"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" (2025) marks a key moment in the character's history. Despite over a dozen films featuring the wall-crawler, Tom Holland's portrayal is the first iteration to make it past three solo films, and with the movie's first trailer receiving a record-breaking one billion views after only four days, it's safe to say audience investment is at an all-time high.

Brand New Day is in a unique position, as following "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021), Peter Parker's status quo has been completely erased, leaving him entirely alone in a world with no memory of him or his alter ego. This leaves the writers (Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers) with unprecedented potential to take the story wherever they like, and while the film promises to feature fan-favorite characters such as John Bernthal's Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, three iconic characters have been noticeably absent from the marketing, despite their inclusion seeming like an essential addition now more than ever.

#1: Felicia Hardy

Felicia Hardy A.K.A. Black Cat is a foundational character within the Spider-Man mythos. First appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 in July 1979, written by Marv Wolfman and drawn by Keith Pollard, Felicia Hardy is an expert thief who possesses the power to bestow misfortune on those around her and routinely has an on-again, off-again affair with Spider-Man.

Note that I said Spider-Man, not Peter Parker, as a particularly interesting aspect of her character is that she has little to no interest in the man behind the mask, instead deriving pleasure from the cat-and-mouse game she has with Spider-Man, who often tries to stop her from committing crimes, only to fall victim to his less heroic sensibilities.

While Black Cat has been growing in popularity over recent years, thanks largely to her portrayal in the PlayStation Spider-Man games by voice actress Erica Lindbeck, she is yet to be seen on the big screen outside of a brief cameo in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014) by Felicity Jones.

Felicia would work especially well in Brand New Day, as the ending of No Way Home saw Peter deciding not to reunite with M.J. (Zendaya) to protect her; so introducing a character like Black Cat, who doesn't need to be protected but who doesn't love Peter the way M.J. does, could be a great source of internal conflict, forcing Peter to weigh his life as Spidey against his reality without the mask.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely Peter will cross paths with the Black Cat, as the film's trailers feature M.J. heavily and make it clear that Peter is actively trying to keep her in his life, leaving little room for the introduction of Felicia in this film.

Still, Black Cat would be a powerful force of temptation for Spidey, preying on his vulnerability and isolation, much like a certain serpentine symbiote who, alongside Felicia, would prove a formidable threat for the webbed warrior.

#2: Venom

Venom is easily one of the most iconic members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery, so much so that he's the only one to have earned his own trilogy. Despite that, we haven't seen Spidey and the Symbiote square off since "Spider-Man 3" in 2007, when Topher Grace's portrayal left many fans unsatisfied.

Nearly two decades later, audiences are ready to see the two share a screen again. Brand New Day is the perfect opportunity for the pair to meet, as a key component of the symbiote is that it feeds off and amplifies its host's negative emotions, and a Peter Parker who's at the lowest point we've seen him would offer plenty to feast on.

The symbiote is also known for lowering its users' inhibitions and feeding into their more self-serving instincts, which, when combined with Black Cat, could reveal what a less heroic version of Peter might look like.

It should be noted that with Venom usually comes his host, Eddie Brock who was played by Tom Hardy in the 2018 trilogy and who in many ways serves as a rival for Peter both on and off the battlefield; however, I don't think his inclusion is necessary in Brand New Day, especially since the last time audiences saw him was in "Venom: The Last Dance" (2024) which ended with Eddie being in an entirely different universe than our Peter. Including him would either require spending crucial runtime explaining how and why he's back in our universe, or a recast to debut a new Eddie native to our world; however, this could alienate audiences who still feel attached to Hardy's iconic portrayal.

As for how likely Venom is to be included in Brand New Day, it's hard to say for sure, but the odds are leaning in favor of his inclusion. For starters, the mid-credits scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home revealed that before being sent back to his universe by Dr. Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) spell, Brock unknowingly left a piece of the symbiote behind at a bar in Mexico. It's not unfathomable to assume that piece could've been picked up by S.W.O.R.D., currently run by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), or a more villainous organization, and is now waiting to find its perfect host.

The released trailers also seem to fit this narrative, depicting Peter experiencing an evolution of his abilities. Changes seem to include gaining organic webbing, a signature benefit of the symbiote, and in some shots, having entirely black eyes, a possible symptom of his bond with Venom.

While it's too early to say for sure, I wouldn't be surprised if we got to see the Lethal Protector in some capacity this July, which, especially if paired with Black Cat, would allow audiences to follow Spidey as he goes down a darker, more sinister path, a path only one hero can save him from.

#3: Matt Murdock

Spoiler warning for Daredevil: Born Again season two

Since getting his own Netflix show in 2015, fans have fallen in love with Charlie Cox's portrayal of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, and given the two's extensive history of team-ups in the comics, fans have been clamoring to see Daredevil and Spider-Man share the big screen, and while audiences did get a taste back in 2021 when Murdock made a cameo as Peter's lawyer, we are yet to see the two suit up together.

Daredevil could play a crucial role in this film, serving as both a mentor and friend to a struggling Peter. Throughout more than five seasons of television, audiences have seen Murdock struggle with many of the same feelings Parker will have to confront in Brand New Day. We've seen him battle loneliness, grief, and frustration, but more importantly, we've seen how he's won those battles.

If Peter does venture into a darker side in this film, whether by giving in to the temptations of Black Cat or being seduced by the power of the symbiote, Daredevil can pull him back to the light and remind him that being a hero means doing the right thing even when it's hard, a sentiment he understands more than most. This would add a comforting layer of camaraderie to the film while giving comic book fans the team-up they've been awaiting for decades.

Thankfully, this crossover seems more likely than any other for many reasons. For one, the film will feature Punisher, a character introduced in the Daredevil show who still has close ties to Matt Murdock; furthermore, the trailers show many shots of Peter facing off against ninja-like opponents very reminiscent of Daredevil's iconic antagonists, The Hand. One of these shots even appears to take place in a prison, which is perhaps the same prison that Murdock was imprisoned in at the end of Daredevil Born Again season two after revealing his identity to the world. This reveal may lead a struggling Peter to seek the help of his vigilante lawyer.

The creators know what fans want, and they know now is the perfect time to give it to us, which is why my Spidey senses say that this is the summer we finally get the crossover decades in the making.

No matter who's in the movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to be a raging success, on the strength of its name alone, with many outlets already projecting it to cross the $1 billion mark.

But being a guaranteed money maker is one thing; guaranteeing an intriguing and rewarding story that's remembered as one of the best in the character's history is another, and if you ask me, the inclusion of Black Cat, Venom, and Daredevil would guarantee both.