Sadie Sink Joins Spider-Man 4 Cast with Tom Holland

Sadie Sink, renowned for her role as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, is set to join Tom Holland in Spider-Man 4. According to Deadline, Sink, who made her cinematic debut in the 2016 sports drama Chuck, will feature in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, which is slated to commence filming later this year and is scheduled for release 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 is rife about the character Sadie Sink might portray. Deadline suggests she could take on the role of the iconic X-Men character Jean Grey or perhaps another beloved redheaded character from the Spider-Man universe, such as Mary Jane Watson. However, integrating Mary Jane into the narrative poses challenges given Peter Parker's ongoing relationship with Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, portrayed by Zendaya in previous Spider-Man films. Given the significant role Sink is expected to play and the narrative reset following Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter reintroduces himself to MJ after his identity is erased from everyone's memory, her character's introduction promises to be a pivotal moment in the film.

Tom Holland is currently engaged in filming Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, with plans to transition directly into Spider-Man 4 once his current project concludes, according to Deadline.

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 upcoming MCU films during the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore. Feige suggested that fans would soon see "some X-Men players that you might recognize," though he did not specify which characters or in which movies. He further elaborated on the integration of the X-Men into the MCU, stating, "I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize. Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, [it's] one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back."

Every Confirmed Mutant in the MCU (So Far)

11 Images

Assuming "few" means three, the next few MCU films at the time of Feige's comments were Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and the Phase Six opener The Fantastic Four: First Steps set for July 2025. More likely, though, mutant characters might appear throughout Phase 6 movies, including Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4 in 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. This raises questions about potential returns of characters like Deadpool and Wolverine, given their recent success, and whether Channing Tatum might reprise his role as Gambit.

Feige has emphasized the importance of the X-Men in the MCU's future post-Secret Wars, stating, "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. 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. In the short term, Storm made her debut in the MCU in What If...? Season 3. Additionally, Marvel Studios has added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028, with one of these likely to be an X-Men film.