Florence Pugh said Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that Tom Holland helped make her Yelena Belova appearance in Spider Man: Brand New Day happen by publicly naming her as a Marvel costar he wanted. The reveal connects Holland's earlier red carpet comment to Pugh's 2026 return in the Marvel movie. Holland was asked years ago which actor he wanted to join him in a future film, and he reportedly chose Pugh, who had recently entered the Marvel universe through Black Widow. Pugh said the shoutout helped fans rally around the idea of Yelena appearing alongside Spider Man, turning one casual celebrity answer into serious casting momentum. Tom Holland Started the Fan Campaign Pugh first played Yelena in 2021, then returned as the former assassin in Thunderbolts* in 2025 and Spider Man: Brand New Day in 2026. Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yelena is positioned as the successor to the Black Widow mantle, giving Pugh's character plenty of franchise weight beyond a simple cameo. Spider Man: Brand New Day premiered July 31 and has reportedly earned $2.49 billion at the domestic box office, placing it third behind Avatar with $2.92 billion and Avengers: Endgame with $2.88 billion. Pugh is also scheduled to appear as Princess Irulan Corrino in Dune: Part Three from Denis Villeneuve , while Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring Yelena back on Dec. 18 as well.