MarvelBlog News for May 3rd, 2026

This past week, we learned more about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Wonder Man, and Old Man Thor.

I’m guessing at least one of those topics surprises you.

I’ll explain what’s going on in this week’s MarvelBlog News.

The Brand New Day Update

A year ago at this time, I had no confidence whatsoever in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

The story about this film’s production would make for a great movie in its own right.

Also, I’ve seen this very scenario with Sony and Spider-Man, and it didn’t end well.

The words “Jazz Hands” spring to mind whenever Sony rushes a Spidey film.

At one point, Brand New Day was in complete disarray due to its origin story.

Sony couldn’t care less about the film’s quality. It was an item on a spreadsheet.

Usually, these Hollywood tales end in tears…but not Brand New Day, apparently.

Sure, the jury is still out, but my understanding is that a test screening went quite well.

Of course, said test screening occurred among Sony people, which makes it shaky.

These are the same folks who thought Kraven the Hunter was a good idea.

Still, what I’m hearing is decidedly positive, and I’m not the only one.

Entertainment Weekly just posted a story about Brand New Day’s script.

Some of the “revelations” are insipid, especially the Marvel logo thing.

However, we do learn that Peter Parker is all alone in the world.

His best friend is now a JARVIS-like AI, but it’s a homebrew version.

Parker has lost access to Tony Stark’s resources as a result of Doctor Strange’s memory wipe.

Homebrew is the recurring theme here, as Peter Parker remains a genius.

So, he can create a “3D printer on steroids” and a new Spidey suit on his own.

What our hero is struggling to address is his loneliness. It’s killing him.

When he’s not with MJ, he loses his mind. He needs a sign. (Okay, I’ll stop.)

The Adult Spider-Man

Peter Parker has remained a multi-generational relatable character for a simple reason.

He’s just a kid in over his head, and we can all relate to that.

Well, as has happened many times in the comics, he’s grown up now.

Parker faces the real world as an adult for the first time, and he’s alone.

Without his girlfriend or his best friend to assist, he’s an anonymous nobody.

He’s also a superhero who was just on the run after becoming Public Enemy Number One.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton explains Parker’s odd situation thusly:

“Peter is dealing with some real grown-up problems both personally and professionally.”

“For the first time, he’s learning how to deal with them completely on his own.”

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has no friends. It’s a thing.

So, the story revolves around the character’s hard reboot in life.

He’s basically someone in the real world living on their own for the first time.

The experience can be simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating.

That’s the baseline infrastructure for the film, and it’s a good one.

I expect a new trailer within the month. We’ll learn even more about the film then.

Old Man Thor

Before we get started, I want to stress that there’s no meat to this story.

Kenneth Branagh, the director of the first Thor film, is merely talking out loud.

So, this story is unlikely ever to come to pass, but it’s dynamic anyway.

That’s why I’m mentioning it. I read the idea and thought, “Marvel should do that.”

Lately, Thor has been in the hands of Taika Waititi, but Branagh hasn’t left it yet.

The legendary artist wants to create the equivalent of an Old Man Thor story.

Branagh spoke with Business Insider and revealed the idea:

“I would love to see Chris Hemsworth and the others have their own individual final story that takes Thor into a glorious twilight.”

The actor/director acknowledges that his inspiration is James Mangold’s Logan.

As with that film, Branagh wants to tell the final heroic story of Thor.

“I think it would be something very beautiful to take those characters into their own particular sunset.”

As a Shakespearean actor, it was obvious why he was attracted to Thor in the first place.

The Norse mythos isn’t too far removed from the royal conflicts of Shakespeare.

Now, Branagh desires to close the chapter by telling us about Thor’s end.

Then, the director acknowledges that it’s unlikely to happen.

He knows that Marvel plans out its characters in much more detail now.

So, this one is probably a pipe dream, but I’ll mention this fact.

Logan supposedly ended Wolverine’s story in 2017. That retirement lasted seven years.

Hugh Jackman returned in Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, and he looked much younger at that.

This is a good idea, Marvel. Please hear Branagh out.

Marvel Miscellany

Apparently, Wonder Man was conceived as a joke. Yes, I’m serious.

You can read the Deadline story here, but the gist is simple.

Cretton also directedly Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

During that shoot, he adored Sir Ben Kingsley and wanted to work with him more.

“So, I did a joke pitch to my producer, Jonathan Schwartz, and said, ‘We should do Trevor Goes to Hollywood.’”

That’s exactly what Wonder Man is. Someone at Marvel heard that pitch and said, “YES!”

Whoever that was may be my favorite person at Marvel. They’re a genius.

Speaking of which, The Hollywood Reporter has posted this interview.

You can watch a 30-minute discussion about Wonder Man season one.

There’s also a brief tease for season two, which makes it a must-watch for fans of the show.

 

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