The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to seismic casting coups, but its latest move feels like a generational handoff. Sadie Sink, the 22-year-old breakout of Stranger Things, is set to join Tom Holland in the next Spider-Man film, signaling a bold new chapter for the franchise as it swings beyond the multiverse chaos of No Way Home. According to Deadline, Sink—whose star has blazed ever brighter since her heart-wrenching turn as Max Mayfield in Netflix’s ’80s nostalgia juggernaut—will take on a “significant” role in the sequel, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
Marvel and Sony, ever-tight-lipped, declined to comment. But insiders suggest Sink’s casting is a strategic pivot for a series that, after Holland’s Peter Parker erased himself from the world’s memory, must now rebuild its narrative DNA. The question on every fan’s mind: Who will Sink play? Speculation orbits two fiery possibilities—Jean Grey, the telepathic mutant whose Phoenix Saga looms large in X-Men lore, or a certain iconic Spider-linked heroine. Could Sink, a natural redhead, step into the shoes of Mary Jane Watson, a role previously embodied by Kirsten Dunst and Zendaya (the latter as the reimagined Michelle Jones)? Or is Marvel planting seeds for mutantkind’s MCU integration post-Deadpool & Wolverine?
The implications are tantalizing. Jean Grey’s arrival would mark the MCU’s first major play for the X-Men since Disney’s Fox acquisition, positioning Spider-Man as a bridge between franchises. Yet Sink’s raw vulnerability and sharp wit—evident in her lauded performance as a grief-stricken teen in The Whale—could also reinvent Mary Jane as a figure both grounded and mythic, a counterbalance to Holland’s lovably beleaguered Parker.
For Sink, the role caps a meteoric rise. Fresh off her farewell to Stranger Things (whose fifth season wrapped production this spring), she’s emerged as a generational talent, her indie chops affirmed by the SXSW premiere of O’Dessa, a dystopian musical that showcased her haunting vocals and magnetic screen presence. (“Sink is a revelation,” raved Deadline of the film, set to stream on Hulu next week.) Come April, she’ll tread Broadway boards in John Proctor Is the Villain, a feminist reworking of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. That she’s pivoting from Puritan drama to superhero spectacle speaks to her range—and Marvel’s hunger for actors who can anchor popcorn fare with emotional heft.
Holland, meanwhile, remains the linchpin. Fresh off filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (a nuclear-era thriller rumored to be light on CGI), he’ll return to Spidey’s more tactile stunts—albeit in a world stripped of his allies. No Way Home’s finale didn’t just reset Parker’s life; it cleared the board for new players. Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and Marisa Tomei may now exist on the periphery, leaving room for Sink and others to redefine what a Spider-Man ensemble looks like.
Cretton’s involvement suggests a focus on character-driven stakes, à la Shang-Chi’s intimate hero’s journey. But let’s not kid ourselves: This is Spider-Man, Marvel’s crown jewel. Expect web-slinging spectacle, MCU cameos, and the kind of twisty storytelling that keeps fans dissecting trailers frame by frame.
As for Sink, the role is both a graduation and a gamble. Stranger Things made her a name; Marvel could make her a legend. Whether she’s wielding psychic fury or quipping beside Holland, one thing’s clear: The MCU’s next phase just got a lot more interesting.
Spider-Man swings into production later this year.
