Spider-Man: Brand New Day isn't just another run-of-the-mill adventure for Peter Parker. Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, he's without his support system as he battles a mutation that threatens to throw his entire life out of whack. And making matters worse is the arrival of new villains in New York City, including Tombstone, Boomerang, and Scorpion.
All these changes are forcing Spider-Man to go back to the drawing board with his approach to crime-fighting. He's even willing to partner up with Frank Castle, aka Punisher, who is famous for wanting to send bad guys to the morgue, not prison.
It's refreshing to see Marvel Studios being willing to take arguably its most important character in a completely new direction rather than sticking with what's worked before. There really isn't another way to survive in today's entertainment landscape, as audiences are increasingly unwilling to embrace cookie-cutter content.
The rebirth approach shouldn't stop with Spider-Man, though. A number of MCU heroes are in dire need of a fresh start, whether it be because their last project crashed or burned, or because they've dealt with a series of unlucky breaks.
Heroes That The MCU Needs To Provide With a Clean Slate
Ant-Man
Scott Lang was on top of the world heading into Phase Five. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania not only served as the first movie in the phase but also properly introduced Kang, who was supposed to be the MCU's second Big Bad. Marvel Studios billed the battle between Ant-Man and the Conqueror as an all-out brawl that could end in one or more deaths. However, the final product was a letdown, being more concerned with cracking jokes than moving the franchise forward.
The last time audiences saw Ant-Man, he was fearful of Kang's return and ready to stand against him once again. Of course, Jonathan Majors' public exit from the franchise took a rematch off the table.
Ant-Man still landed on his feet, securing a spot in Avengers: Doomsday. But relegating him to a role player in team-up movies isn't what he deserves. His solo career needs a total facelift that brings back the magic of the first two movies while also delivering something new.
Thor
The God of Thunder finds himself in a similar spot to Ant-Man. Taiki Waititi and Co. were on cloud nine due to the success of Thor: Ragnarok, so much so that they doubled down on the comedic tone for their next project, Thor: Love and Thunder. Unfortunately, the movie couldn't strike a balance between its humor and dark themes, leaving many fans feeling unsatisfied as they left the theater.
Thor returns in Avengers: Doomsday to fight the terrifying villain Doctor Doom. And based on the film's limited marketing, the Asgardian is locked in this time around, dropping the constant quipping and acting more like his Avengers: Infinity War self.
Whether the attitude shift works remains to be seen. However, should Thor survive the events of both Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, another solo outing will certainly be in the cards. Whoever Marvel Studios enlists to helm it should be prepared to work overtime to ensure the tone is just right.
Hulk
While researching his mutation in Brand New Day, Peter Parker will seek out Bruce Banner, hoping the scientist can offer some insight into what's going on. The former Avenger may or may not have answers. But what the world knows for sure is that Banner is going to lose control in his upcoming movie appearance and unleash the real Hulk.
Ever since losing a fight to Thanos in Infinity War, Banner has kept Hulk at bay by fusing with him to create Smart Hulk. He also created a device to remove his alter ego entirely, which will seemingly fail at some point during Brand New Day.
Once the green cat is out of the bag, Kevin Feige and Co. should let it roam again. Rights issues might still force Hulk to remain a side character in other heroes' stories. That doesn't mean he can't face new challenges that send him on a more interesting path than the one he's been on for the better part of the last decade.
Captain America
Doomsday won't feature just one Captain America but two, with Chris Evans' Steve Rogers returning to action for the first time since Avengers: Endgame. It'll be nice to see Steve and Sam Wilson share the battlefield again, as they were one of the MCU's most effective duos. But their reunion comes with complications.
After spending the entirety of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier proving to himself that he deserved to use the shield, Sam got thrown into the deep end in Captain America: Brave New World. He had to fight off the leader of SERPENT, Sidewinder, The Leader, and Red Hulk. While Sam held his own against all of them, the movie never really felt like his, acting more like a sequel to The Incredible Hulk than anything else.
Marvel Studios had a chance to make things right by giving Sam top-billing in Doomsday. The marketing thus far certainly doesn't make him feel like a lead, as all the focus has been on Doom, Thor, Mr. Fantastic, and the X-Men. Once the dust has settled and the multiverse is safe, it should be Cap's turn to get the spotlight and start building a legacy of his own.
Captain Marvel
Not even a shocking post-credits scene that featured an X-Man's MCU debut could save The Marvels. The idea of teaming up Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau was sound on paper, especially after Ms. Marvel's successful first season. The movie failed to make an impact, though, mostly due to an uneven story and out-of-place humor.
One lackluster project shouldn't be the nail in the coffin for Captain Marvel. The comics are full of exciting stories that feature the heroine pulling off amazing feats across the galaxy.
What the braintrust at Marvel Studios really needs to focus on is cooking up a villain that can go toe-to-toe with Danvers. The MCU can only nerf her so many times before it becomes less about her issues and more about the powers that be not knowing what to do with an overpowered character.
