Holland divulges, “We asked ourselves why we should make another one. The third was so fantastic in its nostalgia and its success that it felt like the perfect sign-off for Spider-Man as we knew him. It wasn’t enough to say that these movies do great business. We needed a reason to tell a story beyond the business of making another Spider-Man movie. So there were lots of conversations between [Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group CEO] Tom Rothman, [Marvel Studios President] Kevin Feige, and [producer] Amy Pascal. Once we figured out the movie’s message, everything started falling into place. Suddenly, it felt like we had a movie that was worthy of fans’ time, something fulfilling and satisfying.”
Holland’s description of the process brings to mind Spider-Man himself, swinging with ease past every obstacle. But the reality is that wallcrawler movies are exceptionally hard to make, if only because they involve both Sony Pictures, which has held film adaptation rights to the character since 1999, and Marvel Studios. Add to the mix actors such as Holland and Bernthal, who feel a sense of ownership over their characters, to say nothing of the legions of fans who have been following these heroes for decades, and the potential for conflict only grows.
Yet everyone making Brand New Day felt that the additional voices only made for stronger conversations and, in the end, a better movie.
“I found this group of people to be entirely egoless,” observes Bernthal. Even though he demurs when the issue of ownership comes up—“Frank belongs to the comic book fans, members of the military, and first responders,” he insists—Bernthal allows he’s invested in the Punisher, and that mattered to those making Brand New Day. “They were open to my ideas. Destin appreciated that I’ve been with Frank for a long time and knows how much I care about the character and the fanbase.”
Zendaya remained similarly cognizant of the fans, even though her character differs from the Mary Jane Watson of the comics.
“I want to pay homage to the character that people know,” she admits before disclosing, “I even tried to find a way to make her hair a little reddish” to match Mary Jane’s flaming locks. But she, too, prioritized good storytelling. “Ultimately, it was important that I didn’t neglect the character we’ve built over the years. She has this quirkiness and pessimism that complements Peter’s quirkiness and optimism. They brought these things out of each other, and it seems that their personalities have swapped because of the absence of the other person.”
