Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already revealed a great lineup of villains, but it doesn't look like Peter Parker's most iconic foe will make an appearance in the fourth film. Tom Holland's fourth MCU Spider-Man film picks up years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which saw a plethora of baddies from across different Spider-Man films and universes collide in the MCU. Following on from that, Spider-Man has some mysterious new threats to face in Brand New Day.
One villain who is not expected to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day is Norman Osborn and his company, Oscorp. Osborn, who is also the Green Goblin, is an iconic foe of both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, thanks to his dual identities, and has made appearances in both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man film series.
Marvel insider Alex Perez from The Cosmic Circus responded to a question on X, revealing that there is "No mention of Norman or Oscorp in [Brand New Day]." Willem Dafoe's iteration of Osborn was drawn into the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and many thought this might finally lay the groundwork for Marvel Studios to introduce a new version, but that doesn't seem to be the case in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
This also quashes theories about Keith David's role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which some had speculated might be the MCU's Norman Osborn (though others think he's a different Marvel villain).
In Marvel Comics, Norman Osborn is an industrialist, scientist, and the head of Oscorp, a multi-billion-dollar tech giant. Norman takes a liking to Peter Parker for his intellect, which angers his own son, Harry Osborn, who is typically Peter's best friend. Driven by a need for power, Norman uses his resources to moonlight as the Green Goblin, who becomes the nemesis of Spider-Man.
Despite the Osborns playing a huge role in Peter's life in the Maguire and Garfield franchises (and the Marvel Studios animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man), the MCU has avoided any mention of the fictional family, even after four films.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, and Jon Bernthal. The movie, directed by Shang-Chi and Wonder Man's Destin Daniel Cretton, will be released on July 31, 2026.
When Will the Osborns Enter the MCU?
While many of the Spider-Man stories to date have leaned into the Osborn family lore, the MCU has stayed far away from it, instead introducing Tony Stark as Peter's tech billionaire mentor. Now that Robert Downey Jr. is returning as Doctor Doom in the MCU, Peter may still have his shock mentor-to-villain moment, but this doesn't prevent fans from wanting to see Holland's character interact with the Osborns.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a new era for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, picking up several years after the last movie and finding Peter Parker in his college days. This is typically the time in Peter's chronology that he meets Harry Osborn and is introduced to the wider Osborn family.
With Tony Stark out of the picture (for now) and Peter Parker alone in the world thanks to Doctor Strange's memory spell, it seems like a prime time to introduce a new set of characters for him to interact with, which the Osborns could logically fulfill. However, it seems Marvel Studios still isn't ready to introduce Norman Osborn just yet, perhaps due to the already stacked lineup of villains Spider-Man is dealing with in this film.
Still, Holland seemingly has a few more films left as Spider-Man, so there's a chance the MCU will get its Norman Osborn eventually.
