Brand New Day theory perfectly explains why the Hulk and the Punisher are in the MCU movie, as they should have a key role to play.

Among the many tidbits of news that have dropped surrounding the 2026 film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the additions of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and the return of Mark Ruffalo as Hulk are the most noteworthy.

Destin Daniel Cretton ( Shang-Chi) is directing the film, which just started filming this week and is aimed at a July 31, 2026, release date. That’s a tight turnaround for a movie of this size, but it’s similar to what Marvel Studios did with Fantastic Four last year.