actor’s reveal may be saved for the trailer, which is rumored to release in December.
The Punisher & Spider-Man’s Conflict Could Be Key to Brand New Day
Currently, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle have never met in the MCU, but that will all change, likely early on in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It seems both heroes are pursuing the tank, whose driver remains a mystery, and will look to impose their own very different brands of justice.
The Punisher is reportedly set for a major role in Brand New Day, marking the first Netflix hero to make the theatrical jump in a big way. One has to wonder if Spider-Man 4 will be able to top the iconic rooftop scene from Daredevil Season 2 in which Castle and a chained-up Matt Murdock debated their contrasting moralities.
Famously, Castle lost everything many years back when his family was murdered. Peter Parker can relate to that now more than ever, having lost Aunt May and later his friends when all memory of him was erased from the planet. The contrasting ways they react to such losses and how they influence their crime-fighting styles may be a central debate in the July 2026 sequel.
One has to wonder if Spider-Man’s kindness and more heroic form of justice will rub off on The Punisher after their antics together. But it’s tough to imagine any changes lasting long enough to impact Castle’s MCU future, as his killing nature is a key part of his identity.
Castle may not be alone in the battle van, as rumor has it, The Punisher is getting a Black female sidekick in Spider-Man 4. It remains unclear who has landed that role, as the race description rules out speculation that Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is playing Rachel Cole-Alves from Marvel Comics.
