"Sadie Sink Joins Spider-Man 4 Cast with Tom Holland, Possibly as Jean Grey or Mary Jane"

Sadie Sink, known for her role as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, is set to join Tom Holland in the upcoming film Spider-Man 4. According to Deadline, Sink, who made her film debut in the 2016 sports drama Chuck, will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, which is slated to start filming later this year and will be released on July 31, 2026. Both Marvel and Sony have remained silent on the matter when approached by Deadline.

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

Speculation suggests that Sink could portray the X-Men character Jean Grey or another iconic redheaded character from the Spider-Man universe, such as Mary Jane Watson. However, integrating Mary Jane into the storyline might be complex given Peter Parker's current relationship with Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, portrayed by Zendaya in the previous films. Deadline reports that Sink's role will be significant, hinting at a potential reset following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter Parker had to reintroduce himself to MJ after Doctor Strange erased his identity from everyone's memory.

Tom Holland is currently engaged in filming Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, with plans to transition to Spider-Man 4 upon completion, as per Deadline's report.

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

Last year, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige hinted at the inclusion of X-Men characters in the "next few" MCU films during the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore. He teased the presence of familiar X-Men figures but did not specify which characters or movies. Feige emphasized the importance of the X-Men in the MCU's future, particularly post-Avengers: Secret Wars, stating, "The X-Men are an important part of that future."

Every Confirmed Mutant in the MCU (So Far)

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If "few" refers to the next three movies, these would be Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, set for July 2025. More likely, mutant characters might appear in Phase 6 films, including Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4 in 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. There is also speculation about the return of Deadpool and Wolverine to the MCU after their successful standalone movie, and whether Channing Tatum could reprise his role as Gambit.

Feige has stated that post-Secret Wars, the X-Men will play a crucial role in the MCU's future. "When we were preparing for Avengers: Endgame years ago, it was a question of getting to the grand finale of our narrative, and then we had to start all over again after that,” he said. “This time, on the road to Secret Wars, we already know very well what the story is going to be until then and afterwards. The X-Men are an important part of that future."

It appears that Phase 7 of the MCU will be heavily influenced by the X-Men, though in the immediate future, Storm has already made her debut in What If...? Season 3.

In October, Marvel Studios added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. It's increasingly likely that one of these films will be dedicated to the X-Men.