Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Secret Phoenix Saga Setup Explained By Stunt Coordinator

Published Oct 8, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT Once head of Screen Rant's Star Wars coverage and co-lead of Superheroes, Tom Bacon now works with the movies and books teams. He's a lifelong fan of the fantasy and sci-fi genres, and loves franchises such as Doctor Who and Marvel. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon, on LinkedIn @tabacon, or on Muckrack under tombacon. Tom has a wide range of interests, and he continues to serve his university as a volunteer chaplain. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he's into British politics too. Sadie Sink officially made her MCU debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but this was a very different version of the X-Men’s Omega level telepath. This version of Jean started out with the power to possess others, but her abilities evolved dramatically by the end of Brand New Day. Tortured by Damage Control boss Bill Metzger, Jean’s powers expanded to trap a good part of Manhattan in her telepathic (and telekinetic) grip. In the comics, Jean is one of the most powerful mutants of all time. This is because of her mysterious ties to the Phoenix Force, a cosmic force of death and rebirth that is the origin of mutation. Jean famously took on the power – and identity – of Phoenix for a time, before the epic “Dark Phoenix Saga” sent her on a literal worlds-ending rampage. Considered one of the most important X-Men stories of all time, the Dark Phoenix Saga was adapted for the big screen twice by Fox. But a subtle Easter egg in Spider-Man: Brand New Day suggests it could happen in the MCU, too. Jean Grey’s Hand Ninjas Fought In A Phoenix Formation Brand New Day featuring a staggering number of villains, including the return of the ninja clan known as the Hand. Last seen in Marvel Netflix’s The Defenders, the Hand is a global crime cartel who worship a demonic entity called “The Beast.” The Defenders’ version of the Hand was really pretty tame, but Brand New Day played the Hand straight, right down to their stunning red robes. In Brand New Day, Spider-Man neutralized the Hand, but their ninjas were hired by Damage Control to act as security and enforcers. It was a first hint of Damage Control’s villainous nature. In Brand New Day’s third act, Jean Grey took possession of the Hand and unleashed them on Spider-Man. According to stunt coordinator Peng Zhang, that stunningly-choreographed fight was inspired by a show he once sat through. “All the dancers played a peacock,” he explained to Variety. “And there were 20 of them. Together, they formed the peacock’s wings.” He took the same approach with the Hand, choosing to make them look like a bird. But, given the Hand ninjas were possessed by Jean Grey, he chose a very different bird; he picked the legendary Phoenix. “The central ninja would represent the head,” he said, “and the ninjas on each side would represent the wings. We started building the formation around that concept.” It proved key to giving the eerie sense of synchrony between the ninjas as they attacked Spider-Man. “We kept thinking about the shape of the Phoenix and how the ninjas’ movements needed to be unified. It’s not just about them helping each other – they’re united.” They were literally controlled by the same mind, and Jean had (probably subconsciously) patterned them after the Phoenix. Brand New Day Subtly Sets Up The MCU’s Phoenix This isn’t actually the only Phoenix effect in Brand New Day. When Jean releases a flare of power across all Manhattan, attentive viewers spotted that the power effect is identical to one seen in the Wolverine & the X-Men animated series – in a story where Jean’s Phoenix Force power is awoken. Brand New Day may have avoided the traditional Phoenix raptor associated with Jean Grey, but there are still subtle nods. They’re all done carefully, though, making them feel like Easter eggs that can be retconned as setup should Marvel choose to pursue that course. In the comics, the boundary between Jean and the Phoenix has gradually blurred, until they have functionally become one and the same thing. Given that’s the case, the MCU’s subtle Phoenix nods feel exactly right; they’re organic elements of Jean’s evolving powerset, foreshadowing what she could one day become. If Marvel do choose to do a new version of the Dark Phoenix Saga – hopefully decades down the line – then the setup has already begun in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Release Date July 29, 2026 Runtime 145 minutes Director Destin Daniel Cretton Writers Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers Producers Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Amy Pascal, David Cain Cast Peter Parker / Spider-Man