Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to introduce a new mentor for Peter Parker, and their dynamic will definitely be a must-see. Throughout his MCU journey, Peter Parker has rarely operated without guidance. His mentor-mentee arc began with Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, continued with Doctor Strange, and reached a heartfelt peak with his two Multiversal counterparts: Peter 2 (Tobey Maguire) and Peter 3 (Andrew Garfield), veteran Spider-Men who offered much-needed wisdom in the face of chaos. While he is completely isolated from his friends in Brand New Day, Spider-Man's mentor-mentee arc will continue with the arrival of an unlikely anti-hero.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Jon Bernthal confirmed that his Frank Castle will serve as an "unusual mentor" for Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, pointing out that the character's signature toughness cracks open in moments of surprise protectiveness for the web-slinger:
“Frank is purpose-driven, mission-driven, ‘leave me the f*ck alone’ — and I love when there are little cracks in that. Frank plays an unusual mentor role here by recognizing Peter’s warped state of mind: “He’s like, ‘Why are you being a dick to her? Don’t do that — that’s what I do.’ To see himself in this and then be a little bit protective like, ‘You’re trying to do the whole dark thing, don’t do that shit, I do that sh*t, it’s not fun, do your sh*t’ — I love that, and I really buy that.”
It seems that Frank will see his own darkness reflected in Peter's growing isolation and anger, prompting the young hero to push back against it. This mentorship feels earned and organic, born from street-level collaboration rather than recruitment or cosmic coincidence.
In a film where Peter has no one left to lean on, the Punisher becomes the gritty voice of experience, the anti-hero who's already lived the consequences of walking too far into the shadows (as elaborated in The Punisher: One Last Kill) and is determined to keep Peter from making the same mistakes.
This confirmation makes Frank Castle the 9th mentor of Peter Parker in the MCU, joining the likes of Tony Stark, Aunt May, and the two Spider-Men from Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Every Mentor of Tom Holland's Peter Parker In the MCU
Tony Stark
Tony Stark became the first official mentor of Peter Parker in the MCU, recruiting him as part of Team Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War, and became a full-fledged (and hardened) ally in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tony gave Peter his advanced Spider-Man suit, access to Stark Tech, and real-world missions.
Aside from the valuable resources he provided, some of the key mentoring moments include Tony constantly checking in on Peter, stripping him of his suit to force him to prove himself as a hero without tech, and indirectly passing the torch to him after his death from Avengers: Endgame.
Tony taught Peter about legacy, sacrifice, and the balance between heroism and humanity. The pair's relationship was the emotional core of Peter's arc from the Infinity Saga.
Mysterio
Spider-Man: Far From Home established Mysterio as a seasoned hero who came from another Earth, positioning himself as a wiser mentor to help Peter step out of Tony Stark's shadow. However, as fans know by now, Quentin Beck was a deceptive false mentor who only used Peter for his own twisted plan.
Still, Mysterio had genuine moments when he gave Peter good advice, such as comforting him after Nick Fury scolded him over a failed mission.
Beck ultimately exploited Peter's vulnerability and hero worship to steal the EDITH glasses and frame him, exposing Peter's secret identity as Spider-Man to the world at the end of Far From Home.
Nick Fury (Talos)
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Nick Fury (who was actually Skrull Talos impersonating the former SHIELD director while the real one was in space) recruited Peter for a high-stakes mission against the Elementals.
Fury pushed Peter to take on greater responsibility, trying to accelerate his growth beyond street-level hero work. As Nick Fury, Talos taught Peter about global threats and operating beyond his comfort zone, making him a pragmatic (yet deceptive) mentor during his post-Avengers: Endgame journey.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange stepped in to help Peter deal with his identity being exposed to the world during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. This partnership was a continuation of the bond they established during Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Strange mentored Peter in No Way Home by providing mystical expertise against the Multiversal threats, serving as an authority who clashed with Peter's impulsiveness, and offering a perspective on the consequences of his dual life.
The pair's dynamic was less warm than Tony's, more like that of a frustrated teacher dealing with a reckless student.
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man served as the wise and experienced big brother to Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
As Peter 2, he offered calm, battle-hardened wisdom about saving everybody (including Norman Osborn) who recognized the pain and rage in Tom's Peter and gently guided him away from revenge.
He also shared his own experience with Uncle Ben's death and the importance of choosing not to let anger define him.
Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man
Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man became the empathetic big brother who connected with the MCU's Peter on an emotional level.
Having lost his own Gwen Stacy in his world, Peter 2 immediately understood the pain of failure and loss.
Garfield's web-slinger delivered a strong message that it's okay to ask for help and that failure doesn't define you, allowing Tom Holland's Peter Parker to choose heroism over hatred.
Happy Hogan
Happy Hogan served as the loyal and protective "uncle" figure of Peter Parker in the MCU. Happy evolved into a reliable ally who offered Peter much-needed fatherly advice and resources, even after Tony Stark was gone.
Happy began as Tony's intermediary for Peter in Spider-Man: Homecoming, then became a more personal confidant in Far From Home during Peter's European adventures against Mysterio. In No Way Home, Happy provided shelter and resources for Peter's loved ones during the identity crisis.
Throughout their partnership, Happy represented stability and the human side of the Stark legacy, showing up when Peter needed him the most.
Aunt May
Aunt May has been the consistent moral anchor of Tom Holland's Peter Parker throughout the Home trilogy in the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga. She raised him and instilled the core values of responsibility and compassion, encouraging him to embrace his role as a hero.
May's emotional peak came at the most tragic time: during the time of her death. Before she died, she instilled the greatest lesson of all in Peter: "With great power comes great responsibility." May didn't just pass on wisdom; she reminded Peter of who he truly was at his core, even as his world crumbled around him.
May's influence is confirmed to carry over in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with Peter using it as his last anchor to not embrace the darkness within.
