Spider-Man: Brand New Day Almost Featured A Different Netflix Marvel Crossover
by Rafael Motamayor · /FilmSpoilers for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" ahead.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is a triumph, a movie that puts Tom Holland's Peter Parker through the absolute wringer and gives him his biggest challenges yet. The story isolates Peter, which is notable since his take on Peter Parker has never fully been alone before. Since his very first appearance, he'd gotten help and support from his family, friends, and mentors. Now? Peter is so alone his only source of social interaction is a cop (played by Liza Colón-Zayas) who doesn't know anything about him (a cop Peter knows so little about he genuinely thinks her kid's name is Papi).
But while Peter may be by himself, Spider-Man is not. On the contrary, he has the support of several other heroes, and these cameos are arguably the biggest secret weapon of "Brand New Day." Whether it's Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Frank Castle/Punisher (Jon Bernthal), or Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), these appearances all work surprisingly well. Together, they make the movie's setting feel like a living comic book world populated by different heroes whose adventures sometimes overlap for a bit. Most importantly, they add to Peter's story and reflect his arc by reminding us he's not the only one who has gone through similar things.
Spider-Man and Punisher, in particular, are a great duo, and "Brand New Day" cements the legacy of the incredible casting of the Netflix Marvel shows. That being said, we almost got a different Netflix Marvel crossover.
At a panel at GalaxyCon Raleigh (via ThePlaylist), Rosario Dawson revealed that she actually shot a scene for the film, "But I got cut out," she explained. Dawson, of course, played Claire Temple in the Netflix Marvel shows, and she would have fit perfectly in "Brand New Day."
Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple nearly showed up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple was introduced in the first season of Netflix's "Daredevil" as a nurse operating in New York who became both a healer and a confidant for Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox). Claire wasn't just a one-off character, though. She quickly became the center point of the Netflix Marvel universe, connecting all its shows with appearances in "Jessica Jones," Luke Cage," "Iron Fist," and even "The Defenders." She reportedly didn't appear in "The Punisher" due to a scheduling conflict (via Collider), which would have made her cameo in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" the perfect way to rectify that.
It also would've made perfect sense to include Claire. She would most likely have shown up near the end of the film when Spider-Man is rushed to a hospital by Frank Castle. Having a nurse who is friends with superheroes and knows how to be sneaky around authorities would've been a clever and easy way to explain how Spidey could be treated at a hospital without his identity being exposed immediately.
Ultimately, it seems "Brand New Day" director Destin Daniel Cretton and his creative team decided it would be easier to simply leave audiences wondering how no one leaked Peter's identity rather than trying to quickly explain who Claire is and why she knows Frank. Nevertheless, this feels like a missed opportunity, considering how well-handled the film's other cameos are.
Besides, this movie is already quite indebted to Netflix's Marvel shows. Not only does Punisher show up, but The Hand appears here as well after previously being introduced in "Daredevil." This is to say, we need a doctor character (real doctor, not a wizard) who can help the heroes when they're hurt. Bring back Claire!