A dream MCU crossover for the franchise's Netflix projects may be closer than ever after Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' fourth solo MCU Spider-Man movie is already a massive hit in its own right, marking a crossover event unlike any seen in the franchise. On top of that, this may also be the first step toward even more crossovers that fans have wanted to see for years.
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures almost included a cameo appearance by Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Dawson revealed at a GalaxyCon panel in Raleigh, North Carolina, that she had filmed a scene for the movie as Claire alongside Tom Holland's Peter Parker, but it was removed from the final cut. However, she later explained that she would love to reprise the role if the opportunity arises.
This suggests Marvel was willing to bring back yet another character from the Netflix Daredevil series, which ran for three seasons from 2015 to 2018. The first crossover moment between these two stories came in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, when Charlie Cox had a cameo as Matt Murdock, who worked as Peter Parker's lawyer. However, this was his only scene in the movie, which did not include him suiting up as Daredevil.
The MCU and its Netflix stories intersected in a much bigger fashion in Brand New Day, which featured Jon Bernthal in a supporting role as Frank Castle/the Punisher. This not only marked the Punisher's first appearance in a Marvel movie in 18 years, but also the first time Bernthal's Punisher appeared in an MCU project that did not debut on Netflix or Disney+.
Specifically, Claire was meant to appear in an early scene in the movie after Spider-Man fought Michael Mando's Scorpion, during his terrifying Spider-puberty. He would have encountered Claire while looking after the officers injured in the fight between him and Scorpion, although further details were not revealed.
How More MCU/Netflix Crossovers Could Happen in the Future
With Marvel now proven willing to have its Netflix-based characters crossover with the broader MCU, the question is how other crossover moments might arise.
At the forefront of most fans' minds is a true moment for Spidey and Daredevil to fight side by side in their suits, as shown in an episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man that featured Cox as Daredevil on Disney+. With both based out of New York and sharing a handful of enemies, seeing these ground-level heroes team up with each other is something many have wanted to see since both entered the MCU about a decade ago.
Alongside that idea is the possibility that Vincent D'Onofrio finally joins his first MCU movie as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, especially after being removed from his position as the Mayor of New York. This is something D'Onofrio has pushed for years, but he has also explained that rights issues may have gotten in the way. Considering Spidey and Kingpin are one of Marvel Comics' best hero/villain combos, many feel it is almost criminal not to have had Holland and D'Onofrio go toe-to-toe yet.
Considering Claire Temple almost made her way into Brand New Day, it seems to be only a matter of time before she makes her first MCU appearance since 2018's Luke Cage Season 2. However, only time will tell how Marvel's greater cinematic universe expands in movies and on TV as Phase 6 moves into Phase 7.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer. 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.
