Sadie Sink Joins Spider-Man 4 as Jean Grey or Mary Jane

Sadie Sink, best known for her role as Max Mayfield in the hit series Stranger Things, is set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man 4. According to Deadline, Sink will star alongside Tom Holland in the film, which is slated to begin production later this year and is scheduled for release on July 31, 2026. Both Marvel and Sony have remained tight-lipped about the casting news when approached for comments.

Could Sadie Sink play Jean Grey in Spider-Man 4? Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage.

Speculation abounds about the character Sink will portray. Deadline suggests she could play the iconic X-Men character Jean Grey or another beloved redheaded character from the Spider-Man universe, possibly Mary Jane Watson. This raises questions about how her introduction would affect Peter Parker's ongoing relationship with Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, portrayed by Zendaya in the previous films. Given the significant events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter reintroduces himself to MJ after Doctor Strange erases his identity from everyone's memory, Sink's role is expected to be pivotal, potentially signaling a new direction for the franchise.

Tom Holland, who is currently filming Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, is set to transition directly into shooting Spider-Man 4 once his current project wraps up.

Jean Grey in the comics. Image credit: Marvel Comics.

The inclusion of X-Men characters in the MCU has been teased by Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige. At the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore late last year, Feige hinted that fans would see "some X-Men players that you might recognize" in the upcoming MCU films. He also mentioned the pivotal role the X-Men will play in the narrative leading up to and following Avengers: Secret Wars, indicating a new era of mutants and X-Men in the MCU.

Every Confirmed Mutant in the MCU (So Far)

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While the immediate future films, including Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, are on the horizon, more mutant appearances are anticipated in Phase 6 movies such as Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man 4, and Avengers: Secret Wars. The return of characters like Deadpool and Wolverine, following their successful standalone film, and the potential reintroduction of Channing Tatum as Gambit, are topics of keen interest.

Feige has emphasized that the X-Men will be central to the MCU's future beyond Secret Wars. He noted that the narrative path to Secret Wars is already well-planned, with the X-Men playing a significant role both before and after the event. This suggests that Phase 7 might be dominated by the X-Men, with Storm's appearance in What If...? Season 3 marking an early sign of their integration into the wider MCU.

In a strategic move, Marvel Studios has added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. There's growing speculation that one of these slots could be reserved for an X-Men film, further solidifying their place in the MCU's evolving universe.