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A massive shift in the relationship between superhero films and video games may have happened in the upcoming Phase 6 film from Marvel, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."
This is because its director, Destin Daniel Cretton, has revealed that "Brand New Day" took inspiration from none other than Sony and PlayStation's "Marvel's Spider-Man" that was developed by Insomniac Games.
Insomniac's 'Marvel Spider-Man' Games Inspired New MCU Movie
Cretton acknowledged in a Polygon interview that while he does not consider himself a gamer, he made a deliberate effort to surround himself with crew members who were deeply familiar with the Insomniac titles.
Members of the stunt department in particular were fans of the PlayStation games and would bring in screenshots and video captures from their own playthroughs to pitch specific shots and moves for the film.
"I am not a gamer, but I've played the game, [and] I surrounded myself with people who were obsessive gamers," Cretton said. "A lot of the people in our stunt department loved playing those video games. So they would do screen grabs of their play and bring it in and say like, 'Can we pull this move off?' So that was a great inspiration for things."
For decades, Marvel licensed games would follow the lead of whatever film was most prominent at the time, borrowing character designs and visual language directly from the big screen.
The Insomniac Games series changed that conversation after "Marvel's Spider-Man" launched on PS4 in 2018 to widespread critical acclaim, followed by an equally well-received sequel in 2023. Both titles built a version of Peter Parker that fans responded to so strongly that the character's game portrayal began to carry its own cultural weight.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Parallels to Video Games
The influence did not stop at stunt choreography, as both "Marvel's Spider-Man" and "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" shaped specific scenes and visual moments throughout "Brand New Day." However, Cretton did not specify how many of those pitches made it into the final cut, said ComicBook Gaming.
That said, the inspirations go both ways, as shortly after "Brand New Day" hits theaters on July 31, "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" will receive a free update adding the "Fresh Start" suit to the game, which reflects the look Peter wears in the film.
Insomniac's titles have sold tens of millions of copies across PlayStation platforms since the first game launched, making the series one of the most commercially successful superhero game franchises ever.
What to Expect From 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'?
The trailers for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" have teased a noticeably different chapter for Peter Parker. His body appears to be developing organic web shooters that grow directly from his wrists, replacing the mechanical versions he has used throughout his MCU tenure, pointing toward a mutation arc drawn from the original comics.
The film also pits Peter against an unknown antagonist who appears to be controlling the Hulk, one of the more visually striking threats the character has faced in live action. Frank Castle, known as The Punisher, also appears in the film as an unlikely ally alongside Spider-Man.
One of the more discussed threads from the trailers involves Peter potentially transforming into the Human Spider, a more monstrous, instinct-driven version of the character from the comics.
Whether that transformation is permanent or part of a larger arc remains unclear, but it has generated significant fan discussion ahead of the film's July 31 release.
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