In a new interview actor Tramell Tillman opens up some more around this villain role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Tillman plays Bill Metzger in Brand New Day and whilst at first he seems like an ally to Spider-Man, it turns out he’s the real danger after all and has already caused one mutant death.
Tillman had to keep his mouth shut in the lead up to the film, but since most of the world has now seen it, Tillman can open up a little. Cue a recent interview with Polygon,
Was Metzger justified in what he did to Jean?
“I think what he did was motivated by his desire to protect the people he served,” the actor says. “He knew there was a threat out there, and it’s a very dangerous threat, and he needed to get to the bottom of it. He’s the type of person to do what he needs to do in order to protect or preserve the greater good. He did what he needed to do to protect people.”
Where is Metzger now?
“He’s on the apology tour,” Tillman says with a laugh, before offering a more realistic answer. “I don’t know. Probably taking a vacation. He encountered some pretty heavy stuff. I remember having this conversation with \[director\] Destin \[Daniel Cretton\] and Justin \[Kuritzkes\], the writer that I was working with. We were talking about what it would be like to experience power like Jean Grey. And as a result of the experimentation that he was doing on Jean, it intensified. Metzger got a front row seat to experience that. So I imagine he’s probably hiding out somewhere trying to recoup. Because that’s intense. Like near death. The glass was right in his eyes. He probably thought he was going to die.”
RELATED: Tramell Tillman Plays Coy On Bill Metzger Future In MCU Post-Spider-Man: Brand New Day
What Justin Kuritzkes brought to the script.
“We talked a little about Metzger’s backstory,” Tillman says. “We both liked the idea that he was married. Him having a family is what helped raise the stakes. I’m not going to use the word justified, but anybody who has a significant other or kids, you move differently through the world because there’s people you love, and you care about relying on you. That helped to really lock him in; to push him forward. Those little details helped to make the character more full and well-rounded, if you will.”
Does Tillman know the character from the comics?
“I did do a little digging when I got word of the character I was playing,” he says, “but I was also cautioned that, you know, they’re gonna play the way they want to. It’s great to have the research, but these creative geniuses are able to tell the story in many different ways. So I don’t know the future of Metzger beyond this movie.”
Metzger only appeared I believe in either 6 or 7 (IIRC) X-Men comics. Fun fact, I think.
Keeping Secrets and VMax
Was it tough keeping the secret?
“Oh, 100%,” Tillman says. “I’ve been a part of a few franchises now — Severance, Mission: Impossible — and secrecy is the name of the game. I’m really good at keeping secrets. It’s my superpower. So it was not too much of a struggle for me. The problem was keeping it from friends and family. I didn’t tell anybody that I was a part of Spider-Man until the news was released, and that just exploded. I remember it was in August of 2025 when the news was announced, and everyone was asking me who I was playing. And I said, ‘I cannot tell you. I am so sorry.’ But the biggest relief was when I went to the premiere at the end of July of this year, and my team was able to see the character that I was playing, and whether or not their theories were right, and how excited they were. And also, you know, upset that I had tortured Jean Grey.”
The Vmax Twist
“I didn’t see it as a letdown,” he says. “I thought it was really creative. It was almost a red herring. Spider-Man had asked Metzger what V-Max was, and I’m sure people thought that Metzger was lying and he knew. But in reality, he was like, ‘I have no idea. Why is everyone asking me that?’ It does sound like something sinister, like a gene or a chemical or something. And all the while, it was a label. It was a vent. But it was heartbreaking because you realize that was the last thing Jean’s sister saw. I thought that was really clever storytelling. It’s a testament to the writers and to Destin’s direction in really letting that land.”
Starting The MCU X-Men Story
How does it feel to be a part of the X-Men story?
(Note: This does not mean the upcoming X-Men movie, for Tillman’s tae on the future see related section above.)
“I’ve always loved X-Men,” Tillman says. “I remember reading the comics. I remember fantasizing about playing Professor X. There was always something about the mutants that really appealed to me. And at that time, I didn’t know what it was. But the story was always a beautiful one about having this extreme power and being cast out of society and finding your own way, your own voice, and existing in space. So I’m 100% all about it. Whether or not I’m involved, I don’t know. It would be a childhood dream, but we’ll see what happens.”
I do hope Tillman has a role in the next few X-Men films and becomes somewhat of a recurring character in the MCU without ever being the main villain.
What do you think of Tillman’s comments? as always, leave any thoughts below.
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