Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”
In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” when Peter Parker, portrayed by Tom Holland, encounters the enigmatic phrase “V-Maxx,” he seeks advice from an unexpected ally in the Marvel Universe—none other than Yelena Belova, also known as Black Widow, played by Florence Pugh. Instead of a familiar face from Spider-Man’s comic book alliances or past film team-ups, he finds himself consulting Yelena in her unique steam bath office. It’s an unusual scene as Spider-Man, recognizable only by his signature mask, converses with Yelena about the perplexing term.
This surprising crossover introduces a fresh dynamic to the arc, weaving connections between “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and recent entries in Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including “Thunderbolts.” It sets the scene for Yelena’s established presence in New York City as she teams with her fellow New Avengers. Consistent with her recent interactions with New York heroes, such as her memorable encounter with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) in “Hawkeye,” it further develops her diverse storyline within the MCU.
Last seen in the post-credits of “Thunderbolts,” which hinted at the forthcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” Yelena’s cameo in “Brand New Day” raises intriguing questions about her role in future cinematic developments.
Does this cameo tease anything about Yelena’s MCU future?
Marvel Studios
During their initial discussion, Yelena clarifies her team’s mission, indicating that the New Avengers focus on “big potatoes”—taking on formidable, world-threatening adversaries rather than smaller-scale crimes. This dialogue not only reinforces Spider-Man’s reputation as a street-level hero but also outlines the New Avengers’ ambition. The group seeks to follow in the footsteps of the original Avengers by tackling colossal threats akin to Ultron and Thanos, reflecting their ongoing commitment to global heroism.
Meanwhile, one of the movie’s easy-to-miss details comes at the end when Detective Jean DeWollf (Liza Colón-Zayas) mentions that Belova is helping track down and piece together incriminating data about Damage Control. Those results aren’t likely to come up in “Avengers: Doomsday,” but it does solidify that Spidey’s exploits have become big enough “potatoes” to warrant the attention of a New Avenger. Otherwise, Belova’s “Brand New Day” appearance doesn’t provide extensive glimpses into where the character goes next.
That’s for the best, since, among the biggest mistakes Marvel made after “Avengers: Endgame” was loading up films and TV shows with too many teases of upcoming projects. In contrast, Belova works fine in a standalone capacity in “Brand New Day.” If nothing else, this movie establishes Belova growing comfortable in her New Avengers role and surroundings … which means the events of “Avengers: Doomsday” will inevitably obliterate that comfort.