Florence Pugh Reportedly Joins Tom Holland’s Villain-Filled ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

After filming began on Tom Holland’s latest “Spider-Man” film earlier this month, Marvel fans have flooded the internet with rumors, reports and leaks on what the highly anticipated MCU project will look like. 

Dubbed “Brand New Day,” the film will follow Holland’s Spider-Man as he faces new challenges after the events of 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” 

Marvel Insider Reports Pugh’s Yelena Will Join ‘Spider-Man 4’ 

The most recent reports from Marvel Insiders suggest that the project, currently slated for a summer 2026 release, will feature the return of actress Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. 

Marvel Studios

Pugh’s Yelena most recently starred in “Thunderbolts*,” which hit theaters in May. Since then the actress’ name has been tossed around as the “new face” of the MCU, especially after her character was confirmed to be returning in the upcoming Marvel blockbuster “Avengers: Doomsday.” 

Rumors that Pugh will similarly appear in the Destin Daniel Drestton-directed film next year opposite Holland were first leaked by MCU insider Daniel Richtman, who wrote on X/Twitter: “Yelena! Florence Pugh has joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day!” 

Marvel Studios have yet to confirm that the actress has signed on. Should the rumors prove true, Pugh would join an already stacked cast, featuring Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, as well as cameos from Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. 

While Michael Mando (“Lost Girl”) has been confirmed to be playing iconic “Spider-Man” antagonist Scorpion in the new film, Liza Colon-Zayas (“The Bear”) and Sadie Sink (“Stranger Things”) have also joined the cast in as-yet-unnamed roles. 

The small cast could still grow as the film’s release date draws closer, especially if the report published by Marvel Insider Alex Perez proves true. 

‘More Spider-Man Villains to Come,’ Teases Marvel Insider

During a Q&A session with Marvel fans on Patreon with “The Cosmic Circus,” Perez reported that a number of memorable “Spider-Man” villains, pulled straight from the pages of the comics, will similarly appear in “Brand New Day.” 

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Amongst the characters on Perez’s list were Kingpin, Venom, Tombstone, Hammerhead and Prowler. Both Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin and Tom Hardy’s Venom have already been celebrated on-screen live-action portrayals. Meanwhile, the likes of Tombstone and Hammerhead have yet to make it off the page. Aaron Davis did appear as the villainious Prowlet in 2017’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” but the role was neither live-action or, technically, part of the MCU. 

While still unconfirmed, Perez’s theory does line-up with the final scenes of “No Way Home,” which showed a number of “Spider-Man” villains, including Kraven the Hunter, Scorpion, Rhino, Mysterio and Madame Web, all of whom have been portrayed on screen in recent years.