Angourie Rice Addresses Omission From 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'

Angourie Rice has clarified that reprising her role as Betty Brant was never on the table for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," addressing fan questions regarding her absence from the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry.

Speaking on Collider Ladies Night, in comments reported by TheWrap, the actress discussed sitting out the latest Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios collaboration following her appearances across the previous three Tom Holland-led features.

When asked about the current whereabouts of her high school journalist character, Rice offered an upbeat assessment of Brant's post-graduation life. "I don't know. She's probably practicing ethical journalism and, you know, doing it in style," Rice said, according to TheWrap. "I like to think she's got a good job somewhere and, you know, doing something worthwhile. Meaningful."

Rice noted that leaving Midtown High School characters behind made narrative sense given the memory-wipe conclusion of the prior film. "I don't think it was like part of the story," Rice said, per TheWrap. "Like, everybody forgets and then, you know, he's on his new journey now. ... I think that's meaningful for the story, too. You know, you watch this character grow from high school, and he's not in high school anymore, and I think it's like - it's a new era."

The casting shift underscores a standard franchise reset strategy for Marvel and Sony. Phasing out high school supporting players allows the studios to clear narrative baggage, streamline ensemble costs and pivot Peter Parker toward more mature, collegiate or standalone storytelling environments.

The cast overhaul has presented no commercial downside for the studios. As reported by TheWrap, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has emerged as a major theatrical juggernaut, surpassing $2.33 billion at the global box office.