Marvel fans have seen this trick before, so the second a strange gap showed up in the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, the guessing game started immediately. One shot in particular feels off in a way that makes people think someone, or maybe even two characters, have been digitally removed. That is exactly the kind of move studios use when they want a trailer to sell the vibe of a movie without giving away a major surprise.
The comparison that keeps coming up is the old Spider-Man: No Way Home marketing, where the trailers hid the other two Spider-Men before release. Once fans noticed that kind of sleight of hand before, they were always going to start looking for it again. Now that Brand New Day is officially out in trailer form, the speculation has gone from fun guesswork to full-on detective mode.
The obvious names being thrown around are Hulk and Punisher, and honestly, one of those makes a lot more sense than the other. Punisher feels like the cleanest theory because the trailer already confirms Jon Bernthal is part of the movie. If there is a shot that looks like someone should be standing near Peter in a tense ground-level action moment, Frank Castle is an easy fit. He also matches the darker, more street-level energy this trailer seems to be chasing. This version of Peter Parker looks more isolated, more intense, and more physically pushed than we have seen him in a while. Punisher dropping into that world would not feel random at all.
Hulk is a little trickier, even though Bruce Banner is clearly in the trailer. Mark Ruffalo’s presence makes the theory understandable. If Bruce is involved in whatever is happening to Peter physically, fans are naturally going to wonder whether Hulk shows up too. Still, Hulk as the hidden figure feels a bit less likely if the scene is meant to preserve a character reveal rather than just an action beat. Banner is already part of the marketing. Hiding Hulk would be more about saving a spectacle moment than protecting a narrative surprise.
Then there is Daredevil, which might be the most crowd-pleasing guess of the bunch. Charlie Cox has already been reestablished in the MCU, and Peter sharing space with Matt Murdock again would instantly click with audiences. A darker New York story, a more alone Peter Parker, and a grounded crime angle all make Daredevil feel like a natural fit for this movie. He may not be the safest prediction, but he is probably the most satisfying one. If Marvel wanted a reveal that would make fans lose their minds without completely hijacking the movie, Daredevil would do it.
Black Cat is another theory that deserves more attention than it is getting. Out of all the names floating around, she may be one of the smartest possibilities. Felicia Hardy belongs in a Spider-Man story like this. If Brand New Day is really about Peter rebuilding his life after everything that happened in No Way Home, bringing in Black Cat would make a lot of sense. She could add romance, chaos, and a new dynamic that feels fresh without needing multiverse fireworks. She also fits the sort of reveal a trailer might absolutely want to hold back.
The wilder theory is Jean Grey, mostly because Sadie Sink’s role is still being kept secret. Fans have been trying to connect those dots ever since her casting became public, and the mystery around her character has only made the rumors louder. If she is playing Jean, it would be a huge swing and a major step toward bringing the X-Men more directly into Spider-Man’s corner of the MCU. It is a fun idea, but it still feels like a bigger reveal than this trailer is built around. Right now, the movie seems to be selling mystery, mutation, and a lonelier Peter, not a full mutant crossover event.
Miles Morales is the theory people want to be true more than the one that necessarily makes the most sense right now. Nobody is going to complain if Miles shows up, but that feels like the kind of character reveal Marvel would want to build an entire moment around, not just hide in a trailer frame for eagle-eyed fans to spot. If Miles enters Tom Holland’s movie world, that is likely going to be treated as a headline event all by itself.
At this point, Punisher feels like the safest real guess. Daredevil is the fan-favorite swing. Black Cat might be the most interesting story choice. Jean Grey and Miles Morales are the big dream scenarios that would completely change the conversation around the movie. Whatever the answer is, Marvel has already won this round. They got fans pausing frames, drawing outlines, and arguing over empty space in a trailer, which is exactly the kind of chaos Spider-Man discourse lives on.
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