Spider-man filming chaos: ad or marvel mayhem?
London streets became an impromptu Spider-Man movie set this week, sparking a frenzy of speculation – and a deluge of TikTok videos – as onlookers captured footage of the web-slinger in action. But is this a prelude to a new trailer, a reshoot for an existing project, or something far more unexpected?
The scene: webs, wreckage, and a masked mystery
Videos circulating online, reportedly filmed near a Sainsbury's in Wembley, show Spider-Man suspended by wires above a scene of controlled chaos: a partially crushed car half-buried in rubble, smoke billowing in the background. The most arresting detail? A masked Spider-Man removing his mask, though the quality of the footage makes it impossible to definitively confirm whether it was Tom Holland himself or a skilled stunt double under the suit. The question reverberating through fan forums: what exactly is happening here?
The timing, of course, is what’s truly perplexing. July 31 looms, the release date for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, making this late-stage additional filming seem unlikely, though not entirely impossible. However, the more immediate possibility lies with the ongoing reshoots for Avengers: Doomsday, currently underway in the UK. Holland's involvement in Doomsday hasn't been officially confirmed, and his presence in these London scenes would rather conspicuously spoil that surprise. A security detail, as reported by @madsontourr, even suggested the filming was for a commercial – a claim greeted with skepticism, to say the least.
Is it just an ad? the security shuffle
Reddit threads are alight with speculation, with many users reporting being told by on-location security that the shoot was for an advertisement. But the persistent whiff of deception hangs heavy in the air; security statements are notoriously unreliable, and even if accurate, could be a deliberate misdirection tactic to throw off prying eyes. The sheer scale of the set, the intricate practical effects, and the apparent intensity of the action all point to something far more substantial than a typical commercial. As one fan bluntly put it, “Feels too much effort for an ad.”
The details are piling up. The extended runtime of Spider-Man: Brand New Day - a hefty 150 minutes, making it the longest Spidey film ever and one of the longest MCU entries – only adds to the intrigue. Then there's the leaked trailer, a substantial portion of which surfaced online over the weekend, hinting at a narrative brimming with surprises. The pieces are scattered, and the picture remains frustratingly incomplete.
Tom Phillips of IGN is, as always, on the case. You can reach him at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social.