Tom Holland's second Spider-Man trilogy in the MCU may have already found its Thanos-level villain (and it's a surprising choice). Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to kickstart a whole new chapter for Peter Parker, and one way of doing that is by introducing a plethora of villains. The number of villains in Brand New Day has been a major point of discussion among fans, and the list already includes some heavy hitters, such as Scorpion, Boomerang, and Tombstone. Ahead of Spider-Man 4, it seems that one of them will already stick around much longer than the rest to spell some trouble for Peter Parker and his allies.
Reliable Marvel insider Alex Perez of Cosmic Circus said in a reply from X that Tombstone will be an "overarching" villain in Spider-Man's next MCU trilogy, indicating that he will serve as the "Thanos-like big bad" of the next batch of movies.
Marvel Studios already made history by casting Marvin Jones III as Tombstone in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, considering that he was already slated to portray the same villain in 2027's Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. This historic casting essentially sets the stage for Tombstone to play an integral role in the live-action Spider-Man movies set in the MCU, meaning that his role in Brand New Day is not a one-off.
While many have argued that Kingpin would be the ideal big bad for the street-level Spider-Man movies, rights issues surrounding the character have dampened the chance of seeing the possibility come into fruition, with Wilson Fisk actor Vincent D'Onofrio admitting that he has "no idea" whether it will happen.
Still, seeing Tombstone as an overarching villain in the street-level chaos surrounding Spider-Man's adventure is the next best move for the franchise because the comics and other forms of media have already proven that he can be a compelling foe to the web-slinger while also being capable of standing toe to toe against him in any physical clash.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day follows Peter Parker's new normal as he grapples with the ending of No Way Home, where everyone (including MJ and Ned) forgot who he is. As a result, Peter completely embraced his identity as Spider-Man, fighting villains left and right and teaming up with Punisher to make sure New York is safe.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters on July 31.
Why Tombstone Is the Ideal Big Bad for Spider-Man's Street-Level Chapter
Given that Thanos is a massive powerhouse and a de facto big bad in Marvel Comics and in the MCU's Infinity Saga, Tombstone actually mirrors that threat level on a street-level scale, making him the perfect villain to push Tom Holland's Spider-Man to the absolute limit across three movies.
While it remains to be seen how Tombstone would become a threat to Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there is a strong chance that he is the one pulling the strings and sending the villains to test the web-slinger and to see his strengths and weaknesses.
Although a clash between Tombstone and Spider-Man might happen in Brand New Day, it could be brief yet impactful, serving as a preview of what's to come in their eventual (and proper) showdown.
Tombstone is more than just a bruiser. Instead, he is a master manipulator capable of eliminating rivals on a whim and of orchestrating large criminal networks. Doing so allows him to wear Spider-Man down, making him vulnerable, which could also allow Tombstone to study him so that he can prepare for him if their real clash happens in a third movie.
All in all, Tombstone is a dangerous Thanos-level threat on the street-level scale that has the potential to break Spider-Man and force him to confront harsh truths about being a hero.
