A new theory might reveal Spider-Man: Brand New Day's ever-mysterious main villain. Even with production on the 2026 MCU sequel now underway in the U.K., it remains unclear who Peter Parker is facing this time around. Fan theories have ranged among everyone from Mr. Negative to Mark Ruffalo's Savage Hulk - the latter of whom will appear but isn't expected to be the primary antagonist.
Recently, Marvel and Sony finally confirmed one villain, revealing that Brand New Day will finally resolve an eight-year-old cliffhanger as Michael Mando reprises Mac Gargan, aka Scorpion. But even the much-anticipated returning Homecoming villain isn't expected to be Brand New Day's big bad, and eight villains have been rumored to appear at this point, leaving more mystery than ever.
According to one theory shared on X by @DrawsTom, Spider-Man: Brand New Day's main villain will be Alistair Smythe, aka Spider-Slayer. Before explaining exactly why Smythe could be the next villain for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, it's first important to give a little context on this lesser-known antagonist.
For those unaware, Alistair Smythe is a famed robotics expert who created the Spider-Slayers as a series of robots designed to destroy Spider-Man. He has also been known to turn himself into a cyborg or wear high-tech armored suits as part of his vendetta against Spider-Man, along with giving upgrades to other villains.
Originally, the Spider-Slayers were created by Alistair's father, Spencer Smythe, after being commissioned by J. Jonah Jameson (who is expected to return in Brand New Day). While Spider-Man thwarted those plans, Alistair followed in his father's footsteps by working under Kingpin, but ultimately went solo after a disagreement, continuing the project out of sheer hatred for Spider-Man.
Interestingly, scooper DanielRPK recently hinted that Spider-Man 4's main antagonist is "NONE of the villains that we heard about," particularly ruling out Mr. Negative. The Smythes certainly fit that bill, but there are three more
Leaked Designs Hint at Spider-Slayer
One of Spider-Man 4's most confusing rumors suggested Wolverine villain Silver Samurai could feature after The Cosmic Circus saw that "some new concept art now features a Samurai character." Comparing the villains side by side, it's easy to see how a Spider-Slayer could be confused for Silver Samurai in early designs.
There has also been a lot of talk lately about a red logo spotted on the side of a tank being used in Spider-Man 4's recent Glasgow production. While there has been talk of it belonging to Punisher or the Inner Demons, the shape and horns also resemble some versions of Smythe's Spider-Slayer helmet.
Perhaps this logo could belong to some corporation or gang run by the Smythes, with the horned branding present on all their creations, including this tank.
Brand New Day's Other Rumored Villains
Smythe has been known to upgrade several villains in the past, most notably Scorpion, Boomerang, and Vulture in a Superior Spider-Man storyline. Funnily enough, the former two of those villains were recently reported by DanielRPK to feature in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, along with Ramrod and Tombstone.
While Ramrod's rumored inclusion stirred up confusion due to him being a Daredevil villain, he is also a cyborg, meaning he may be another of Smythe's experiments in the movie. That said, that doesn't quite explain how Tombstone could play into things, as his enhancements are usually chemical, not cybernetic.
The Casting Calls Align
Currently, there is no sign of a casting for Smythe if this theory proves correct, unless Stranger Things star Sadie Sink was playing a gender-bent take. The villain made his only previous live-action appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, where he was played by The Office actor B.J. Novak.
Looking back to previous casting calls for Spider-Man 4, one called for a "resourceful young man in his early 20s," who could conceivably be Alistair Smythe. Meanwhile, another sought a male actor from 30-50 who is a "no-nonsense authority figure who sees the world in black and white" and is "willing to cross lines to maintain order," possibly referring to Spencer Smythe.
