Tom Holland has revealed that some of the most memorable interactions between Spider-Man and the Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day emerged through improvisation, with director Destin Daniel Cretton encouraging him and Jon Bernthal to expand beyond what was originally written on the page.

As anticipation continues to build for Holland's fourth solo Spider-Man outing, fans have been particularly curious about how Peter Parker will interact with Bernthal's Frank Castle. The pairing brings together two Marvel characters who traditionally occupy very different corners of the superhero world.

Holland's latest comments offer new insight into that relationship, suggesting that the dynamic audiences will see on screen evolved significantly during production and became one of the film's defining elements.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is how it balances Peter Parker's trademark humor with the more intense presence associated with Frank Castle. Rather than treating those differences as an obstacle, the production appears to have embraced them.

"And one of the things I love about Destin [Daniel Cretton], our director, is that he is so open to improvising, collaborating, taking big risks and stuff like that. And he really allowed Jon and I to just kind of run with it. And what was on the page was the kernel of an idea that turned into this awesome big brother, little brother bickering relationship." Holland said, reflecting on the experience in a recent interview with Fandango.

Tom Holland explained that director Destin Daniel Cretton encouraged collaboration on set, allowing scenes to develop naturally as filming progressed in the Fandango cast interview. What began as a basic concept reportedly grew into something much more substantial through experimentation and improvisation. The actor added that the material written into the script served as the foundation for a much larger dynamic that emerged once he and Bernthal began working through scenes together.

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Part of the reason the collaboration appears to have worked so well may be the history the two actors share away from the Marvel universe.

Long before they reunited for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal worked together on the 2017 film Pilgrimage. During that production, the pair famously helped film each other's Marvel audition tapes, with Holland pursuing the role of Spider-Man and Bernthal attempting to land the Punisher.

Holland recently described working alongside Bernthal in both Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey as a full-circle moment, highlighting a friendship that has evolved alongside their careers. What began on a smaller production nearly a decade ago has now carried over into two of the biggest films of 2026.

If Holland's comments are any indication, audiences won't simply be watching Spider-Man and the Punisher share the screen. They'll also be seeing the result of a creative partnership built on years of friendship, trust and familiarity. That chemistry even appears to have inspired a Punisher's PG-13 gag, adding another layer to the duo's on-screen dynamic.

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Which aspect of Spider-Man and Punisher's relationship are you most interested to see explored on screen? Let us know in the comments.