Disney is weathering an unprecedented storm of leaks that have exposed early footage from two of the MCU’s most anticipated upcoming films. Just 24 hours after apparent footage from Avengers: Doomsday surfaced online, a leaked Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer has now confirmed major story details and cast involvement, while simultaneously intensifying the mystery surrounding Sadie Sink’s secret role.
The Source: Private Screeners Gone Wrong
Both trailers appear to have originated from market research platforms that provide early access to promotional materials for audience feedback purposes. The Spider-Man leak, in particular, was recorded from what appears to be a private screener site — a significant breach of security that studios actively monitor and protect against. While the video quality of the Spider-Man footage is extremely poor, making visual details nearly impossible to discern, the audio quality is salvageable enough to reveal critical plot information.
Both Disney and Marvel have been swift in deploying copyright takedowns across social media platforms, effectively confirming the legitimacy of both leaks and underscoring the sensitive nature of the materials.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Conflict Takes Shape
The leaked Spider-Man trailer opens with Peter Parker confiding his secret identity to an unknown character, followed by a striking monologue where he explains the concept of sacrifice: “I’m not just Peter Parker. I’m Spider-Man. And sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard part, even if it breaks Peter Parker’s heart.” This line references the storyline where everyone has been made to forget Peter Parker’s true identity.
The most consequential revelation from the leak involves Sadie Sink’s character, whose identity has been one of the MCU’s most carefully guarded secrets since her casting announcement. The leaked dialogue confirms that Sink’s character is not only aware of Peter Parker’s true identity but actively threatens him. Her line — “You’re a mess, Spider-Man. Don’t get in my way. Otherwise, it won’t just be your friends who don’t remember who Peter Parker is” — establishes her as an adversary who possesses knowledge that could be catastrophic to Peter’s world.
Sadie Sink’s Mystery Role: From Hero Theory to Villain Speculation
Since Sink’s casting was announced, Sony has maintained strict secrecy about her role. Fan speculation has been rampant, with theories ranging from established Marvel heroes to entirely new characters. Popular guesses have included Jean Grey from the X-Men, Mayday Parker (the daughter of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man), Gwen Stacy, Firestar, Spider-Woman, Black Cat (Felicia Hardy), and Rachel Cole-Alves.
However, the leaked dialogue fundamentally changes the conversation. Sadie Sink’s character is now clearly positioned as a villain or at minimum a rival to Peter Parker. This revelation has sent shockwaves through fan communities, as many of the previously theorized characters would have difficulty fitting into a villain role.
A new theory has emerged that Sink may be playing Shathra, a cosmic “Wasp-Goddess” from Spider-Man mythology. This cosmic angle aligns with her character’s superior, threatening demeanor and knowledge of Peter’s secret. However, the apparent street-level grounding suggested by other elements of the leaked trailer creates tension with this theory.
Notably, Sink herself has teased the community about their speculation, particularly regarding theories about red-haired Marvel characters. In recent comments, she acknowledged the persistent speculation while maintaining secrecy: “A lot of people forget that hair color can change” and described her situation as being wrapped up “like a penguin” on set to avoid revealing her appearance.
Expanding the Spider-Man Universe: Banner, Punisher, and Beyond
The leaked trailer provides confirmation of several previously reported cast members and their roles in Brand New Day. Mark Ruffalo appears as Professor Banner, though Marvel has been deliberately coy about his involvement. Spider-Man explicitly requests his help, saying “Professor Banner, I need your help,” to which Banner responds with skepticism: “You’re not one of my students, are you?”
Jon Bernthal returns as Frank Castle, the Punisher, in what represents a significant MCU moment. After years in Marvel’s Netflix-era shows, his appearance in a theatrical Spider-Man film marks a substantial bridge between the streaming content and the theatrical universe. When Peter questions his presence, Punisher delivers a straightforward answer: “Saving your ass, can’t you see?!”
The trailer also references Tombstone, a classic Spider-Man villain, with dialogue discussing the life cycles of spiders and periods of vulnerability: “Spiders have three life cycles. And between cycles, it can leave the spider vulnerable to threats. Those spiders that survive… goes through a kind of rebirth.”
The Larger MCU Context: A Coordinated Reveal Strategy Gone Awry
This week represents a significant setback for Marvel’s carefully orchestrated marketing strategy. Avengers: Doomsday is confirmed to return Chris Evans as Steven Rogers, and additional leaked footage showcases Thor. Disney had planned to release official first looks at Avengers: Doomsday alongside Avatar: Fire and Ash, with reports indicating four different trailers would launch over the course of four weeks, each focusing on different characters to encourage repeat viewings of Avatar.
The Spider-Man: Brand New Day leak suggests that the official trailer reveal was still weeks away, making this breach particularly damaging to the studio’s timeline.
