Brand New Day Is Adapting One Of The Best Spider-Man Stories Of All Time

Peter Parker's newest challenge in Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not actually be new, as it could be an adaptation of one of the best Spider-Man stories from 31 years ago. Spider-Man: Brand New Day's premiere date of July 31 is fast approaching, and Marvel is releasing more information about the film. From characters set to appear, like Hulk and the Punisher, to trailers for Brand New Day, we now know a lot about Tom Holland's next outing.

Still, there's also quite a few unknowns left about Brand New Day. Fans have speculated, for instance, that Sadie Sink could be playing Jean Grey, the psychic member of the X-Men. Those same trailers also seemed to be teasing a big change for Peter and his abilities as Spider-Man. One moment in the trailer saw Peter awaking in a cocoon made of webbing, and fans have drawn some conclusions about that.

Based on those unconfirmed rumors and details, it looks like Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to turn Peter into the Man-Spider. In one Spider-Man comic arc, the mutation that turned Peter into Spider-Man never stopped progressing. Because of the changes to his DNA, Peter became more spider than man as he grew additional arms, began shooting webbing directly out of his wrists, and more. If Peter does become Man-Spider, Brand New Day is perfectly poised to recreate one of the best stories from Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Brand New Day Looks Like A Remake Of A Spider-Man: The Animated Series Arc

Spider-Man: The Animated Series adapted the story of Man-Spider way back in 1995, and it now seems that Brand New Day could follow in its footsteps. The show's second season, subtitled "Neogenic Nightmare," had an overarching story focusing on Peter struggling with his powers and eventually turning into Man-Spider. Neogenic Nightmare was responsible for some of the best episodes of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and the entire arc went down as one of Spider-Man's best stories in general.

Brand New Day currently looks like it's adapting the Man-Spider story in general, but there are also a few details that tie it directly to Neogenic Nightmare specifically. If Sadie Sink does turn out to be playing Jean Grey, for example, it would be a great way to bring the film closer to Neogenic Nightmare. A big part of Spider-Man: The Animated Series' Man-Spider story saw Peter seek the help of the X-Men because of their knowledge and experience with genetic mutations.

While Jean Grey wasn't specifically in Neogenic Nightmare, she could be a stand-in for the X-Men as a whole in Brand New Day. Peter could seek her out specifically to help him understand his new mutations, especially since he no longer has access to the minds and resources of the Avengers following everyone forgetting him in No Way Home. The trailer already seemed to imply that Peter was seeking Bruce Banner's expertise on the matter, so it wouldn't be a stretch for him to also consult a mutant like Jean Grey.

The Punisher's presence in Brand New Day is yet another overt link to Neogenic Nightmare. In The Animated Series, the Punisher works with Kraven the Hunter to track down and subdue Spider-Man and deliver a temporary cure to him after he transforms into Man-Spider. Jon Bernthal's character could fill the same role in Brand New Day, albeit without the help of Kraven.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Will Almost Certainly Have New Twists On The Neogenic Nightmare Story

Though Spider-Man: Brand New Day currently seems like it could easily be a live-action adaptation of Neogenic Nightmare, there's also plenty of room for it to differentiate itself from Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The Neogenic Nightmare arc, for example, ended with Vulture stealing Spider-Man's youth and the genetic mutation that turned him into Man-Spider. Vulture died in Spider-Man: Homecoming in the MCU's timeline, however, so Brand New Day will have to have a different ending.

Additionally, the Hulk wasn't featured in Neogenic Nightmare, yet Marvel has already revealed Bruce will be appearing in some capacity in Brand New Day. His involvement could really change the trajectory of Peter's story, though there's also a chance he'll fill a similar role to Kurt Conners, the Lizard, who tried to help Peter research the mutation in The Animated Series. Still, Bruce's presence could change quite a bit about the Man-Spider story.

There are also several smaller details about Brand New Day that set it apart from Neogenic Nightmare. Peter wasn't dealing with the fallout of being forgotten in The Animated Series, but he'll be trying to win back Mary Jane and Ned in Brand New Day. The Scorpion and the Hand, as well, are going to feature as prominent villains in the movie, but they were mostly absent from the Neogenic Nightmare arc.

Those are just the differences Marvel has revealed so far, as well. Brand New Day is a major MCU live-action film, and there's almost certainly going to be surprises and twists in store that make the film even more unique. Peter's story will also have to tie into other MCU projects like Avengers: Secret Wars in some way, which is yet another difference. Still, Spider-Man: Brand New Day seems like the closest we'll ever get to a live-action adaptation of Spider-Man: The Animated Series' Neogenic Nightmare.