Ever since Stan Lee‘s final Marvel Cinematic Universe cameo, fans have wondered if anyone could ever fill that void, and the obvious answer to many has always seemed to be Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds‘ Merc with a Mouth already knows he’s in a movie, loves breaking the fourth wall, and has the kind of larger-than-life personality that could turn a 30-second appearance into a memorable gag. But that’s also why Deadpool isn’t the right choice.
Lee’s cameos weren’t memorable because they dominated the movie, they were memorable because they didn’t. Every appearance was a brief reminder that, no matter how different Iron Man, Thor, or Captain America felt, they all belonged to the same Marvel family. His scenes never distracted from the story, but they did add a little warmth, a little humor, and a smile before disappearing again. Spider-Man: Brand New Day accidentally proves the MCU already has the perfect modern replacement, and it’s Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova.
Yelena Somehow Steals Every MCU Project She’s In
Not only is it a pleasant surprise when Yelena shows up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it’s also a fantastic reminder that she’s become one of Marvel’s most reliable characters, and once again she walks away with one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. That’s inarguably become Pugh’s signature throughout the MCU. She arrived late when she debuted in Black Widow, but she immediately became one of the franchise’s most beloved new heroes. She stole nearly every scene she shared with Hailee Steinfeld in Hawkeye. She became one of the emotional anchors of Thunderbolts despite sharing the screen with an ensemble packed with fan favorites, and now she’s done it again in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The remarkable part is that none of these appearances feel forced, because Marvel isn’t asking audiences to stop everything because Yelena has arrived. She simply shows up, effortlessly charms everyone around her, makes the movie better, and leaves before overstaying her welcome. That should sound familiar. Lee’s cameos became traditions because audiences looked forward to them. Nobody expected them to change the plot. Fans just knew that, at some point, Stan would pop up for a few seconds and brighten the movie. Yelena creates that same feeling.
Yelena Helps Make The MCU A Truly Shared Universe
There’s another reason Yelena works so well in these smaller appearances. The post-Endgame MCU has occasionally struggled to convince audiences that all of these heroes actually inhabit the same world. Characters often disappear for years, even when stories unfold in cities where other Avengers should logically be operating. Crossovers sometimes happen only when they’re designed to advertise another project instead of serving the movie you’re actually watching. Yelena solves that problem almost effortlessly. Because of her background, she can plausibly appear almost anywhere. She has connections to intelligence agencies, enhanced individuals, the government, and street-level heroes. Whether the story is cosmic, grounded, political, or deeply personal, there’s usually a believable reason she could cross paths with its protagonist.
That’s exactly what happens in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She isn’t there to set up the next crossover event or tease another Avengers movie. She exists because Peter needs someone who understands the larger picture, and she’s one of the few characters in the MCU who naturally fills that role. It makes the universe feel lived in. Instead of every hero existing inside their own bubble, Yelena reminds audiences that these people actually know each other. That sense of connectivity has always been one of the MCU’s greatest strengths, and it’s something Marvel has been trying to recapture over the last several years. Ironically, the solution may not be another massive crossover. It may simply be letting Yelena pop in from time to time.
Marvel Doesn’t Need Another Stan Lee, But It Has Found the Next Best Thing
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No one is replacing Lee, because his cameos meant something far bigger than simple Easter eggs. They honored the man who helped create so many of Marvel’s greatest heroes, and every appearance became a celebration of that legacy. Trying to recreate that exactly would miss the point. But Marvel absolutely can recreate the feeling those cameos inspired. Every Lee appearance made audiences smile before he slipped back into the background. The movies never became about him, but they were always a little richer because he was there. Yelena has become the first MCU character who can accomplish something similar.
Deadpool would inevitably become the focus of every cameo because that’s who Deadpool is. Yelena never has to fight for the spotlight because Pugh naturally commands it anyway. If Marvel Studios starts treating Yelena the way it once treated Lee, sprinkling her throughout the MCU whenever a story naturally allows it, audiences won’t groan about another crossover or wonder how it connects to the next movie, they’ll simply look forward to seeing her. And if Spider-Man: Brand New Day is any indication, she’ll probably end up stealing the movie again.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Runtime
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145 Minutes
- Director
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Destin Daniel Cretton
- Writers
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Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
- Producers
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Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad
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Spider-Man / Peter Parker
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