The gap between Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Spider-Man: No Way Home is the longest of any of Tom Holland's Spider-Man films, but there's a logical reason for the lengthy delay. Since Holland debuted as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures have collaborated on four solo Spider-Man films. While these films were typically released two years apart, Spider-Man: Brand New Day comes five years after the last of Holland's Spider-Man movies.
Marvel's Spider-Man films have typically been big winners for the studio, with Spider-Man: No Way Home proving to be the highest earner of the MCU's Multiverse Saga. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now potentially on track to earn even higher, with the film's opening weekend surpassing that of even Avengers: Endgame. So if Spider-Man: Brand New Day was a sure bet, why did it take so long?
Why Did 'Brand New Day' Take 5 Years To Release After 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'?
There are several factors that seem to have contributed to the delay, with one of the more significant changes between Spider-Man movies being the handover of the director role.
Jon Watts, who helmed all three of Holland's Spider-Man films, never returned for the fourth movie, opting instead to work on other projects. Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige revealed to CinemaBlend in 2024 that "We'll probably be looking for somebody else, just because [Watts is] busy."
The job ultimately landed with Destin Daniel Cretton, who had worked in the MCU on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, Cretton had been attached to multiple other Marvel projects since the release of his MCU film, including Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (before it was reworked), Wonder Man, and the Shang-Chi sequel. A few months after Feige confirmed they'd be seeking a new director, Cretton was attached in late 2024, but by then the gap between MCU Spider-Man films had already stretched to three years.
Another crucial factor was the 2023 writers' strike, which halted work on all of Hollywood's blockbusters, including the fourth Spider-Man film, which was in development at the time. The 2023 writers' strike lasted a historic 148 days, setting back work on major projects for months. Holland confirmed in 2023 that development on his next Spider-Man movie had paused as a result of the strike.
Holland himself also had a hand to play in Spider-Man: Brand New Day's delay. Not only did Sony Pictures have to negotiate a new deal with the actor after his initial six-picture deal expired following Spider-Man: No Way Home, but Holland also confirmed he would be taking a year off from acting to recover from working on The Crowded Room.
One of Holland's more recent roles also led to a production delay, with Holland personally asking Sony Pictures Chairman Tim Rothman to delay production on Brand New Day so he could work on Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. "I think one of the reasons why Sony was happy to move is because Chris has that reputation of ‘This movie isn’t going to go five months over, and we aren’t actually going to lose Tom for two years,’ ” Holland told GQ.
The scheduling worked out for everyone: production began on Spider-Man: Brand New Day in August 2025, and the film managed a speedy turnaround, releasing on schedule on July 31, 2026.
All in all, Spider-Man: Brand New Day experienced a longer gap between releases due to several major factors, such as actor availability and a shift in directors. But with the new movie also signaling a fresh era for Holland's Spider-Man, the break almost feels fitting to set up this new age of Spider-Man movies in the MCU.
Will Spider-Man 5 Take as Long as Spider-Man 4 To Release?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has only just made it into theaters, but with the film quickly smashing records, eyes are already looking to a potential Spider-Man 5. Executives at Sony have been hesitant to confirm whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks the start of a new trilogy of Holland-led MCU films, but producer Amy Pascal has said that another trilogy is her "dream."
Holland may be tied up with Avengers duties over the next year or so if rumors about his role in Avengers: Secret Wars prove true, and he is also working with Sony Pictures again on a different project: a biopic about Fred Astaire that has yet to be filmed. But beyond this, the runway seems clear for more Spider-Man.
Cretton's schedule may also raise issues if the director plans to return for Spider-Man 5. Cretton confirmed his Shang-Chi sequel is still in active development, but if he wants to direct this as well as Spider-Man 5, it could lead to a delay in one or the other.
Nevertheless, Marvel and Sony have made it clear that a fast turnaround between Spider-Man films is possible if all the pieces fall into place, so if the studios act quickly, then Spider-Man 5 could feasibly happen within the next couple of years.
