Marvel Studios/Marvel ComicsThe identity of Spider-Man 4’s villain has been a topic hotter than the Human Torch with a fever, but we might finally know which of Spidey’s bad guys is in line for a good old-fashioned beatdown.
How did we uncover this confidential information? Well, at CinemaCon 2025, we finally learned that Spider-Man 4 will be titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While this title might not mean much to more casual fans of the Wallcrawler, those of us who wasted the late 2000s reading Spider-Man comics will have raised an eyebrow.
This loose story arc saw Peter Parker trying to get his life together after selling his marriage to the Devil (comics are stupid, just roll with me), and he fought a cavalcade of weird and wonderful new supervillains.
Most of these Spider-Man villains were entirely forgettable – ever heard of Freak or Menace? No, of course, you haven’t. You’re not a dweeb. However, one of these colorful characters has become one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains… although colorful might not be the best way to describe him.
A Brand New Day
Marvel ComicsThat character is, of course, the monochromatic menace Mister Negative, aka Martin Lee, who’s probably best known for his breakthrough appearance in Marvel’s Spider-Man. If you’ve never heard of him, he’s basically a crime lord who – thanks to exposure to Darkforce energy – has a myriad of odd abilities, including brainwashing, super strength, and energy manipulation.
All in all, he’s a pretty cool character, but you might be wondering why I’m convinced he will be the villain in the upcoming Marvel movie. Well, there are some superficial reasons which I’ll gloss over quickly.
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The first, as I already wrote, is that Mr Negative is unquestionably the most prominent villain to come out of the Brand New Day era of comics, and he’s enjoyed a groundswell in popularity over the last few years after his videogame appearances.
Disney/MarvelBeyond that, though, I think Mr Negative’s powers align with director Destin Daniel Cretton’s visual sensibilities. You see, Negative is a deadly hand-to-hand combatant who uses his powers to enhance his blows. We know, thanks to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, that Cretton knows how to choreograph and shoot an impressive fight (if you’ve seen that bus scene, you know what I’m talking about), and I can see him putting those skills to impressive use when Spidey and Negative throw hands.
Another piece of slightly more circumstantial evidence is the fact that Mister Negative isn’t just a thorn in Spidey’s side. He’s also a Shang-Chi villain, and as we say, Cretton has a history with the Master of Kung-Fu. Not only that, Simu Liu (Shang Chi himself) has said he wants a Spider-Man crossover… could Cretton be doing his buddy a favor? It’s not outside the realms of possibility.
Inner Demons
Marvel StudiosI think, however, the main reason Mister Negative will be the villain is because of his powers. As I mentioned, Negative can brainwash people, and this happens through some weird mindscape mumbo jumbo. Basically, the more guilt and inner turmoil you feel, the easier you are for him to control; this is why he called his mind-controlled henchmen Inner Demons –he’s basically able to use people’s trauma against them.
And you know who I think will have a fair amount of trauma in Brand New Day? Could it be Peter Parker who’s just lost everyone and everything he ever loved? It sounds like he might have a few inner demons to deal with, doesn’t it? And how better to deal with the feeling of isolation and desperation he’s coping with than by punching psychic manifestations of your anxieties and fears? I’m pretty sure doctors would recommend that as therapy… if it was possible.
And in the words of Columbo, “one more thing”. We’ve seen some alleged casting sheets for Spider-Man 4, and apparently, they’re on the lookout for a “new male role” described as a “no-nonsense authority figure who sees the world in black and white”. Black and white? If that’s not proof, I don’t know what it is.
Excited for Spidey’s brand new day? Then check out our guides breaking down everything you need to know about Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Avengers: Doomsday. We’ve also done a ranking of every Marvel movie because we’re sadomasochists who enjoy writing super-long listicles.