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Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk into Tom Holland’s corner of the MCU for the first time. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Ruffalo’s casting in August 2025, though Marvel Studios kept plot details tightly guarded.
Now, industry insider John Campea revealed why Hulk appears in the film. According to his sources, Peter Parker undergoes a horrifying transformation into Man-Spider. This will likely require Bruce Banner’s scientific expertise to prevent complete mutation. John Campea discussed recent Spider-Man: Brand New Day plot leaks on his YouTube channel, confirming elements from his own sources. He cautioned that the information should, however, be taken with a pinch of salt.
“In the vein of Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, we’re going to see Peter mutate into a spider being…literally mutating into a spider,” Campea explained. His comments hinted that the film would introduce Man-Spider, a monstrous transformation from the comics.
Campea described the core conflict, stating that “One of the main things [about] this movie is them trying to race against the idea of how to prevent Peter from mutating totally.”
The mutation stems from Peter’s origin. Campea noted that Peter’s genetics were permanently altered when the radioactive spider bit him. Those changes now threaten to consume him completely, transforming him into a literal spider creature.
Who Is Man-Spider in Marvel Comics?
Man-Spider debuted in Marvel Fanfare #2 (1982) after Peter Parker was captured in the Savage Land and transformed by the villain Brainchild. Using a mutagenic device, Brainchild regressed Peter into a monstrous, multi-eyed creature with six limbs and predatory instincts.
While the transformation was visually disturbing, this original comic version saw Peter struggle to maintain his human consciousness within the beast, even contemplating his own death out of horror for what he had become.
This concept was later pushed to a more terrifying extreme in the 1990s Spider-Man animated series, where a neogenic mutation stripped away Peter’s personality entirely, leaving a mindless animal that hunted its allies.
Much like the earlier Six Arms Saga, where Peter grew extra limbs after a failed attempt to cure himself, the Man-Spider shows how fragile Peter’s powers are. The balance between his human spirit and his volatile spider DNA can get compromised.
Hulk’s Inclusion Makes Sense
Bruce Banner possesses the scientific knowledge to help Peter. The Hulk transformation resulted from gamma radiation exposure, making Banner an expert on unwanted mutations and genetic alterations.
Banner spent years trying to cure or control his Hulk condition. He understands the struggle between maintaining humanity while harboring monstrous transformations. This experience makes him uniquely qualified to help Peter fight his mutation.
The MCU established Banner’s genius-level intellect throughout multiple appearances. He holds seven PhDs and has expertise in nuclear physics, radiation, and biochemistry. Avengers: Endgame showed Banner successfully merging with Hulk through scientific means, demonstrating his ability to manipulate genetic conditions.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law further showcased Banner’s expertise by revealing he helped Jennifer Walters control her Hulk powers. He built laboratories and developed techniques for managing gamma-induced mutations.
Tom Holland previously expressed interest in Spider-Man and Hulk teaming up. He told MTV he enjoyed comic book images of the pair together and believed they should have a “big brother-little brother” dynamic. Brand New Day could deliver that partnership, though under dire circumstances.
