Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to break a 10-year MCU streak regarding Spider-Man, and since the franchise will be venturing into uncharted territory, it is unclear whether it will work out in the end or not. Tom Holland's Peter Parker is one of the most popular superheroes of all time, and his Spider-Man films within the MCU have always seen great success. Brand New Day, which will be released on July 31, will begin a new chapter for the character, but something a lot of fans may not have thought about is that it will also serve as a litmus test for an important aspect of the MCU's future.
Marvel Studios has already confirmed that Jon Bernthal will be reprising his role as Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The character has shown up in the film's marketing on multiple occasions and has even appeared in the movie's official trailer. Notably, this marks the first time in MCU history that a Spider-Man title, or any MCU project featuring the web-slinger, will feature an R-rated character in a major role.
Essentially, no movie Tom Holland's Peter Parker has been in has included an R-rated character, and since Bernthal's Punisher will be such an important character in the upcoming Brand New Day film, that 10-year streak that began when Holland was introduced in 2016's Captain America: Civil War is now over.
Now, it is important to at least mention that Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) did show up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, it was simply a cameo appearance that lasted only a few moments. Cox wasn't actually an integral piece of the puzzle, and he was never put in a position for his more extreme, R-rated side to come out.
Of all of the R-rated MCU characters who could be included in Brand New Day, the Punisher is probably the second-farthest toward the R side of the spectrum, only behind Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool. As shown in Bernthal's self-titled Punisher series that originally aired on Netflix, his appearances in the other Netflix shows, his role in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, and especially in the recently released Punisher: One Last Kill Disney+ Special Presentation, the character does not hold back at all.
For instance, Frank doesn't hold back when it comes to violence. He is widely regarded as one of the most brutal characters in the MCU, and his character arc often deals with extremely mature and heavy themes. He can also have a bit of a mouth on him, as he doesn't care to let some foul language fly. In the Brand New Day trailer alone, it appeared as though Frank was about to drop an F-bomb before his mouth was webbed up by Peter.
So, the inclusion of Punisher in Brand New Day means that a rather extreme R-rated character is going to have a major role in the movie. This presents an interesting and potentially troubling scenario for Disney and Marvel Studios.
Spider-Man is undoubtedly one of the most popular superheroes in the world. Most fans would agree he is either in the one or two spot, as one could present a compelling case for either him or DC's Batman as the most popular. However, Spider-Man, especially when it comes to movies and TV shows, has always been an entirely kid-friendly character. A lot of Peter's actions are lighthearted and contain moments kids would enjoy, and the character of Spider-Man is simply a good role model.
However, since Punisher is going to be a major character in Brand New Day, it could end up hurting Disney's ability to market the film to families and children, especially since the Punisher: One Last Kill special is the MCU project that will come just before Brand New Day in the franchise's release slate.
It is possible that adults who are familiar with Punisher could see that he is involved in the project and think Brand New Day may not be appropriate for the whole family to see. Once again, since One Last Kill is coming out just before Brand New Day on the release schedule, if a parent were to watch that special and see just how violent and mature it is, they could think the same content and tone could carry over into Brand New Day.
For 10 years now, no one has had to worry about a Spider-Man film (or general MCU project featuring the character) being inappropriate in any way. After all, this is a friendly neighborhood character being talked about. However, Punisher's inclusion could change that.
In turn, if parents think the upcoming film could be too mature for their kids, it could hurt the movie's box office run, and potentially its streaming numbers after the movie leaves theaters.
Will Spider-Man: Brand New Day Include R-Rated Elements?
Now, it is extremely important to mention that Spider-Man: Brand New Day has not officially received a rating yet, but it will almost definitely (almost definitely meaning 99.99%) be PG-13. Disney and Marvel Studios would likely never create an R-rated Spider-Man project because it simply would turn off so many viewers, and families, especially, would be extremely upset.
However, that does not mean Brand New Day won't have some more mature elements and a darker tone than other PG-13 MCU or Spider-Man films. For instance, it is safe to assume that Brand New Day will feel wildly different from Spider-Man: Far From Home, which had a lot of lighthearted and comedic elements.
Brand New Day is going to feature a Peter Parker who is likely dealing with some depression, loneliness, and other mental health issues. After all, in his last outing, the web-slinger lost Aunt May, his girlfriend (MJ) and best friend (Ned) don't even know who he is anymore, and he still has to juggle his personal life with being Spider-Man. Based on the trailers, Peter will also start going through some insane changes on a molecular level, as he will have organic webbing, experience blackouts, and more.
So, the upcoming film will likely be quite a bit darker than other Spider-Man entries. That doesn't mean, though, that it will not still be family-friendly. It may deal with some more mature themes than other Spider-Man films, but it will probably still be inspiring and showcase Peter overcoming his personal obstacles.
As far as the Punisher goes, yes, he will have a major role in the movie and will still likely display some of his more extreme nature, but he will most definitely be toned down. The language won't be as foul, and the violence won't be nearly as hardcore. However, he will still be the same Punisher that fans know and love, as Bernthal himself has promised.
