Spider-Man: Brand New Day behind-the-scenes footage is a breath of fresh air for a Marvel movie, but I don’t think it’ll last

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is just 10 days (at the time of writing) into its months-long filming schedule, but one thing is already abundantly clear: the production is taking a much different approach to its Marvel movie siblings of recent years.

I’m not talking about the webslinger’s next film being shot in real-world locations, rather than on soundstages, and/or in front of blue and green screens – although, to be fair, other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects have started doing this more regularly lately. I’m referring to its approach of actively giving fans a peek behind the production curtain.

Take the video above, which was released on Sunday (August 10) and offers a fascinating albeit brief glimpse of the Marvel Phase 6 movie’s first day of filming, or the official first look at the new suit Tom Holland’s titular hero will wear in Brand New Day, as prime examples.

Spider-Man devotees like myself, plus casual MCU fans and newcomers alike, are being given unprecedented behind-the-scenes (BTS) access – well, for an MCU production, anyway – to one of the most anticipated new movies of 2026.

At this juncture, I should make it clear that these BTS looks come courtesy of Sony’s entertainment division. Sony holds the rights to live-action Spider-Man projects, so it, rather than Marvel, holds the cards in terms of marketing the film however it sees fit.

Nonetheless, the MCU is a cinematic franchise that’s often shrouded in secrecy. The odd leak aside, Marvel Studios prides itself on watertight security when it comes to its big-screen offerings and Disney+ shows.

From actors and directors to producers and every crew member, signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is the order of the day for those who work on such projects. Anyone who steps out of line feels the polite wrath of Marvel executives – just look at Alan Cummings’ sheepish face when asked if he got in trouble for letting slip his character Nightcrawler would fight Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards in Avengers: Doomsday during a recent edition of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Kimmel for proof of that.

It’s perfectly reasonable for Marvel to keep a tight lid on all aspects of a film or TV series’ production. There’s so much interest in the MCU these days that every quote, news story, or piece of gossip is heavily scrutinized. The risk of huge spoilers being revealed by people involved in such projects isn’t worth taking, so I fully understand why Marvel wants to restrict the information that’s publicly available.

That said, the perpetual churn of the rumor mill – a cycle maintained by a vast volume of speculation by so-called industry insiders – keeps MCU projects in the public eye throughout their development. Just as DC Studios co-chief James Gunn dispels DC Universe (DCU) rumors that aren’t true, Marvel could take a similarly proactive approach to cutting things off at the source. Instead, their silence only serves to further drive discussion about these rumors.

That’s why these recent BTS looks at Spider-Man 4 are a breath of fresh air. They don’t ruin anything by giving away big spoilers about its cast or plot, but they nip any major leaks in the bud before they gain traction online.

How different would it be if, say, the first images of Holland’s new super-suit were low-resolution ones, captured by a covert photographer at a distance, instead of the official unveiling we got in last week’s video? The reaction would not only have been markedly different, but also negative as fans obsessively dissected what they thought the images showed.

However, delightful and heartwarming as these BTS videos have been – how cool has it been to see Holland interacting with fans and making their day between filming scenes? – I doubt they’ll last. There will come a point where the movie’s production moves indoors to shoot on stages and preserve its biggest story-based surprises.

For now, I’ll continue to enjoy the BTS ride and, even if a similar approach isn’t taken by other Marvel productions in the future, I’ll hold onto hope that we’ll see more footage from Spider-Man 4‘s outdoor set in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, read my dedicated guide on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. to learn more about its confirmed cast, possible plot beats, and more.

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