Spider-Man’s ‘Brand New Day’ Divides Fans: AI Friendship Sparks Controversy in MCU Sequel

Five years after Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) redefined the franchise, the fourth Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is finally set to hit theaters. The highly anticipated sequel has already sparked intense debate—thanks to a surprising reveal in its screenplay’s opening pages.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton shared the first three pages of Brand New Day with Entertainment Weekly, complete with annotations from himself, stars Zendaya and Tom Holland, and key department heads. The pages confirm the film’s timeline: it picks up nine months after the events of No Way Home.

In a dramatic twist, Peter Parker—after being erased from the memories of everyone on Earth, including his girlfriend MJ and best friend Ned—now lives in isolation.

“For the first time, Peter is entirely alone,”

“All of his tech needs to have been made by Peter.”

Peter’s first line of dialogue in the scene introduces his new AI assistant, E.V., who becomes the center of the controversy.

“Could you check the calibration on my targeting matrix?”

“Sadly, E.V. is the closest thing Peter has to a friend.”

Fans React: AI Companion E.V. Sparks Outrage

The inclusion of an AI companion in Brand New Day has divided audiences online. Many fans took to social media to express their disapproval, with some calling the idea a step too far.

‘The Biggest Eye Roll of My Life’

Reactions on platforms like Twitter were swift and critical. One user wrote:

“And just like that I’m not excited for this movie anymore. I don’t like Peter befriending ChatGPT and asking stuff like ‘should I ask her out’ or whatever, no matter how ‘normalized’ it is nowadays.”

Another user quipped:

“Just did the biggest eye roll of my life.”

Some fans lamented the loss of Spider-Man’s signature internal monologue, arguing that Peter will now address E.V. instead of speaking directly to the audience. One fan commented:

“Can’t the neurotic character that talks to himself all the time just talk to himself? We just did a whole Batman movie where he was narrating like Taxi Driver.”

Others went further, questioning whether an AI-dependent Spider-Man could still be considered Spider-Man at all. One poster argued:

“Peter Parker is known from the comics for his extensive internal dialogue and self-talk. He has always had friends, both as Peter and as Spidey. The idea of him being so lonely and pathetic that an AI bot is ‘the closest thing he has to a friend’ is just ridiculous and feels like a violation of the character.”

The debate extends beyond character integrity, raising questions about the broader implications of AI companionship in storytelling. As the release of Brand New Day approaches, fans remain sharply divided over whether this creative choice enhances or diminishes the beloved web-slinger’s narrative.