Starring a now 30-year-old Tom Holland and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has taken off globally in a big way, single-handedly proving that the superhero film genre still has life in it despite the box office disappointment of "Supergirl" in June. And when one considers that "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was supposed to be the concluding chapter of a Tom Holland-led trilogy, it's encouraging to find that, five years after its 2021 release, enthusiasm for a Spidey film has not diminished.

Think about it. As a fresh-faced 20-year-old, Tom Holland first donned the Spidey mask in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," marking his official entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That was followed by his first standalone outing, "Spider-Man: Homecoming," two "Avengers" films, the second "Spider-Man" movie, an appearance in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," and the aforementioned 2021 hit "No Way Home." That's a full decade of portraying the same character.

So while the initial worldwide box office figures showed avid interest in the new film, there was the lingering question of whether "Brand New Day" actually deserves the acclaim and takes the Spider-Man narrative somewhere substantial and unexpected. Unexpected might be asking for too much, but I'm happy to report that there's a fresh veneer of maturity, vulnerability, and emotional heft to this 2026 iteration of Peter Parker. It definitely nudges the franchise in the right direction after the somewhat ambivalent way the trilogy conclude.

I'm not going to talk about the plot points of this film because its beauty lies in experiencing the moments as they unfold. What I can say is that Holland, Zendaya as MJ, and Jacob Batalon as Ned continue to provide the strong emotional core of this installment. I'd even go so far as to say that Zendaya serves as the emotional fulcrum for much of the film's dramatic weight.

You'll love the sequences in which Peter and Ned showcase just how much of science nerds and movie geeks they are, even referencing two other major film franchises that the pair would undoubtedly have adored. These moments make their "best friends" relationship feel authentic and genuinely heartfelt.

There's a bounty of Easter eggs and references throughout the film. My title refers to just one of them: a coffee cup that first appeared at the start of "No Way Home." I'm certain Holland fans and Marvel devotees will have a field day spotting all these hidden details.

While Mark Ruffalo and Florence Pugh make welcome cameo appearances as their familiar MCU characters, I'd single out Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle and "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink as the film's two most enjoyable revelations. Sink truly sinks her teeth into her mystery role, and I can only hope we'll be seeing more of her in the forthcoming "Avengers" film and future MCU projects.

So yes, we did need "Brand New Day" as a form of closure to Holland's Spider-Man era. Should Holland still return as Spidey in a future film? If only to pass the baton and do something similar to what Tony Stark did in helping establish Spider-Man, that would be great. But I wouldn't want to watch another full-length adventure featuring an aging Holland as Spider-Man.

Where is Miles Morales in live-action form when we need him? Or Spider-Gwen? Although the poor reception for "Supergirl" may have dampened enthusiasm for that particular evolutionary path.

In the meantime, there's so much to take in and enjoy with "Brand New Day." Come for the action sequences, which have never simulated the thrill of web-slinging more effectively, but stay for the heartfelt angst and existential pondering of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.