Following rumors of Zendaya’s diminished role in the upcoming Spider-Man 4, new details have surfaced confirming a major casting addition–Stranger Things star Sadie Sink has reportedly joined the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise.
According to Deadline, Sink, best known for playing Max Mayfield in Netflix’s Stranger Things, will appear alongside Tom Holland in the anticipated Marvel film. While Sink had previously been rumored to portray mutant Jean Grey in Marvel Studios’ forthcoming X-Men reboot, sources now claim she will instead play a Multiversal version of Mary Jane Watson.
“[Jeff] Sneider, if you remember, was the first to break the story that Sink was the frontrunner for Jean Grey in Marvel Studios’ X-Men and admits to being surprised that Sink was announced for Spider-Man 4 instead of the mutant reboot, but says he heard from his sources last night that Sink will likely be playing Watson, not Jean Grey,” Comic Book Movie reported.
Zendaya’s character, Michelle Jones-Watson (MJ), was last seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), where she was forced to forget Peter Parker following Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) reality-altering spell. Reports suggest Zendaya’s role in Spider-Man 4 will be “severely reduced” due to her packed schedule, which includes Euphoria Season 3, Dune 3, and Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, The Odyssey–a project that also stars Holland.
Producer Amy Pascal previously hinted that Spider-Man 4 will focus heavily on Peter Parker’s decision to fully embrace his Spider-Man identity after sacrificing his personal life. “Well, we have to deal with the fact that he decided he was going to give up being Peter Parker, and he was going to focus on being Spider-Man because being Peter Parker was too hard,” Pascal told Deadline. “So that’s what the movie’s about… There’s room to grow.”
The fourth Spider-Man film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), is slated for release on July 31, 2026. It will arrive just two months after the Russo Brothers’ highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, which is rumored to feature Holland’s Peter Parker alongside Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom and Chris Evans portraying a new version of Steve Rogers known as Nomad.
Jon Watts, who directed the previous Spider-Man trilogy, has described his films as a long-form retelling of Peter Parker’s origin. The rumored working title for Spider-Man 4, “Blue Oasis,” has fueled speculation that the film will adapt Jeph Loeb’s acclaimed 2002 comic “Spider-Man: Blue.” The emotional six-issue series follows Peter Parker as he reflects on his relationship with Gwen Stacy–a storyline that could tie directly into Zendaya’s reduced role and Sink’s rumored casting.
“‘Spider-Man: Blue’ was a comic written by Jeph Loeb in 2002 that ran for six issues. The story is set on Valentine’s Day and presents a Spider-Man who feels ‘blue’ or depressed as he sits atop the Brooklyn Bridge,” noted The Cosmic Circus. “The story retells how Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy first met and fell in love in a beautifully told story that melts even the coldest of hearts.”
Before Spider-Man 4 swings into theaters, Marvel fans can expect several key projects, including Thunderbolts*, which concludes Phase Five, followed by Matt Shakman’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July. Avengers: Doomsday will precede Spider-Man 4 in May 2026.
In other MCU developments, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently confirmed that Black Panther 3 is officially in development. The announcement came alongside news that longtime producer Nate Moore will be departing the studio after wrapping work on Captain America: Brave New World.
What are your thoughts on Sadie Sink’s potential role in Spider-Man 4 and Zendaya’s reduced screen time? Let us know in the comments below!
