Sadie Sink is officially swinging into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joining Spider-Man 4 alongside Tom Holland. The Stranger Things star is the latest addition to the sequel, though details about her character remain under wraps. Given her rising popularity and natural red hair, speculation has already taken off about which Marvel role she might be playing.
Deadline first broke the news of Sink’s casting, igniting debates about whether she could be portraying Jean Grey in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men reboot. Some believe this move could either confirm or rule out that possibility, while others suspect she may be taking on a role more directly tied to Peter Parker’s story. One theory suggests she could be playing a classic version of Mary Jane Watson, offering a more comics-accurate take on the character alongside Zendaya’s existing MCU version, Michelle “MJ” Jones. With Spider-Man: No Way Home having already introduced multiversal variants, another possibility is that Sink could appear as May Parker, the daughter of Peter and Mary Jane from an alternate universe, or even Gwen Stacy in some form.
Jean Grey remains a popular guess, especially given Marvel’s slow integration of mutants into the MCU. If she does step into the role, it would be an unexpected way to weave the X-Men into the Spider-Man franchise. This could open the door for a potential crossover with characters like Wolverine and Cyclops, both of whom have long been tied to Jean’s story. However, introducing mutants in Spider-Man 4 might be a stretch, especially when there’s another redheaded mutant with direct ties to Peter: Angelica Jones, better known as Firestar. First introduced in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends animated series, Firestar eventually became an X-Men and Avengers mainstay, making her a strong contender for Sink’s mystery role.
Best known for playing Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, Sink has become one of Hollywood’s rising stars. Her breakout performance in the Netflix sci-fi horror series led to roles in Fear Street and The Whale, where she starred opposite Brendan Fraser.
Sony and Marvel Studios have tapped Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton to helm Spider-Man 4, with longtime Spider-Man screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers returning to craft the script. No official plot details have been revealed, but the next instalment could either be a more grounded, street-level story akin to Homecoming, or another multiversal event in the vein of No Way Home.
Filming is expected to begin once Holland wraps production on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, a major adaptation of the ancient Greek epic that is currently in development. While Spider-Man 4 is still aiming for a 2026 release, delays seem increasingly likely given the scope of the project. Whether Spider-Man 4 keeps things grounded or dives back into the multiverse, the addition of an actress like Sink signals big plans ahead for Peter Parker’s future.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Sylus from Love and Deepspace.
Si Jia
Kevin Low
