All the Marvel movies and Disney+ shows to watch before ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’
From Peter Parker’s MCU trilogy to The Punisher’s latest mission, here is the essential preparation for Tom Holland’s return
by Max Pilley · NMESpider-Man: Brand New Day is about to swing into cinemas, but which Marvel movies and Disney+ shows should you watch first? Find out below.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the fourth solo MCU film starring Tom Holland picks up four years after the events of No Way Home. Peter Parker now lives alone and anonymously protects New York after Doctor Strange’s spell caused everybody – including MJ and Ned – to forget that he exists.
Zendaya and Jacob Batalon return alongside Michael Mando as Mac Gargan, better known as Scorpion. The film also brings Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/Punisher into Peter’s orbit, while Sadie Sink plays a mysterious new character whose identity has been kept under wraps.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in UK cinemas on July 29, followed by its US release on July 31.
All the Marvel movies and Disney+ shows to watch before Spider-Man: Brand New Day
The six essential films to watch are Captain America: Civil War, the three Tom Holland Spider-Man movies and the final two Avengers films. Together, they cover Peter’s entire MCU story and leave him exactly where Brand New Day begins.
The new film also draws heavily on another branch of the MCU, however: the street-level world of Daredevil and Punisher. The complete preparation list is broken down below.
THE ESSENTIAL PETER PARKER STORY
Recommended
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Holland makes his MCU debut when Tony Stark recruits the teenage Peter to fight alongside his team in Germany. It establishes Peter’s admiration for Stark and the mentor relationship that shapes his next several appearances.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Peter attempts to balance school with superhero work while trying to prove himself to Stark. It is especially important because Michael Mando first appears as Mac Gargan, a criminal who approaches Adrian Toomes in prison about Spider-Man during the mid-credits scene. Gargan finally adopts his Scorpion identity in Brand New Day.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Peter officially becomes an Avenger and joins Stark and Doctor Strange in the battle against Thanos. He is among the billions erased by the Blip after Thanos completes the Infinity Gauntlet.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Peter returns for the final battle against Thanos, but loses his mentor when Stark sacrifices himself to save the universe. Tony’s death leaves Peter searching for direction and informs the events of the following two films.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Still grieving for Stark, Peter clashes with Quentin Beck/Mysterio during a school trip to Europe. The ending changes his life when Mysterio reveals Spider-Man’s secret identity to the world and frames him for the London drone attack.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
This is the single most important film to rewatch. Peter asks Doctor Strange to make the world forget that he is Spider-Man, accidentally tearing open the multiverse in the process. He eventually permits Strange to cast a more extreme spell that makes everyone forget Peter Parker altogether.
The closing scenes find Peter choosing not to reintroduce himself to MJ and Ned, moving into a bare New York flat and creating a new homemade suit. Brand New Day begins four years into that lonely existence.
PUNISHER AND MARVEL’S STREET-LEVEL WORLD
Daredevil seasons one to three (2015–2018)
The former Netflix show is now available on Disney+ and forms the foundation of Marvel’s street-level continuity. Season two introduces Bernthal’s Frank Castle and the mysterious ninja organisation The Hand, both of whom are relevant to Brand New Day.
Viewers in a hurry could restrict themselves to the second season, although the complete run provides the necessary background for Daredevil: Born Again.
The Defenders (2017)
This eight-part crossover unites Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist against The Hand. The organisation resurfaces in the Brand New Day trailers, making this the clearest explanation of its history and apparent destruction.
The Punisher seasons one and two (2017–2019)
Frank Castle’s solo series explores the murder of his family and his transformation into the Punisher. It is not essential to Peter’s story, but it establishes Bernthal’s uncompromising version of the vigilante before his collision with Spider-Man.
Daredevil: Born Again seasons one and two (2025–2026)
The Disney+ revival brings Punisher into the modern MCU and tracks Wilson Fisk’s rise to become mayor of New York, alongside his campaign against masked vigilantes. Its second season is the most recent account of the city’s street-level conflict before Brand New Day.
The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)
Released as a Disney+ special presentation, One Last Kill is the final and most useful piece of Punisher preparation. It follows directly from Born Again and leaves Frank in position for his encounter with Peter.