Marvel might have just teased the perfect opportunity for Harry Osborn to debut in theMCUafter revealing the title for 2026’s upcomingSpider-Man: Brand New Day. Shortly before the release ofSpider-Man: No Way Homein December 2021, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures confirmed more MCUSpider-Manmovies would be developed, avoiding a repeat of the near-collapse of the studios' deal followingFar From Home. Destin Daniel Cretton was hired as thefourth MCUSpider-Manmovie’s directorin October, and the movie has now been given an official title ahead of its July 2026 premiere.
Since it will be kick-starting a brand-new trilogy of movies starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker,Spider-Man: Brand New Dayhas the chance to completely shake up theSpider-Manfranchise. Until now, there have been several iconicSpider-Man-related characters from Marvel Comics missingfrom the MCU, butSpider-Man 4’snew titlesuggests that this will soon change. Scheduled for release on July 29, 2025,Spider-Man: Brand New Daywill follow the Russo brothers’Avengers: Doomsday, and could finally bring Harry Osborn into the MCU.
The MCU’s Spider-Man Story Has Been Without Some Major Marvel Characters
Marvel Studios made many changes to Peter Parker and his mythology when introducing Tom Holland as the MCU’s wall-crawler in 2016’sCaptain America: Civil War. Perhaps most notably, theMCU’s Uncle Ben had already passed away by the time Peter Parker debuted, and Marvel Studios has still avoided ever showing Spider-Man’s origin story. Uncle Ben is one of the biggest omissions, but many of Spider-Man’s other supporting characters also still haven’t appeared in the MCU, includingHarry Osborn, Parker’s long-term best friend, who was replaced with Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds.
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This has also included the likes of Gwen Stacy, an honest-to-goodness, comic-accurate Mary Jane Watson, Felicia Hardy’s Black Cat or some of his most memorable adversaries.The omission of the Osborns is one of the most noticeable, however, as both Norman and Harry Osborn are crucial to the development of Spider-Man in Marvel Comics. Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn returned inSpider-Man: No Way Home, andColman Domingo debuted as the villain inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manalongside Zeno Robinson’s Harry Osborn, and Marvel could soon bring them officially into live-action.
Spider-Man 4 Being Confirmed As Spider-Man: Brand New Day Makes Harry Osborn’s Debut Seem More Likely Than Ever
The MCU Might Be Adapting One Of Marvel Comics' Most Controversial Spider-Man Storylines
During 2025’s CinemaCon, the official title forSpider-Man 4was confirmed to beSpider-Man: Brand New Day. This immediately spurred theories that the MCU would be adapting Marvel Comics’Brand New Dayevent from 2008, despite this being one of Spider-Man’s most controversial storylines since his debut in 1962’sAmazing Fantasy #15.Brand New Dayfollowed Marvel’sOne More Daystoryline, which saw Peter Parker and MJ’s marriage erased and Spider-Man’s identity forgotten by the world, so it makes sense that this story would follow theMCU’sSpider-Man: No Way Home.
Marvel Comics’Brand New Dayheavily featured Harry Osborn, however, as he was brought back from the dead thanks to Peter Parker’s history being altered. This suggests that Marvel Studios’Spider-Man: Brand New Daycould introduce Harry Osborn to the MCU, especially now that the erasure of Parker’s former supporting cast leaves room for him to get to know new characters.Sadie Sink’s casting inthe MCUin March hints at a brand-new supporting cast in the movie, so it would be great to see Harry Osborn revealed next.
