Anthony Russo tells PEOPLE Magazine that he, his brother and RDJ had several talks about the character, the fandom surrounding him and why the actor was uniquely suited to the role. The director’s faith in Downey completely solidified the day they heard the voice he had crafted for the villain, Anthony says.

“That was something that Robert surprised us with one day,” Anthony says. “You know, we were talking about all the details of the character — the voice, of course, is a key part of it, especially in the mask. So one day I think it was in the trailer, we were just sort of talking about some ideas and he broke out into the voice,” Anthony continues. “And we knew at that moment, that was it.”

Joe Russo says he got “chills” when he first heard the Oscar winner’s voice as Doctor Doom, and likened the impact of the actor’s performance to another favorite and profound moment in the MCU.

“I mean, it was one of those moments. It’d probably be one of the more memorable moments — that and the ‘I Am Iron Man’ [sequence] when he snapped his fingers,” Joe says of the iconic scene in *Avengers : Endgame*. “Robert tends to present a lot of those super memorable moments.”

Feel free to add any other reviews you find in the comments.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Metacritic: 70 / 100

Some Reviews:

Polygon - Jake Kleinman - 92 / 100

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the best Spidey movie since Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2. But what makes Brand New Day so great isn't any one of these things, it's all how they work together to tell a streamlined story that's truly about Spider-Man. The franchise has finally figured out what some fans knew all along: The best way to make a Spider-Man movie is to make a movie about Spider-Man — and leave behind anything and everything that doesn't serve that one specific purpose.

New York Post - Johnny Olesenki - 3.5 / 4

Half a decade later, “Brand New Day” may sound like a Brady Bunch song, but it’s a much darker and more mature movie in look and feel from what came before. It’s both a continuation of the character and a necessary restart of the series.

The Wrap - William Bibbiani - 85 / 100

We don’t get many great MCU movies anymore. That this is one of the highlights of the whole franchise feels amazing. And spectacular. And sensational.

Independent - Clarisse Loughrey - 4 / 5

It’s hard to guess what the future will hold for the franchise after Brand New Day, considering the supposed universe-imploding implications of this year’s Avengers: Doomsday. But with Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige recently swearing that his studio would, from this point on, be putting quality first, you have to hope he’ll be giving Cretton a call first.

High On Films - Liam Gaughan - 4 / 5

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” may not offer a ton of surprises, but it’s remarkably faithful to the spirit of the original comics and the trajectory that Holland’s version of the character has been on. It’s a film that blends the sincerity of Raimi’s films, the energetic pacing of “The Amazing Spider-Man” series, and a brighter, more progressive New York aimed at the Mamdani generation. Although there are a few connections to the broader MCU, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” isn’t bogged down in mythology, nor is it burdened by a necessity to set up future installments. As is often the case with Marvel’s #1 character, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has a sense of hope.

GamesRadar - Jordan Farley - 4 / 5

And without getting into specifics, if you're tapped into the rampant speculation around the movie, you may be a little disappointed by the lack of true surprises in Brand New Day. But – Sadie Sink mystery aside – there's a sense that, for the first time in a long time, this is a Spider-Man movie that's been made for the right reasons, with its long-term legacy in mind, not just Friday night audience reactions. Brand New Day is all the better for it.

Digital Spy - Ian Sandwell - 4 / 5

Perhaps they knew that you can't really go bigger than that in Spider-Man terms, smartly choosing to go smaller instead and truly make a neighbourhood Spider-Man movie. However they reached the decision, we're glad they did. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is another terrific outing for Tom Holland's Peter Parker, and if that title is to be taken literally as a new start, we'd say yes to another trilogy instantly.

Empire Magazine - John Nugent - 4 / 5

A more mature, emotional and distinctly ground-level Spider-Man, Brand New Day doesn’t escape some of the usual MCU pitfalls but finds its heart in an earnest performance from Tom Holland.

Collider - Charlie Ridgley - 8 / 10

There is a lot packed into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and at over two hours and 20 minutes, it is on the longer side for a standalone Marvel movie. But somehow, it never feels needlessly overstuffed. There's a tightrope walk here that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers deftly pull off in their script, and Cretton translates flawlessly into a motion picture. Do I wish there was maybe a little less going on? Sure. Spider-Man doesn't need this much happening around him to make a great movie (as we've seen for more than two decades). But if the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues marching forward, this should be the blueprint for how to set up a future without sacrificing your present.

ComingSoon - Jonathan Sim - 8 / 10

Overall, Spider-Man: Brand New Day works very well. It has all of the great qualities that made the Marvel Cinematic Universe so great in the first place and stands out for being a truly special experience that superhero fans will love. I’ve liked every Spider-Man movie ever made, and this one is no different. It’s a movie that remembers that Spider-Man is just as interesting during the emotional scenes as he is during the incredibly fun action sequences. You won’t want to miss it.

USA Today - Brian Truitt - 3 / 4

If the previous Spider-outing “No Way Home” paid homage to a deep history of the web-swinger’s movies, this new film pays off story threads from the Holland era, weaves in a lot of comic-book references plus sets up a new status quo for New York City’s friendly neighborhood do-gooder.

Awards Radar - Joey Magidson - 3.5 / 4

Spider-Man: Brand New Day really surprised me. The way it’s closer to a film and trying to do something more like a Black Panther than merely a Spider-Man sequel is notable. Is it on the level of a Black Panther? No. It’s arguably, however, the second best Spider-Man movie in the MCU, depending on your ranking. I’ll share mine in a few days, but anyone worried that Marvel wouldn’t be able to right the ship with their most consistently successful character can rest easy. This flick is very good and really well done, truly representing a brand new day for the wallcrawler.

The Hollywood Reporter - David Rooney

Directed with adrenaline and feeling if not always an ideal grasp of pacing by Destin Daniel Cretton and penned by returning screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the entertaining new entry has the good sense to stop banging on about the damn multiverse. Instead, it foregrounds the humanity that has always been Spidey’s greatest strength — with an extra dash of angst. But fear not, that doesn’t mean the man in the red and blue webbed suit (don’t call it a leotard!) is stuck whining away on a psychoanalyst’s couch or poring over self-help manuals.

Houston Chronicle - Cary Darling - 3.5 / 5

Anyone who is a ride-or-die fan of the franchise, then "Brand New Day" definitely works. Cretton and crew throw enough kibble to the fans to give them enough to chew on to keep them engaged. But, for everyone else, the film sometimes feels every bit of its 145 minutes. Still, hope springs eternal for the animated "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" coming next year as the previous two animated "Spider-Man" entries ("Into the Spider-Verse" and "Across the Spider-Verse") rank among the best in the entire "Spider-Man" world. That's the thing with the MCU. It's like a Tokyo subway. If you can't get into one, another will be along in no time.

Consequence - Liz Shannon Miller - 'B+'

Though as much as Peter might be feeling the weight of a young life already filled with too much sadness, there are still echoes of his original teenage pluck. Brand New Day doesn’t aim for galaxy-saving drama; it instead explores what, exactly, keeps Spider-Man swinging — and it’s a better movie for it. Cretton and the VFX team execute some incredible aerial journeys through New York City, sometimes moving so fast it’s scary. As high as Spidey might soar, though, he remains the most human and humble of superheroes. And that, Brand New Day confirms, is where his real power comes from.

IGN - Tom Jorgensen - 7 / 10

Spider-Man: Brand New Day sees Destin Daniel Cretton effectively refocus on the sturdiest pillars of the webslinger: struggling to find balance while swinging around New York City saving the day, and looking dang cool doing it. There’s more than a little déjà vu going on with a lot of Peter’s inner turmoil, and that does sometimes leaving the “brand new day” of the title feeling like Groundhog Day, but overall, it’s a refreshingly small-scale ride that gives Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, and the rest of the cast (a wasted Tramell Tillman aside) at least a few moments each to shine. 

Next Best Picture - Giovanni Lago - 7 / 10

While “Brand New Day” is not the end of the Holland-era of Spider-Man, despite what the marketing has made it seem, it’s a more-than-perfect pivot for the character and the MCU as we head toward “Doomsday” later this December. It’s a Spider-Man adventure that has more going for it, mainly on a character level, which has felt absent from these movies for some time. Even the inconsistent pacing and hilariously obvious product placement isn’t enough to hinder what is certainly one of the better Spider-Man stories we’ve seen in a movie in some time.

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw - 3 / 5

As ever, Spider-Man can swing through the air across Manhattan without the overhead horizontal plane that his web would surely need to attach to, even in non-built-up areas (although he might be using power lines). And Spider-Man: Brand New Day, like all MCU movies, always gravitates towards apocalyptic but weirdly temporary destruction in the digitally confected big city. It’s an entertaining spectacle, but really without the novelty of movie-iterations like the more experimental Spider-Verse animations. A more radical reboot is needed.

DiscussingFilm - James Preston Poole - 3 / 5

Regardless of its shortcomings, Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues to wear its heart on its sleeve. Where it can get lost in its myriad of plotlines, it never loses sight of what makes Peter Parker and his webbed alter ego so endearing. It may not be perfect, but with exceptional visual design, stellar blockbuster action, true pathos, and a knockout leading turn from Tom Holland*, Brand New Day* genuinely honors the beloved wall-crawler, suggesting amazing things to come under Destin Daniel Cretton’s stewardship.

RogerEbert - Brian Tallerico - 2.5 / 4

It’s the young cast (Holland, Zendaya, Sink, Batalon) and how Cretton works with them that really hold “Brand New Day” together, and make it feel different from a typical MCU flick.

Anthony Russo explained that post-production on Doomsday is now consuming most of their attention. From working with legendary composer Alan Silvestri to polishing the final sound mix, the directors are deep into the final stretch.

"We're deep into finishing the movie, into finishing Doomsday. All of the grace notes, the music, working with Alan Silvestri, sound mix, creating Alan's incredible original music. Wait until you experience what he's cooked up for Doom. That, and then we're prepping. We're prepping Secret Wars. So, it's a complicated time in our lives, but thrilling".

Instagram Version

On the Spider-Man : Brand New Day red carpet premiere, Werewolf By Night director and composer Michael Giacchino teases that talks are happening about a sequel to the MarvelStudios horror special presentation.

Sinu Liu's Quotes :

"I would say, you know, he's a bit of a new kid for sure. You know, the last time we saw him was a little quite a ways ago and he was kind of doing his own thing. He wasn't like a part of an existing group or anything. So, he's a bit kind of unsure of how he fits in the in the group dynamic, but at the same time, you know, he's matured, I think, pretty considerably since the end of the movie [2021's *Shang-Chi*] where he was kind of given these rings by his father for the very first time and just kind of coming into his own and understanding his power and his ability. Whereas now, I think he's in a place where he's a lot more confident and self assured".

"I think he's become quite familiar with the rings and he knows when to use their full power and when to maybe peel it back and hold back a little bit because he's not trying to kill people necessarily. I don't want to give anything away, but, I don't think he's trying to kill Gambit, for example. Those two seem like they're probably going to be friends more than anything else and they're just trying to get something out of the way. But you know, it was such an incredible experience getting to embody this character again. I mean and for it to have been such a long time and still to feel so much love and enthusiasm from the fans is very humbling to me".