Are you crying? [Yes I am, Peter. Now zip it. I’m having a moment.]

Story: It’s been a minute since Doctor Strange reset the universe so nobody remembers who Spider-Man is. In those years, Peter’s BFF Ned and his lady love MJ have graduated from MIT, and don’t have one single memory of him. But Peter remembers them. So when Ned and MJ move back to Manhattan? Peter is thrown. But that’s not the only thing throwing him; a new power has entered NYC, and seems to be looking for something. Not a great time, as Peter’s powers are on the fritz…

Genre I’d put it in: Rousing Sequels
Release Date: 2026
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the MCU Spider-Man films, with a bit of bleed over from…[SPOILERS DARLING]
Animals okay?: one doggo is a-okay!
Special Shout-out: Jon Bernthal as Frank/Punisher is hilarious and touching. Plus that banter with Peter/Spidey? *chef’s kiss*

Gotta say: I think the Spider-Man series is my favorite MCU storyline. Yes, black Panther has my heart, Captain America’s happy ending (?) was sweet, and Iron Man is a hoot. But there’s something about our friendly neighborhood Spidey that has me queueing up. And while it took me a bit to get to the theater (no Baltimore screening, boo)? It was worth the wait.

Note – there will be some basic who’s here spoilers going forward…

Day brings together a slew of Marvel storylines and character, setting things up nicely for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. But this entry can stand on it’s own just fine. Peter grows as a person and a superhero, Ned and MJ are back in the city, and hello X-men and New Avengers! Writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers draw from their work on the earlier films to seamlessly craft a story that feels like a natural flow from the earlier films. Director Destin Daniel Cretton injects the story with the same fun, frenetic action that he brought to my beloved Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This adds up to a wild ride that still manages to slow down for important emotional beats.

Of course Tom Holland is his incredible self as Peter/Spidey. His Peter is more comfortable in his role as a superhero, but still longs for connection (and the people he gave up in order to protect them.) Spider-Man has a frenemy-ship with Frank Castle/Punisher, and any time these two are onscreen at the same time, it’s amazing. I’m glad to see more of Peter in New York, working to keep local – or as Yelena/Black Widow puts it, “small potatoes” – off the streets.

Cretton keeps a whole lot of plates spinning, as there are a whole lot of subplots and introductions in Day. There were moments in act 1 when I was worried it’d be too much shoved into a film that’s a touch over two hours. Then the real story takes off, and it had me glued to the screen from there on out.

As newcomer to the Spider-Man series (and the MCU), Sadie Sink brings Jean Gray to the MCU. Gotta say, I’m so glad to see her. Sink’s Jean is still relatively new to her powers, but she’s still a force to be reckoned with. Jean’s plot introduces anti-mutant sentiments into the Spider-Man universe, something I’ll bet will amp up further in future. Especially as the anti-mutant Big Bad is free range at the end of the film.

[EDIT – I forgot to mention Zendaya and Jacob Batalon as MJ and Ned. My bad. But c’mon, you ale know they’re awesome in this. Their BFFs since high school chemistry is off the charts. Probably because the performers themselves grew up together. And that Tom is now Mrs. Zendaya.]

Day combines fun popcorn action, exciting superhero interactions, and emotional reunions into one hell of an enjoyable ride. Things aren’t perfect as the end credits roll. But at least there’s hope that things will be better for Peter and his found family.


#Protip: Stay for a post-credits scene that’s cute, but may leave you with more questions than ever. Can we get the next Spider-Man movie right now, please?