Spider-Man: Brand New Day has finally arrived, and while it's packed with action, heart, and some major surprises, it's also hiding plenty of cameos and supporting appearances you may have missed or want to take a closer look at.
While the movie is set firmly in the MCU, it also feels very much like its own thing. Yes, the stage is set for the eventual X-Men reboot, but this is very much a Peter Parker story, and it's all the better for it. Of course, that doesn't mean some familiar faces aren't around.
Below, you'll find a full breakdown of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's cameos. From the actors behind the villains in that montage to a New Avenger and some unexpected actors, these are who you need to be on the lookout for on a first or second viewing this weekend...
Yelena Belova
Florence Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, operating out of a bathhouse she's made her office. Forcing Spider-Man to strip down to his mask and underwear, she tells him that his issues are "small potatoes," whereas the New Avengers deal with "big potatoes."
Despite that, they're clearly friendly—Yelena is just being antagonistic—and she later returns via video call to offer Spidey some help and advice. Interestingly, Ned Leeds refers to her as "Black Widow," confirming that's her official moniker in the MCU now.
"The Boyfriend"
Ahsoka star Eman Esfandi plays MJ's new boyfriend, who is never named and only credited as "The Boyfriend." It's his kiss with MJ that sends Peter Parker spiralling, though the newly created character only appears during the party scene featured in trailers.
Unless something was cut from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, those rumours that The Boyfriend was also secretly Boomerang were likely incorrect. Esfandi also isn't playing Paul, and we don't know what his relationship status is with MJ by the time the credits roll.
The Villains
We'd expected more from Spider-Man: Brand New Day's villains, but for the most part, they don't get any more screen time than what we've seen in the trailers. The actors playing Boomerang and Tarantula aren't revealed, but Deadpool & Wolverine actor Billy Clements is credited as Ramrod.
Marvin "Krondon" Jones III has some dialogue as Tombstone, but is swiftly dealt with by the web-slinger and left webbed to a wall for Jean DeWolff to deal with. Spidey is also shown taking down the Manfredi Crime Syndicate. They appeared in Agent Carter Season 2 and were cut from Spider-Man: Far From Home (the scene where Iron Spider takes them down in a restaurant before leaving for Europe).
Sara Grey
Sara Grey is also a mutant in the MCU and has the same powers as her sister, Jean. In the comics, she's a regular human, so this is a big change that, fortunately, works within the context of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's story.
Sadly, she dies while in the Department of Damage Control's custody. That's the end of the line for Sara's story, but Jean's run-in with William Metzger further unlocks her latent powers (ensuring she'll rank among the powerful X-Men when the team's reboot arrives).
Aunt May
Marisa Tomei's May Parker died at the hands of the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but she returns in this movie when Jean Grey attempts to invade Peter's mind.
In a scene set shortly after May discovered her nephew's secret life as a superhero in Spider-Man: Homecoming, she tells Peter how special both he and his powers are. Later, Spidey allows Jean to experience that memory, which plays a crucial role in setting her on a far more heroic path as her story continues in the MCU.
Flash Thompson And Roger Harrington
While Tony Revolori and Martin Starr don't physically appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, their photographs do. In Ned Leeds' apartment, Peter takes a closer look at his old friend's attempt to figure out who's beneath the wall-crawler's mask.
It turns out they're Ned's leading suspects for Spider-Man, something that understandably takes Peter by surprise. Beyond that, none of Peter's old classmates appears, and there's no sign of J. Jonah Jameson either.
E.V.
Our last entry is a little speculative, as it's being widely reported that Naomi Watts—who worked with Tom Holland on The Impossible—is the voice of Spider-Man's AI assistant, E.V., in Brand New Day.
We didn't spot her name in the credits, so we'll update this entry when we can confirm who voiced E.V. in the movie. If it was Watts, then it's a nice throwback to Holland's early days as an actor. As for Keith David, he's not The Jackal; instead, we hear his voice in a video Peter is watching about the life cycles of spiders (he may have had more lines in the trailers).
Which Spider-Man: Brand New Day cameo was your favourite? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.