Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) just finished wrapping, meaning the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe film and Spider-Man installment is just around the corner. Slated for release in July 2026, it will see the return of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man), alongside his friends MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). A few new faces have also joined the cast, including Stranger Things (2016) star Sadie Sink and Severance’s (2022) Tramell Tillman in undisclosed roles.
The film will pick up a little after Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), following Peter Parker as he begins a new chapter after much of the universe has forgotten his secret identity. Given its connection to previous Spider-Man installments and established MCU characters, there are a few films you’ll want to watch before Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
To get the most out of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, you’ll want to start from the beginning with Captain America: Civil War. Captain America: Civil War marks Holland’s Spider-Man debut, as Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) recruits the teen hero to help him fight against Captain America (Chris Evans) in an Avengers dispute. While it’s not mandatory to understand Spider-Man’s story, nothing better highlights the character’s growth and change over the past decade than contrasting his first outing with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Captain America: Civil War is also one of the best movies in the MCU. It moves closer to realism, exploring what a world with heroes would truly look like as world leaders seek to regulate them and tensions rise. Tense, dark, political, and action-packed, it blends the typical superhero action and dazzling scope of Marvel films, but with a little more complexity and sophistication, reminiscent of films like The Dark Knight (2008) and Superman (2025).
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the first installment in the MCU’s Spider-Man series. It tracks the beginning of Spider-Man’s solo journey as he tries to be a hero in his own right after Iron Man declares he’s not ready to be an Avenger yet. It marks the first official chapter in Spider-Man’s MCU journey, and it will get you acquainted with Parker’s friends, family, and humble beginnings. Additionally, the film briefly introduces Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan (aka Scorpion), who is set to return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is an excellent introduction to Peter Parker. It forgoes the typical origin story, starting with him already having powers, which keeps the momentum and pace up. As one of the first MCU films to focus on a teenager, it also features coming-of-age and high school drama elements, like Smallville (2001) and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025), which will especially appeal to younger viewers.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War’s focus on a much larger cast means it doesn’t mark an extensive chapter in Spider-Man’s journey. However, it is a must-see before Avengers: Endgame (2019), which is essential to understanding the current state of the MCU in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The film sees The Avengers rally for one final effort to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) as the warlord attempts to use the Infinity Stones to radically change Earth.
Avengers: Infinity War is one of the MCU’s most ambitious crossovers. The sheer scale and scope of the project do not disappoint as viewers see a decade’s worth of stories and heroes converge on the big screen in one epic finale. Meanwhile, witnessing Spider-Man’s dream of being an Avenger come true is quite the treat. Fans of epic crossover movies, like The Avengers (2012) or Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), will love Avengers: Infinity War.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is set in an alternate timeline from the MCU and has little connection to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, except for Tombstone. The animated movie tapped Marvin Jones III (aka Krondon) to voice Tombstone, and he will now also portray an alternate, live-action version of the character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. If you want to get an idea of why fans are so pumped about his casting, you can catch a couple of perfectly delivered lines from him in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Aside from Tombstone, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an excellent take on Spider-Man. With cutting-edge animation, a mind-blowing multiversal premise, and an excellent depiction of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), it’s one of the best Spider-Man films. Even though it’s not connected to the MCU, it will give you a better idea overall of the world of Spider-Man and the character’s many comic book iterations.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame is the continuation of Avengers: Infinity War, which sees the remaining Avengers hatch a plan to go back in time and stop Thanos from acquiring the Infinity Stones. Like Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame features only a minor role for Spider-Man. However, the film is really the beginning of the current Spider-Man era, as it captures a pivotal MCU moment and a significant development with Spider-Man’s mentor, Iron Man.
In addition to putting Spider-Man on his current path, Avengers: Endgame is a solid finale to the Infinity Saga. The movie demonstrates the MCU can handle time travel effectively and packs in the action and emotion necessary to send off this era of the universe. If you loved Avengers: Infinity War and the Iron Man trilogy, Avengers: Endgame is a must-see.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home follows Spider-Man as he adjusts to life after Avengers: Endgame and faces mounting superhero pressure after Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits him to fight the Elementals. The film covers a significant part of Spider-Man’s MCU storyline, tracking the development of his relationship with MJ and an unexpected twist involving his superhero persona. You’ll definitely want to watch Spider-Man: Far From Home to understand Spider-Man’s relationships and the plot of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Spider-Man: Far From Home returns to the tone and vibe of Spider-Man: Homecoming, especially that teen drama/romance element. The chemistry between Holland, Zendaya, and Batalon makes it a charming teen movie, while Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) and the Elementals ensure there’s a bit of superhero action. Ultimately, it’s a strong entry in the Spider-Man film series and a necessary chapter in Spider-Man’s journey.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third installment in the Spider-Man series and centers on Parker after his attempts to erase society’s memories of his alter ego accidentally open a rift in the multiverse. It’s easily the most ambitious Spider-Man movie as it delves deep into the multiverse and brings back favorites from Sony’s Spider-Man movies, including Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire’s Spider-Man iterations. The multiversal crossover creates both a sense of freshness and nostalgia.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is packed with action and feels like a homage to Spider-Man’s film history, but it also marks the most emotional chapter in Spider-Man’s journey. His actions in the film will profoundly affect his place in the MCU and directly shape the storyline of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. As one of the boldest and most critical Spider-Man movies, it’s the one most essential to watch before Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
