Villains from the Daredevil Netflix series will reportedly pose problems for Tom Holland's Spider-Man in 2026's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The web-slinger will have no shortage of powerful bad guys to face in his next solo movie, which comes after taking on legacy antagonists from past franchises in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Next time around, this franchise will dive deep into MCU history, revisiting one of the biggest criminal organizations from the streaming world.
A new rumor indicated that Spider-Man will fight The Hand in Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day. According to insider Daniel Richtman, Sony and Marvel filmed a scene with the web-slinger fighting "an army of ninjas." Rictman not only confirmed that this is The Hand but that they are "comic-accurate, red-suited Hand ninjas:"
"A while ago I mentioned that they filmed an action scene with Spider-Man fighting an army of ninjas. Speculation online started about who those ninjas could be, and I can now confirm that they are indeed The Hand. Not only that, but they’re comic-accurate, red-suited Hand ninjas."
Should this be true, this would be the first time the MCU has used The Hand since Netflix's Defenders Saga, which is confirmed to be MCU canon after Echo and Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Seen mostly in the original Daredevil series, The Hand formed in K'un-Lun before expanding worldwide. Led by five powerful warriors (the five "fingers" of the figurative hand), the organization comprises skilled ninjas and warriors who strive for the ultimate goal of achieving immortality.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the fourth solo MCU Spider-Man movie and the second film released in the MCU's Phase 6 slate. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, and Mark Ruffalo, Peter Parker will figure out his identity in the shadows while facing a horde of terrifying antagonists. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will swing into theaters on July 31, 2026. A first trailer is potentially debuting after the start of the new year (unless rumors saying otherwise prove to be true).
How The Hand Will Bring Netflix Lore to Spider-Man 4
Spider-Man 4 is already bringing in plenty of material from the Netflix shows, courtesy of Jon Bernthal's MCU movie debut as the Punisher. While he did not have a ton of experience fighting The Hand, the group is sure to have plenty of influence in New York City when Peter Parker returns to action.
Spider-Man 4 already has more than its fair share of villains, including Scorpion, Tombstone, Boomerang, and more. While Michael Mando's Scorpion is rumored to be the main villain in the story, The Hand could still play a major role in throwing the city into chaos. It will also be their first on-screen action since the Defenders Saga, meaning fans may need to catch up on their actions from that gap.
Now that Sigourney Weaver's Alexandra Reid is dead (and Wai Ching Ho's Madame Gao likely gone as well), The Hand will likely have new leaders building their power and influence in the city. This movie could also be an opportunity to give the Big Apple a fresh start, as it is unclear how much influence projects like Born Again and Thunderbolts* had on the events of Spider-Man 4.
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.
