'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Leaves A Burning 'Daredevil' & 'Thunderbolts*' Question
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) gave audiences yet another chapter in the growing street-level saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Daredevil: Born Again (2025) to Thunderbolts* (2025), we have seen this space grow in many exciting ways.
One thing that has been made evident is that Spider-Man was very much active during this time, even though the world forgot Peter Parker. But now that we've seen what he's been up to, it also makes fans wonder where exactly he had been. More importantly, where was he during the films and shows at this time to help out the heroes
What Happened During 'Daredevil: Born Again' And 'Thunderbolts*'?
When it comes to the MCU, timelines are everything. Knowing the place of certain events reminds us of the importance of how each project connects. Thunderbolts* kickstarted the new era of chaos in New York City when the Void took over a part of the city and the citizens within it.
While this was the biggest event in the universe so far, it also predated the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. During this time, Mayor Wilson Fisk was waging a war on Daredevil and those who followed him as he tried to run the city and the crimes he oversaw.
The thing about these points in the timeline is that they are some of the most important in the MCU thus far and often inspire an "all-hands on deck" approach. But of course, given timing and connections, this isn't always the case. Spider-Man has always been the perfect bridge between, as Yelena Belova says, small potato problems and big potato problems. Yet, he's nowhere to be seen in either project.
Where Was Spider-Man During These MCU Movies & Shows?
Spider-Man is the one hero everyone thinks about when it comes to street-level icons. Sure, he's been to space and left the city numerous times, but he's still a friendly neighborhood hero. Because of this, it's been a point of reference to question why he wasn't aiding the New Avengers or Daredevil at any point.
We know from Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 that Spider-Man was active in the city, just like the Punisher. However, he wasn't present in the show. We don't know why he wasn't present, but there are theories. First, and most important, New York City isn't small, and while he's based in Manhattan, it's possible that by the time Spider-Man could reach the Void, the conflict was over. Or he was helping civilians.
As for the war on Mayor Fisk during Daredevil Season 2, the story focuses heavily on Daredevil, as it's his show. But that doesn't mean Spider-Man wasn't out there stopping the AVTF from arresting or killing innocent people. Spider-Man was likely very active, but since the entire city was in danger, we just didn't see him in action when there was so much going on with Daredevil.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Reminds Us How Big New York City Is
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day, everything was made clear about the years that Spider-Man was active after the world forgot about Peter Parker. He was fighting every single day against criminals as comical as Boomerang or as dangerous as Tombstone and everyone in between.
In that time, there's no reason to think he wasn't also helping in some way during the events of Thunderbolts* and Daredevil: Born Again. But New York City is massive, and the difference he was making in Staten Island likely didn't apply to the events of Hell's Kitchen. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't important.
It's great to know that these characters operate in a similar space but rarely know each other. Spider-Man probably never met Daredevil even though Peter Parker met Matt Murdock. That means that when the time does come, it will be incredibly rewarding. It also shows how active the city is in the superhero space.
There's always something going on to the point that it's scary. But when a threat is big enough, it's almost guaranteed its heroes will answer the call together. It's just that for Spider-Man, these problems didn't need him in the way we would hope.
