Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the first Spider-Man film since the end of Tom Holland’s ‘Home’ trilogy, and the first without director Jon Watts. But the story picks up after Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Doctor Strange’s memory spell erased Peter Parker from everyone’s lives. As Peter deals with the fallout, what does it mean for his future in the MCU? Here’s everything you need to know about the No Way Home ending and what it means for Brand New Day.

What happens at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Spider-Man: No Way Home ends with a climactic battle at the Statue of Liberty. Spider-Man teams up with his multiversal doppelgangers (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprising their old roles) to take down the Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman, Doctor Octopus, and Lizard. The Spideys are able to cure the villains, and Doctor Strange prepares to send them home.

However, a multiversal rift soon opens, threatening to send more Spider-Man villains to their Earth. Spider-Man realizes that the only way to close the rift is to cast a spell erasing everyone’s memories of Peter Parker. This includes Ned and MJ, who aren’t onboard with the plan. Peter promises his friends that he will find them and make them remember everything. Strange casts the spell, which sends all the villains and the other Spider-Men home. Weeks later, Peter Parker finally approaches MJ, but seeing how happy she is causes him to change his mind about telling her about their past.

The film ends on a somber note, with Peter alone, but embracing the next chapter of his life as Spider-Man, setting up what audiences will see in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Why doesn’t anyone remember Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

Nobody remembers Peter Parker in Brand New Day because of a spell Doctor Strange cast at the end of No Way Home. In order to stop the multiversal rift destroying reality, Spider-Man tells Doctor Strange to erase everyone’s memory of Peter Parker. Strange warns Peter about the sacrifice he was making, but Peter tells him to go ahead, knowing it’s the only way to repair the multiversal rift. Peter says a tearful goodbye to MJ and Ned, telling them that he’ll find them again and make them remember everything. As the trailer for Brand New Day makes clear, he apparently didn't get around to doing that.

As a result of the spell, nobody has any memory of Peter Parker existing. People remember Spider-Man, and Peter Parker is still a NY citizen, but no one has any memories of him from before the spell. The fallout from this will fuel the emotional journey of Brand New Day, judging by what we know about the movie. 

What do Ned Leeds and MJ remember about Spider-Man?

Ned and MJ remember helping Spider-Man, but they no longer know who he is under the mask. The exact details are vague and slightly undefined, but the spell removed all their memories of Peter Parker. They may remember helping Spider-Man at the Statue of Liberty, but not hanging out with him unmasked. This raises some questions about how Ned and MJ remember becoming friends, but it’s a magic spell from a movie, and it’s best not to think too hard about it. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will likely go into more detail about the nature of Ned and MJ’s memories.

How does the spell affect physical things related to Peter Parker like photographs?

Photographs and other things related to Peter Parker are obscured by Doctor Strange’s spell. Spider-Man: No Way Home – The More Fun Stuff Version has an extra credits scene showcasing a video montage Betty Brant made for the Midtown School’s graduating class. The montage shows a series of photos of the school year, and something is blocking Peter’s head in each photo. For example, there is an outside group photo of the class, and in that photo a bird is flying in front of Peter’s head.

Sharp-eyed viewers noted that there is an old photograph of Tony Stark and Peter Parker in Happy Hogan’s office in Deadpool & Wolverine, but the photo is partially blocked by a replica Iron Man helmet, so we can’t see Tom Holland’s face. The magic of the spell appears to be very thorough.

It should be noted that the spell only covers people’s memories of Peter Parker. Peter presumably still has a social security card, birth certificate, and school transcripts. If you look closely at Peter’s apartment in No Way Home, you’ll see GED study materials, which indicate he still has enough documentation to sign up for a GED test. The trailer for Brand New Day shows Peter taking college classes, so he presumably had enough documentation to register. MJ also still wears the necklace Peter gave her in Spider-Man: Far From Home. She just doesn’t remember who gave it to her.

In short, the spell covers memories of Peter Parker. There is still proof Peter exists, people just don’t remember any of their experiences with him.

How does Spider-Man: No Way Home set up Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

Spider-Man: No Way Home sets up Spider-Man: Brand New Day by stripping everything from Peter Parker’s life. He no longer has the resources of Stark Industries, forcing him to do his Spidey activities on a DIY budget. With Aunt May dead, and Ned and MJ no longer remembering him, Spider-Man has lost his support system.

This means that when we catch up with Peter Parker in Brand New Day, he’ll be more isolated than ever. The spell may have erased everyone’s knowledge of Spider-Man’s identity, but it came at a huge cost to Peter Parker: He’ll be dealing with the trauma of losing his aunt and the weight of sacrificing his two best friends - as well as any connections he'll have made with the other heroes of the MCU, judging by Bruce Banner not recognizing Peter Parker in the trailer. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home Ending Explained FAQs

Who dies in Spider-Man: No Way Home?

May Parker is killed by the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home. May is wounded by the Goblin’s glider and holds on for a few minutes before succumbing to her wounds. This is a major turning point for the film, driving Peter’s actions during the final act.

May Parker is the only confirmed character death. It’s presumed that some civilians might have died during Norman or Otto’s rampage, but there is no confirmed body count.

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man nearly kills the Green Goblin in the film’s final battle, but Tobey’s Spider-Man convinces him that revenge isn’t the answer. Tobey is then stabbed by the Goblin, but his wounds aren’t fatal.

Were there any cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Spider-Man: No Way Home had a ton of cameos and guest appearances from other MCU characters and legacy Spider-Man characters. Tom Hardy reprises his role as Venom in a credits scene. Charlie Cox appears as Matt Murdock, acting as Peter Parker’s lawyer after his identity is publicly revealed.

A multiversal rift brings several Sam Raimi and Marc Webb Spider-Man villains into the MCU. These villains have extended roles, so I wouldn’t call them cameos. William Dafoe reprises his role as Norman Osborn, Alfred Molina reprises his role as Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church reprises his role as Sandman, Rhys Ifans reprises his role as Lizard, and Jamie Foxx reprises his role as Electro.

Other MCU characters are seen in the film, such as Benedict Wong as Wong, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, and Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan. Like the villains, their roles are larger, rising above a typical cameo.

Oh, and Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire show up, which was a pretty big deal.

Are Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Yes, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are in Spider-Man: No Way Home. If you didn’t know this before now, then you somehow dodged this huge spoiler for almost five years (depending on when you’re reading this). Peter Parker and Doctor Strange try to cast a spell to erase everyone’s knowledge of Spider-Man’s identity, but Peter tampers with the spell causing it to rip a hole in the multiverse. This multiversal tear allows the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield versions of Spider-Man to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Tobey and Andrew comfort Tom Holland’s Spider-Man after the death of his Aunt May and help him send the villains back to their home dimensions. We also get an epic Statue of Liberty battle with all three Spider-Men. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s every bit as glorious as you can imagine.

Where can I watch Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently streaming on Starz. You can also watch the film on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu if your Starz account is connected through either of those services. No Way Home will begin streaming on Disney+ on April 15, which means you can watch it alongside other Marvel and Spider-Man films. Please note, the availability of Spider-Man: No Way Home could change as streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.

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