A new report may have finally ended the debate over Spider-Man: Brand New Day's second (and surprising) main villain. Marvel Studios has made it no secret that Tom Holland's Spider-Man will go head-to-head with many villains in his July blockbuster sequel, with rumors pointing to at least a dozen appearing. The epic is headlined by the return of Michael Mando's Scorpion after he was teased in Spider-Man: Homecoming's post-credits scene, nine years ago.
During The Cosmic Circus' April Q&A, scooper Alez Perez was asked which of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's villains stands beside Scorpion as being "very crucial to the narrative as a whole." Strangely, the villain in question hasn't yet appeared in Brand New Day's marketing or been fully revealed.
Brand New Day's marketing has more recently suggested that the Hand, the ancient ninja organization from Netflix's Daredevil, may secretly be the movie's secondary villains. Not only was Spider-Man fighting the Hand in two trailer shots, but they also featured prominently on one of two teaser posters.
There's also the matter of Trammell Tillman's supposed antagonist and Damage Control boss, William Metzger, who is in hot pursuit of Sadie Sink's mind-bending character. His connection to Sink's crucial character (rumored to be Jean Grey) indicated he could be a central antagonist, but perhaps his role will be more akin to Arian Moayed's Agent Cleary from Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Still, much to the surprise of many, Perez had no doubt that "definitely Tombstone" received that honor, confirming his major role in Brand New Day. Black Lightning actor Marvin Jones III (Krondon) will bring Tombstone to live-action in the MCU, having once voiced the role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
It's safe to say that expectations were low among many for Tombstone's role in Spider-Man 4 after he was omitted from the trailer and posters, while other villains, such as Tarantula, Scorpion, and Boomerang, have been revealed. In fact, fans had to wait for LEGO to spoil the first look at the MCU's Tombstone design.
More recently, reports have indicated that Brand New Day is setting Tombstone up to be a "Thanos-level big bad" in Spider-Man's next trilogy. That in itself was enough for many to predict that Tombstone wouldn't have much more than a cameo in Brand New Day, instead simply introducing him for later.
How Can Spider-Man: Brand New Day Juggle All of These Villains?
Of course, Marvel Studios hasn't confirmed how Spider-Man: Brand New Day will split its focus between an ever-growing roster of villains. In fact, even just two months out from its theatrical release, there is still uncertainty about who the main antagonist actually is, be that Scorpion, Tombstone, or someone else entirely.
After a strange scientific voice was heard in the trailer, many were quick to peg it as The Thing actor Keith David, speculating that he may be playing Miles Warren, aka Jackal. Still, unless Marvel Studios has done a particuarly good job at hiding his secret major role, it would be surprising if he had much more than a cameo.
There has been talk about Brand New Day opening with a montage akin to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, showcasing just some of Peter Parker's triumphs in the last four years. Foes like Boomerang, Tarantula, Ramrod, and 8 Ball seem likely to be skimmed over in this way through one or two brief, high-octane set pieces.
Supposedly, Brand New Day will include four members of the Enforcers, a group of lesser-known villains who usually act as muscle for hire. It's easy to imagine them having a minor presence working under Tombstone, taking on some of his dirty work and thus coming to blows with Spider-Man.
For the most part, the larger-to-mid-sized roles will probably go to Tombstone, Scorpion, William Metzger, and Sadie Sink's Jean Grey, with The Hand having more of a background presence that could prove important. Not to mention, the Hulk will also be stepping into a villainous role for at least one key scene.
As more rumored villains have continued to surface, fears have only grown that Brand New Day is becoming a cluttered mess with too much ground to cover. That said, be it a fast-fire montage or a visit to New York's villain hangout, the Bar With No Name, there is undoubtebly a simple explanation for the confusion.
