Marvel is adding a new villain to their ranks—just maybe not for the group that fans had expected. In a slight subversion of expectations, leaving MCU fans both excited and a little confused, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is busting out a new rival, as opposed to announcing one for the upcoming Mutant Saga, which everyone anticipated would reveal their big bad next. Though it does seem that, with Brand New Day being one of the final in this current phase of MCU films, this debut is setting up the next phase—and the next villain along with it.
From an exclusive with Nexus Point News, it’s been revealed that Tramell Tillman is set to play a more obscure villain from X-Men lore, William Metzger, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. An anti-mutant and leader of the group known as Damage Control, Metzger was initially created by Joe Casey and Steve Rude all the way back in 1999. He first appeared in X-Men: Children of the Atom 1. And in the X-Men: Children of the Atom miniseries, Metzger led the Anti-Mutant Militia. It’s also been said that sources reported to Nexus Point News that Tillman signed a multi-picture deal, which likely includes Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men films.
What Can We Expect from Brand New Day?
Back in December of 2021, when Spider-Man: No Way Home released, Marvel Studios confirmed that Tom Holland would be back to star in a new trilogy of MCU movies, which officially begins with Brand New Day and kicks off Peter Parker’s story as a more mature, stoic version of Spider-Man.
Zendaya (Michelle Jones) and Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds) are also coming back for No Way Home. And they’ll be joined by Mark Ruffalo and Jon Bernthal, who are both reprising their MCU roles as Bruce Banner and Frank Castle (name a more iconic duo). Rumor also has it that Smart Hulk is being abandoned in favor of a more “violent” Hulk, a side that we haven’t seen much of in this current iteration of the character. We’ll also have the addition of Marvin Jones III, who will be playing a character that he previously voiced in Into the Spider-Verse, Lonnie Lincoln’s Tombstone.
The addition of Tillman to the MCU, especially as a villain, has tons of potential. The actor is best known for his role as the off-putting Seth Milchik in Severance, the hit sci-fi series from Apple TV. He’s also known for his roles in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Hunters, Sweethearts, and Godfather of Harlem.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day drops into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
Are you looking forward to the introduction of William Metzger into the MCU? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other Marvel fans are saying.