Spider-Man: Brand New Day is shaping up to be a huge Daredevil crossover, as another character from the Disney+ series has been confirmed to appear in the MCU film. The fourth Tom Holland-fronted Spider-Man film is ushering in a new era for the hero as he leaves the "Home" trilogy behind and enters a brand new day as a full-time superhero in New York City. The first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day finally made its debut ahead of the movie's release on July 31, and it included a surprising cameo.
During the trailer, Spider-Man is shown on a newscast receiving the Key to the City for his heroic deeds. The person handing him the key is none other than Sheila Riviera (played by Zabryna Guevara), who appeared in Daredevil: Born Again as Wilson Fisk's political advisor. Guevara confirmed it was indeed her handing Spider-Man the key in an Instagram post, asking fans to spot her in the trailer.
The appearance is short and sweet, and it's not yet clear whether this will be Guevara's only appearance in the movie as Riviera, but it is another step toward bringing the Marvel TV and film universes closer together.
Guevara isn't the only Daredevil: Born Again star making the jump from the Disney+ universe to the big screen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with several other characters set to follow the trend that Charlie Cox established when he appeared as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
All the Daredevil Characters Appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Punisher
One of the biggest surprises about Spider-Man: Brand New Day was the announcement that the brutally violent Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, would be appearing in the friendly neighborhood film. Spidey and Punisher do have a history in Marvel Comics, and fans will finally see that play out on-screen when Jon Bernthal reprises his role from Netflix's The Punisher series and Daredevil: Born Again in the next Marvel movie.
Punisher and Spider-Man's dynamic has already been seen in play during the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, which sees Punisher run over Spider-Man with his van mid-chase, which he then returns in kind by kicking Castle out of his van onto the street, and webbing his mouth shut to prevent Bernthal's character from swearing.
The Hand
Rumors have been circulating for months about which villains Spider-Man will face in his fourth MCU film, and one Netflix-era group kept coming to the forefront: The Hand. The ancient and powerful ninja organization was the main antagonistic force in Marvel's The Defenders crossover series, and it appears they're being reborn in the MCU via Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Spider-Man was shown facing off against a group of red-cloaked ninjas in a prison setting and in an epic aerial fight above the New York skyline (which may be pulling a similar trick from Spider-Man: No Way Home). How and why the Hand is involved in Spider-Man: Brand New Day's story remains to be seen, but it could be just the beginning of the group's presence in the MCU.
Sheila Riviera
As confirmed by the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, Sheila Riviera is now the third confirmed returning Daredevil character in the MCU film.
Riviera's presence in Spider-Man: Brand New Day is interesting, particularly since she is the one seen handing Spider-Man the Key to the City rather than Wilson Fisk. This is a task typically reserved for the city's Mayor, a position Fisk currently holds, although Spider-Man: Brand New Day will take place after Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.
This could hint at something happening to Fisk and his position by the end of Season 2 of the Disney+ show, leading to him either no longer being the Mayor or being incapacitated. The theory has gained so much traction that Vincent D'Onofrio had to speak out on X to confirm he is the "last person to know anything about the future of our show or any other show."
The reason could also be more technical rather than story-driven, as D'Onofrio has revealed in the past, it's difficult for Marvel Studios to use Kingpin in its films. It could be that licensing issues are preventing Fisk from appearing in the Spider-Man movie, which is why the task has been handed off to Riviera.
Claire Temple (Rumored)
Another prevailing, but as yet unconfirmed, report is that Rosario Dawson will return to Marvel in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as Claire Temple. Temple was something of the Netflix saga's Nick Fury, appearing in Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and The Defenders. She is a New York nurse who treated the heroes and also had romantic relationships with Luke Cage and Matt Murdock.
With Temple serving as the connective tissue between the Defenders, she could play a similar role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, perhaps appearing to provide medical treatment for Peter Parker, which could then set up a link to him and the other Daredevil: Born Again heroes. Notably, Dawson is yet to reprise her role in Daredevil: Born Again, but if her Spider-Man 4 role pans out, perhaps this will set her up for a return in that series.
