Marvel Studios is keeping everything related to Spider-Man: Brand New Day close to the vest. Despite the movie coming out in only a few months, there is no poster or trailer to analyze to death. The powers that be won't even confirm which character one notable cast member, Sadie Sink, is bringing to life. The internet has done its job, though, narrowing the options down and landing on one that teases the villain of the upcoming X-Men reboot.
Sink joined the cast of Brand New Day in March 2025, hoping to secure another long-term gig due to the conclusion of Netflix's Stranger Things. What the actress probably quickly realized is that Marvel fans are a different breed, wanting to peel back the curtain at every opportunity. On the whole, Sink has done a great job navigating the tumultuous waters, as she hasn't so much as teased her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Unfortunately, an actor keeping quiet is only about a third of the battle. Leakers are the biggest problem, and a recent rumor claims they've finally cracked the code of Sink's role. All signs point to her being the third person to portray Jean Grey in live-action, following in the footsteps of Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner.
Jean sharing the screen with Spider-Man opens up a world of possibilities. But the reality of the situation is that Marvel Studios is likely playing the long game in Brand New Day by setting the stage for the X-Men reboot sooner rather than later. In fact, having Jean be the first mutant out of the gate might give away which bad guy is going to be paying the X-Mansion a visit in the near future.
Jean Grey's MCU Debut Sets Up a Dark X-Men Storyline
Jean doesn't get nearly as much love as, say, Cyclops and Wolverine, two heroes who take turns calling the shot for Charles Xavier's band of merry mutants. However, her adventures often pull at the heartstrings, with her, on more than one occasion, having to sacrifice her life when the Phoenix Force gains control of her body. But "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is far from her only claim to fame.
Marvel Animation's hit series X-Men '97 tackled a story in its first season that saw Jean be replaced by a clone, Madelyne Pryor, who Mister Sinister sent to be a thorn in the X-Men's side. She did her job, but her boss didn't achieve all of his goals; he became a pawn in Bastion's scheme and fought for the losing side.
While there's a good chance that Sinister returns to cause trouble for the titular team in X-Men '97 Season 2, maybe he's also getting a call-up to the big leagues. After all, he's never appeared in live-action before. Fox had plans for him at one point, even reaching out to Jon Hamm about playing the villain. But those never came to fruition, and that might have been for the best.
By positioning Jean at the head of its Mutant Saga, the MCU can take both the character and her team to places they've never gone before on the big screen. It's hard to think of a better way to kick off this new era in the superhero landscape.
