Spider-Man: Brand New Day star Tom Holland has admitted to "hating" an earlier cut of the movie, even though it had gone over very well with test screening audiences.
You may recall rumors that Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios had clashed over the direction to take the latest solo Spidey adventure. Reports indicated that Sony CEO Tom Rothman was eager to replicate the success of No Way Home with a Multiverse-based story featuring either Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield (or both), while Kevin Feige wanted a more grounded movie.
Whether there was any truth to this is unclear, but it would explain why so many vastly different rumors circulated prior to the movie entering production.
While speaking to Quotable, Holland touched on how much a project can change from the script stage to production to the edit, and revealed that he really didn't care for one early cut even though it was "what the people were asking for."
"We've seen loads of different cuts of this movie, and one of the cuts, they took all of the notes from all of the random people who saw the film," said Holland. "And then they changed the movie, and we watched it, and we hated it. It totally didn't work. It was what the people were asking for, but it wasn't quite what we wanted as the creatives. But they learned lessons from that experience, so a movie can change in a thousand different ways in the edit room."
Holland didn't share any specific details on the cut he was referring to, but the actor - who clearly has some say in the creative direction of these films - should be commended for sticking to his guns.
Test screenings can obviously be a valuable indicator of how a movie will be perceived by audiences, but just because a small group of people like what they see, it doesn't necessarily mean the film will appeal to a broader demographic.
Brand New Day has been a big hit with critics and looks set for a spectacular opening weekend at the box office (the latest estimates point to a $485M global debut), so we'd say Holland made the right call.
Following the record-breaking success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day begins a brand new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult and living alone after erasing himself and the memories of him from those he loves. In a New York that no longer knows his name, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to protecting his city as Spider-Man full-time.
But as the demands on him grow, he is put under increasing pressure. This triggers an unexpected physical change that threatens his existence, while a strange wave of crime emerges - and gives rise to one of the most dangerous threats he has ever faced.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Rachel O'Connor. The cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando and Mark Ruffalo.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to hit theaters on July 31, 2026.