Spider-Man: Brand New Day, starring Tom Holland, is scheduled to swing into theaters in July 31st 2026, and we now have clearer picture of who might be showing up to challenge our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Among the most talked about is Mister Negative, a morally complex crime boss with deep roots in Chinatown and a dual identity that could tie into the more grounded tone of this new chapter. There’s also talk of Menace, A Goblin-adjacent villain whose political connections in the comics made her one of the most unpredictable threats Peter has ever faced. And, if the rumors hold true, this might be the most crowded villain roster the web-head has faced in the MCU.
Mister Negative
One of the most discussed names associated with Brand New Day is Mister Negative, a dual-identity crime boss who runs a charitable empire as Martin Li, while secretly controlling a ruthless criminal network. He wields “negative energy” in the comics and has the power to corrupt minds and enhance his own physical abilities.
He’s a really interesting street-level villain, due to his moral duality. Given his deep roots in Chinatown and a history with Peter during the Brand New Day comic book run, Mister Negative is a perfect villain for the upcoming movie.
Menace
Menace is one of the many villains who took on the Goblin persona. She debuted in the comics as Lilly Hollister and became a Goblin with a political twist, as she’s also the daughter of a New York City politician. Not only were her glider attacks and pumpkin bombs dangerous, but Menace’s influence over the city politics made her one of the most unpredictable enemies Spider-Man ever faced. It would be interesting to see her in the upcoming movie, as she could wreak havoc in NYC, both as a costumed villain and a politician.
Overdrive
Overdrive may not have the name recognition of a Green Goblin or Otto Octavius, but his unique skill set makes him a wildcard. In the comics, Overdrive relies on nanotech to transform and weaponize vehicles, which quite conveniently makes him super-busy as a high-speed getaway driver for bigger players of the criminal underworld (including Mister Negative). As he’s basically a mercenary for hire, he’s also a connective tissue between NYC’s different crime factions, and it would be interesting to see him and Spidey cross paths more than once over the course of the upcoming movie.
Shocker
Herman Schultz, better known as Shocker, has been punching his way through Spider-Man comics for decades now. Though he uses his gauntlets to generate vibrations and thus create powerful shockwaves that project consecutive blasts or desintegrate various surfaces, Shocker is less of a criminal mastermind and more of a recurring nuisance who can still pack a powerful punch. The MCU has already introduced a version of Shocker in Homecoming (portrayed by Bokeem Woodbine), so his rumored appearance here could be a small but satisfying callback, regardless of whether he’s working for Mister Negative or simply blasting his way through stuff.
Scorpion
Ever since Mac Gargan (portrayed by Michael Mando, best known for playing Vaas Montenegro in Far Cry 3) made his brief but memorable debut in Homecoming, fans have been waiting for him to suit up as Scorpion. In the comics, Scorpion is the creation of J. Jonah Jameson, who funds Gargan’s transformation to take down Spider-Man. As the world no longer remembers who Peter Parker is, Brand New Day could see Jameson bankrolling Gargan’s upgrade to settle his own grudge with Spider-Man.
The Hand
The Hand is a secretive and ancient ninja organization in the Marvel Universe, known for its mastery of martial arts, dark magic, and even resurrection techniques. They first appeared in Daredevil #174 (1981) as a secretive ninja clan from Japan, steeped in dark magic and assassination techniques. Initially, they were portrayed as a shadowy criminal organization that employed supernatural powers, including the ability to resurrect their fallen members, making them nearly immortal and incredibly difficult to defeat.
Throughout comic history, The Hand has primarily been an antagonist for street-level heroes like Daredevil, Elektra, Iron Fist, and Wolverine, but their influence sometimes touches broader Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, especially when their schemes intersect with Kingpin or other New York-based criminal activity. Major storylines like “The Elektra Saga” and “Shadowland” explored the depth of their power and corruption, showing them as a global threat rather than just a local ninja clan.
Tombstone
A towering, pale-skinned enforcer with near-superhuman durability, Tombstone is as much a fixture in Spider-Man’s rogues gallery as he is in the Maggia’s operations. In the comics, he’s been both a street-level bruiser and a calculating crime boss, and his rumored presence here could signal a gang war brewing in New York. If paired with Mister Negative, Tombstone could add the muscle to complement the brains.
Boomerang
Part comic relief, part genuine threat, Boomerang started in the comics as a baseball pitcher turned mercenary, armed with trick boomerangs that range from explosive to razor-sharp. More recently, he’s been written as a reluctant ally to Spider-Man, which opens the door for a film version that could straddle the line between antagonist and uneasy partner. That dynamic could add humor and unpredictability to the upcoming movie’s tone.
Tarantula
Tarantula has appeared in several incarnations in Marvel Comics, usually as a politically connected enforcer from a fictional Latin American country, complete with spiked boots and acrobatic fighting skills. While never a top-tier Spidey villain, he’s been a reliable street-level foe, and he could be a perfect appetizer in the film’s opening scenes. Just an action sequence or two to set the tone without overshadowing the main plot of the movie.
Ramrod
One of the more obscure names in the current rumor mill is Ramrod, a minor villain in the comics. He’s a biker with a metal-reinforced skeleton and a tendency to smash through anything in his way. Though he’s hardly Sinister Six material, he’s perfect for accompanying Tarantula during the film’s opening sequences.
The Maggia Crime Families
The Maggia is a crime syndicate in Marvel Comics, and they often hire supervillains and mad scientists to work for them, so they could provide a larger backdrop for the upcoming film’s street-level conflicts. This comic book version of the New York Mafia is actually connected and has been run by numerous Spider-Man villains, including Hammerhead and Silvermane. As they’re known for uniting or even manipulating smaller players on the board, their involvement would provide the film with a gangland undercurrent that defined much of the Brand New Day era in print.
Final Thoughts
While this is a more extensive list of villains, please take this information with a grain of salt; it’s purely speculative and based on the information derived from trailers and other online resources. With that said, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is shaping up to be the most villain-packed Spider-Man movie yet. If Marvel plays its cards right, this could be a story less about the one Big Thanos-like Bad and more about a few heavy hitters for Peter to constantly juggle between, just like in the comics.
