Spider-Man: Brand New Day will bring The Hand back to the MCU, albeit with a comic-accurate makeover and a mysterious female leader. The villains last appeared on Netflix, where the clandestine ninja clan was portrayed as a threat in shows like Daredevil, Iron Fist, and The Defenders.
Most fans weren't keen on that portrayal of them. Even when they got mystical, it felt like the original Marvel Television was somewhat missing the point by having them take orders from the newly created Alexandra Reid, played by Sigourney Weaver.
We don't know what to expect from The Hand in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but with Elektra confirmed to return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, there could be big plans for them moving forward.
If a new rumour from @MyTimeToShineH is to be believed, The Hand will "receive its own standalone project within the MCU."
If this is accurate, then a Special Presentation would make sense. It's also possible that The Hand would somehow factor into the long-rumoured Ten Rings series, especially if that delves into the MCU's criminal organisations and a possible feud between the two factions.
Alternatively, if Elektra is now calling the shots and leading The Hand—the prevailing theory right now is that she dispatches them to break Daredevil out of prison in Spider-Man: Brand New Day—then we may get a project explaining her apparent demise in The Defenders.
Teasing what fans can expect from the movie, filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton previously said, "Peter's not in high school anymore. Our story takes place about four years later. It’s that time in your mid-20s, when the harsh realities of life can sometimes slap you in the face."
"Peter is dealing with some real grown-up problems both personally and professionally, and for the first time, he’s learning how to deal with them completely on his own," he continued. "Peter is going through a stage that I think many of us can relate to right now. He’s living in the middle of NYC, surrounded by millions of people, yet somehow, he feels completely disconnected and alone."
"This is the first time we see Peter trying to live his life outside of his community of friends and family, and his isolation has some unexpected consequences that will complicate everything in his life," Cretton concluded.
What would you like to see from The Hand in the MCU moving forward?
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it's a Brand New Day for Peter Parker. Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him—and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him—sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control.
But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves - a powerful villain no one can even see. The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day's cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando, and Mark Ruffalo.
The movie is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Rachel O'Connor. Executive producers include Louis D'Esposito and David Cain.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31. The movie opens in the UK on July 29.