It’s been over a year since entertainment journalist Chris Higashi revealed that Mark Ruffalo‘s Hulk would turn savage and take on Spidey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. With the film’s release date now just two months away, the Hulk’s new look has been revealed via marketing and merchandise, but the studios have yet to show off any footage of the heroes battling. It seems as though they’re saving that for the next trailer; however, as posters and standees have begun popping up, a first look at the hero-on-hero battle has shown up online.
The new poster was seen at Meijer and while it doesn’t give away much, it does confirm Higashi’s claim that Spidey will be forced into battle with Hulk in the fourth installment in the MCU-set Spider-Man franchise.
New poster for Spider-Man Brand New Day that’s being sold in Meijer
Of course, Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker will have his hands very full in the film, taking on villains such as Scorpion, Tombstone, Boomerang and Tarantuala while also dealing with Jon Bernthal‘s newly reinvigorated Punisher.
But Kevin Feige and the newly promoted Brad Winderbaum aren’t letting up on the gas. The remaining live-action slate for 2026 is arguably the most consequential six-month stretch in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bridging the gap between grounded street-level grit and a multiversal apocalypse.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day — July 31, 2026 (Theatrical)
The highly anticipated fourth solo outing for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker isn’t just a sequel; it’s a total system reset. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi), Brand New Day is pulling directly from the classic comic book status quo while throwing Peter into a dark, isolating new era.
The Four-Year Gap: Following an opening act that picks up nine months post-No Way Home, the film utilizes a massive four-year time jump, dropping audiences directly into the year 2028. Peter is now 21/22 years old, completely erased from the memories of his loved ones, and scraping by as an isolated, DIY hero.
The Tonal Whiplash: Fresh off his brutal solo special, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher serves as a primary supporting player. Bernthal has teased that Frank Castle acts as a grim reaper on Peter’s shoulder, offering a violent, uncompromising contrast to Spider-Man’s traditional idealism.
The Monster Within: With Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner returning to the fold, rumor has it that Peter’s mysterious headaches are reportedly tied to a terrifying physical mutation arc, forcing a veteran, resource-less Spider-Man to protect a city that has entirely moved on without him.
ViSiONQUΞST — October 14, 2026 (Disney+)
Serving as the definitive conclusion to the trilogy that began with WandaVision and Agatha All Along, this 8-episode event series is taking a hard sci-fi, psychological approach to the synthetic soul of the MCU. Showrunner Terry Matalas (Star Trek: Picard) is leaning heavily into philosophical horror for the spooky season.
The Return of the Maker: The Disney Upfronts blew the doors off this project by confirming James Spader’s return as Ultron in both human and murder bot form. Paul Bettany has teased that Ultron acts as the “architect of Vision’s trauma,” appearing in a chilling “human form” to taunt White Vision as the android searches for a soul and pieces together his inherited memories.
The Children’s Crusade: The series will officially introduce a grown-up Tommy Maximoff (played by Ruaridh Mollica), reuniting the twins on the physical plane after Billy’s journey in Agatha.
The Multiversal Anchor: Bettany has teased that VisionQuest is the direct launchpad for his role in the next two Avengers films, with Vision’s analytical mind perhaps becoming crucial to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes staying in the fight.
Avengers: Doomsday — December 18, 2026 (Theatrical)
The main event. The crown jewel. The return of the Kings. Joe and Anthony Russo step back behind the camera for a film that has fundamentally rewritten the rules of the Multiverse Saga.
The Rule of Doom: Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU, not as Iron Man, but as Victor von Doom. The narrative focuses on the responses of the heroes of different Earth as Doom unleashes “a cascading crisis across the entire multiverse.”
The Fluid Script: Production in London has been characterized by absolute secrecy. Joseph Quinn recently revealed that early scripts didn’t even have an ending, as the Russos and writer Stephen McFeely treat the film as a living document, utilizing “secret names” to hide massive legacy cameos until the cameras roll.
Marvel’s remaining 2026 lineup is all about consequence. The Marvel Spotlight experimentation of the year’s first half is giving way to projects that will drive the narrative of the main cinematic line. Peter Parker is being forced to grow up, White Vision is facing his literal demon creator, and the entire Multiverse is marching toward a date with Doctor Doom on December 18.
Buckle up. The summer belongs to the web-slinger, the autumn belongs to the synths, and this winter, there is only Doom.
The Daywalker is skipping the line straight to the end of the world.
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Studios has pinned down exactly when and where we will next see the Daywalker. The report claims that despite the solo film’s notoriously fluid production history, Marvel Studios is planning to bypass the solo film bottleneck by officially debuting Mahershala Ali’s Blade in the grand multiversal finale, Avengers: Secret Wars ahead of a major role in Midnight Sons.
It has been an agonizing seven years since Kevin Feige introduced Mahershala Ali at SDCC 2019, and five years since his disembodied voice warned Dane Whitman about the Ebony Blade in Eternals. While fans have worried that the endless revolving door of directors and script drafts meant the project was dead in the water, it seems as though Marvel and Ali have come to terms on a path forward for the character.
This is the most pragmatic move Kevin Feige could make. Moving ahead with a half-assed Blade solo film just to check a box has proven to be a creative minefield. By introducing him, and Ghost Rider–potentially played by Ryan Gosling— as high-stakes, multiversal heavy-hitters in Secret Wars, Marvel will satisfy the fans, honor Ali’s immense patience, and cleanly establish the supernatural infrastructure needed to launch the Midnight Sons in Phase 7.
The Netflix renaissance is no longer a phase—it’s a takeover. Fresh off the wave of positive response to the TV-MA Special Presentation The Punisher: One Last Kill, industry insider Daniel Richtman has reported that Marvel Studios is moving full steam ahead on a follow-up project for Jon Bernthal’s lethal vigilante.
While it’s currently unclear if this next step is another tight Special Presentation a full-scale limited series or a feature film, the narrative trajectory is obvious. One Last Killintentionally left Ma Gnucci on the board, setting up a comic-accurate turf war that will feature Frank shielding Sadie Sink’s mystery MCU character from the ever-present Department of Damage Control in Spider-Man: Brand New Day before heading up another Punisher project. And it looks as though whatever they project it is, it will feature one of Punisher’s most lethal villains.
Though he had a small role as Barry in Punisher: One Last Kill, fans were convinced that Jamal Johnson was actually playing the merc known as Barracuda in the special presentation. Thanks to an Instagram post from Johnson, it seems fans were indeed correct…and Johnson is teasing the potential for him to return in the role.
Introduced by writer Garth Ennis in the 2006 Punisher MAX series, Barracuda isn’t just one of the Punisher’s most formidable physical threats—he’s also one of the few villains who genuinely enjoys the chaos as much as Frank enjoys the punishment. Barracuda is the “anti-Punisher”—a military-trained killing machine who represents what Frank Castle might have become if he actually enjoyed the slaughter instead of viewing it as a tragic, solemn duty.
Bernthal has made it clear there’s more in the pipeline for the character and though he refuses to give it away, there’s plenty of news crumbs for fans to start imagining what’s next for The Punisher.
Fans are beginning to worry that te road to the end of the Multiverse just got a little longer. Though the information had been known and available for quite some time, confirmation from a member of the cast about thefilming schedule for Avengers: Secret Wars has sparked widespread industry speculation that the massive crossover event may miss its current December 2027 release date.
In an interview with Dog Day Afternoon, Fantastic Four star Ebon Moss-Bachrach confirmed that he’ll be able to do a play until mid-June because Avengers: Secret Wars won’t begin production until August.
All eyes on Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Ebon reveals why he chose to do Dog Day Afternoon alongside Avengers: Secret Wars. @fantasticfour @goodoneshow pic.twitter.com/UpnW6axZL3
While Marvel Studios has yet to officially move the needle, the logistical realities of filming back-to-back Avengers epics are beginning to settle in, and fans believe there might be a push to May 2028 which is coincidentally the 20th anniversary of the MCU.
Avengers: Secret Wars is the reset button for the entire MCU. If the Russos and Kevin Feige feel they need more time to get the ending of a 20-year narrative right, they will take it. After the fluid script updates reported by Joseph Quinn and the secret names mentioned by Alan Cumming, it’s clear the scope of these films has ballooned beyond Marvel’s initial 2022 projections.
Fans can now mark their calendars for the release of the final chapter of the WandaVision trilogy At the Disney Upfront presentation, Marvel Studios officially confirmed that VisionQuest will premiere on October 14, 2026.
You’re meeting a Vision who has died and come back to life, who is sort of reconnecting with his memories, and his feelings, and is going through a bit of an identity quest.
-Showrunner Terry Matalas
VisionQuest has been described as a sort of techno-philosophica journey and certainly one of the studio’s weirdest projects to date which will include the return of James Spader‘s villainous murder bot, Ultron. The Wrap was present at the Upfront presentation and gave a description of the footage revealed from the show.
For most of the footage, we see Paul Bettany in his human form, essentially watching Vision’s memories like a film. When last we saw him, he was the White Vision that we saw fly off at the end of WandaVision. He’s been given his memories back without having lived them, so now he’s trying to figure out his humanity once more, noting he has none of the emotions the first Vision did. There to help him — and taunt him — is Ultron, once again voiced by James Spader. But Spader also appears in human form too.
VisionQuest will wrap Marvel Television’s live-action slate for 2026 and conclude in time for any of its characters or plot points to carry over to Avengers: Doomsday if necessary.
As fans prepare to dive into The Punisher: One Last Kill on Disney+, a new report from The Direct is fueling speculation that this Special Presentation might be the final audition for a full-blown theatrical Punisher movie.
While the current project is a standalone, 40ish-minute Marvel Spotlight entry, the conversation is rapidly shifting toward Frank Castle’s big-screen potential—especially with Jon Bernthal already confirmed for a major role in this summer’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The Punisher: One Last Kill isn’t just another MCU spin-off; it’s a mission statement. Bernthal didn’t just return as the lead; he also co-wrote and executive produced the special alongside director Reinaldo Marcus Green. This level of creative involvement suggests Marvel is trusting Bernthal to define the adult tone of the character’s MCU future.
Moving forward. I think, speaking for myself, I know Jon, and I would love to make a movie, something that could go worldwide and be on screens everywhere. But obviously, that’ll be Marvel’s decision.
-Reinaldo Marcus Green
Green admitted that while One Last Kill is a streaming event, both he and Bernthal “would love” to see Frank Castle lead his own theatrical film. “Obviously, that’ll be Marvel’s decision,” Green noted, but emphasized that the demand for an R-rated theatrical Punisher has never been higher.
To be honest, I can’t speak to that. I don’t know what the plans are for the future of the Punisher. The only thing that we hope that we were able to accomplish is the demand for more if we were able to accomplish that. Hopefully Jon [Bernthal] and Marvel will come together to make something worthy of what the audience would want to see out of that character.
-Reinaldo Marcus Green
Following the success of Deadpool & Wolverine and the two TV-MA seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Studios is reportedly no longer afraid of the R-rating in theaters. With Disney pivoting back toward theatrical releases and away from aggressive streaming slates, Frank Castle is the perfect candidate to lead a lower-budget, high-impact, R-rated Marvel Knights cinematic line.
The production of Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be as chaotic and unpredictable as the multiverse itself. In an interview with Josh Horowitz, Fantastic Four star Ebon Moss-Bachrach dropped some fascinating details about the secretive writing process behind the Russo Brothers’ return and hinted at what to expect from Ben Grimm’s time on screen in the upcoming film.
According to Moss-Bachrach, the sheer scope of the fifth installment in the Avengers franchise made the process of filming his portion feel disjointed, especially in comparison to the smaller scale Fantastic Four film.
“Doomsday was different in that it’s a bigger movie with more moving parts, and I think it was more compartmentalized, whereas Fantastic Four: First Steps, we were there like every every day, every day, having a sense of the thing,” said Moss-Bachrach.
“These movies are so interstellar and so galactic and conceptual. So, it’s very hard sometimes to understand what’s going on in the story. And Doomsday was a little bit harder for me to hold all the parts,” he continued. “And, I mean, I knew where I was, I knew which planets, which universe I was in. But how it was connecting to other universes, I would have to go back to, like, ‘Joe [Russo] can you just, I know you’ve talked me through, can you just tell me one more time?‘”
When asked by Horowitz if he’d worked from a completed script, Moss-Bachrach ultimately revealed that at least his portion of the process wrapped without him being aware of the film’s ending.
“Yeah, I did read a full script, but those scripts change quite a bit,” he said before changing course. “You know what? Probably not, it probably didn’t have a full, like, third act. I don’t think it had an ending. I don’t think anyone gets to see that stuff.”
While one of the four teasers released for Doomsday teased Thing’s interactions with Earth-616’s Wakandans and Talokanil, Moss-Bachrach also seemingly revealed that the Thing will be sharing some scenes not only with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom but also some powerful mutant heroes, marking the first time members of the Fantastic Four and X-Men have shared the screen.
“What a wonderful man. Like, what a great set leader he was. He’s been doing this for a long time and he was so generous and really, like, checking in, making sure everyone was good. Really good coach energy there… I would look around the room and it’d be like, ‘There’s Ian McKellan, and there’s Channing Tatum,’ it’s a lot.”
Set both after the events of Netflix’s The Punisher Season 2 and during the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, One Last Kill will tee up Frank for his upcoming big screen debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
While the Special Presentation is designed to be standalone, it will certainly reference some of the events from both seasons of The Punisher and Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. With that in mind, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before The Punisher: One Last Kill.
The Complete and Definitive MCU Punisher Prep
If you have time to watch it all before you decide to stream One Last Kill, here’s everything to make sure you maximize your enjoyment. Though The Punisher did not appear in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, it is most certainly relevant since One Last Kill is set during it and explains what Castle was doing during the season.
If you start now, you can take it all in before the streaming debut of One Last Kill.
Essential Prep
Daredevil, Season 2 (2016)
🍅 81%
Episodes 1-4, 9 and 11
To understand the Punisher, you have to witness the tragedy that birthed him. While his debut in Daredevil Season 2 is packed with visceral action, its true importance lies in the ideological war between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle. In Episodes 1-4, we see Frank at his most raw, culminating in the “Penny and Dime” monologue that redefined the character for a generation. These episodes aren’t just backstory; they establish the “no-half-measures” code that puts him at odds with the current street-level heroes in Born Again. Furthermore, Episode 9 is the first piece of the puzzle for his relationship with Wilson Fisk, showing a mutual respect between two monsters that still haunts the MCU today.
The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)
🍅 68%
Episode 1
The 2017 premiere of Frank’s solo series, titled “3 AM,” is a masterclass in the War at Home. It shows Frank Castle attempting the impossible: quitting. By burning his gear and taking a sledgehammer to literal walls, Frank tries to bury the soldier. This episode is the essential spiritual predecessor to One Last Kill, which begins with Frank once again trying to find a life beyond the violence. It also sets up his showdown with Ma Gnucci–played by Judith Light–in the special presentation.
While you could skip straight to Born Again, Jon Bernthal and showrunner Dario Scardapane have been vocal in interviews (and the Born Again Official Podcast) that the Netflix shows are not only 100% canon but crucial to understanding the man and his mission.
The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)
🍅 61%
Episode 13
The Season 2 finale of the Netflix era serves as the definitive transition into the Frank we see in the 2026 specials. It is here that Frank stops running from his nature and accepts that he is a “man in the box.” By ending the season with Frank dual-wielding rifles against a street gang, the show signaled his transformation from a man seeking revenge to a vigilante seeking a purpose. This version of Frank—the one who accepts his role as a necessary evil—is the exact version that Mayor Fisk now uses as a boogeyman to justify his anti-vigilante task forces.
Pay close attention to the return of Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle. While Frank is the hammer, Curtis has always been the anvil Frank relies on to stay grounded. Frank is going to need every ounce of that Netflix-era humanity to survive, Ma Gnucci, a villain who is just as relentless as he is.
In this episode, Frank Castle’s return is triggered by the ultimate insult: the co-opting of his symbol. For years, the Punisher Skull had been adopted by a faction of corrupt NYPD officers—the very men Fisk uses to enforce his order. When Frank finally steps out of the shadows to confront these officers, it isn’t just about vigilantism; it’s about identity theft. He makes it clear that the skull isn’t a badge of authority or a trend—it’s a mark of a man who has lost everything and has nothing left to fear. This episode is crucial for One Last Kill because it establishes Frank’s current mission: cleaning up the mess his own reputation created. He isn’t just hunting criminals anymore; he’s hunting those who wear his face while breaking the law.
Episode 4 also serves as the first major reunion between Red and the Punisher in years, but the tone has shifted significantly since their rooftop debates. While they are still fundamentally at odds regarding the sanctity of life, there is a weary, veteran respect between them. Frank sees a Matt Murdock who is increasingly desperate and isolated after the loss of Foggy Nelson. In this episode, Frank acts as a dark mirror, forcing Matt to realize that the city Fisk is building has no room for “really good lawyers.” It sets the stage for Frank’s role in the One Last Kill special as the man who does what Matt Murdock can no longer afford to do: finish the job permanently.
Episode 9
Frank’s return in the first season of Born Again was a shock to the system. In Episode 9, we see a Frank Castle who has been forced to watch his symbol be co-opted by corrupt NYPD officers—a plot point that Bernthal has noted was a major inspiration for the One Last Kill special. This episode is crucial because it updates Frank’s status quo: he is no longer just a lone wolf; he is a witness to the systemic rot of Fisk’s New York. His confrontation with Matt about the death of Foggy Nelson provides the emotional fuel for his current state of mind, bridging the gap between his personal grief and his new civic rage. And, of course, One Last Kill will follow Castle after his escape from Fisk’s dungeon prison and explain his absence from Born Again Season 2.
If you are truly pressed for time, here’s a boiled-down “Must-Watch” list:
Daredevil Season 2, Episode 4 (“Penny and Dime”) — The emotional soul of the character.
The Punisher Season 1, Ep 1 (“3 AM”) — Frank’s return to his mission and his attack on the Gnucci crime family.
Daredevil: Born Again, Season 1, Episode 9 — To see his new MCU status quo and his escape from Fisk’s dungeon that once again sets him loose on the criminals of New York City.
About The Punisher: One Last Kill
The Punisher: One Last Kill stars Jon Bernthal, Judith Light, Jason R. Moore, Roe Rancell, Mila Jaymes, Nick Koumalatsos, and Colton Hill.
As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.
The Special Presentation was written by Jon Bernthal & Reinaldo Marcus Green. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Jon Bernthal, and Reinaldo Marcus Green executive-produced.
The Punisher: One Last Kill debuts May 12th on Disney +.
Marvel Studios’ plans for the First Family just hit a major speed bump. According to a report from Jeff “The In” Sneider, Matt Shakman is reportedly moving on from the MCU to helm a new, original Planet of the Apes film for 20th Century Studios.
While Shakman’s work on The Fantastic Four: First Steps was designed to launch a new flagship franchise, his jump to a different Disney-owned mega-brand suggests that a direct sequel to the 1960s-set space adventure may be further off than fans hoped—and likely under new leadership.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 21: Eric Pearson attends The Fantastic Four: First Steps World Premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California on July 21, 2025. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney)
Shakman isn’t making the jump alone. He is bringing First Steps screenwriter Josh Friedman with him to develop what is being described as a “new original story” for the Apes franchise.
With First Steps pulling in a respectable but not record-breaking $521.8 million at the global box office, Disney is reportedly pivoting Shakman to revitalize the Apes brand while the Fantastic Four characters are integrated into the larger Avengers narrative.
The Fantastic Four cast (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are already locked in for massive roles in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This Avengers window gives Marvel breathing room to find a new director for a standalone sequel, which was reported by Variety to be in development for a potential 2028 release.
Shakman was the architect of the FF’s aesthetic. His departure signals that Marvel is moving away from the director-led era of solo trilogies–like James Gunn‘s Guardians and Jon Watts Spidey–and back to a more utilitarian model where characters move between directors as they flow in and out of the Avengers event films. For fans, this means the First Family will be plenty busy—but their next solo outing might look very different.
Cookie Consent
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
This website uses cookies
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
30 days
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
comment_author_email
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_url
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Pinterest Tag is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
