Who Is Sadie Sink in ‘Spider-Man 4’?

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For four years now, we’ve eagerly anticipated the sequel to “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” officially titled “Spider-Man 4.” Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who brought us “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” it’s set to hit cinemas on July 31, 2026, as part of Marvel Studios’ Phase 6. While Tom Holland was expected to reprise his role, the question of who else from the previous films might return remains unanswered following the shocking ending of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” In a significant development for “Spider-Man 4,” actress Sadie Sink from “Stranger Things” has been cast in an undisclosed part.

The absence of Sadie Sink’s character being disclosed in the casting announcement generates some curiosity. Typically, when a prominent actor joins an MCU project, the character they are portraying is unveiled. For instance, when Michael Keaton and Jake Gyllenhaal were cast in the Marvel Spider-Man films, their roles as Vulture and Mysterio respectively were made public at the same time. However, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures seem intent on maintaining secrecy about Sadie Sink’s character, suggesting it might be a significant role.

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I’ve been pondering about the roles that Giancarlo Esposito and John Malkovich might take in “Captain America: Brave New World” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” respectively. Although I didn’t pinpoint exactly which Serpent Society member Esposito would embody, I had a hunch about a Serpent Society member being involved. As for Malkovich, the clues seem to be lining up with my prediction of him playing Red Ghost in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe “Fantastic Four” film.

Here are five possible Marvel characters Sadie Sink could play in Spider-Man 4.

5
Gwen Stacy

Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965)

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been several fresh takes on traditional love interests for Peter Parker. For instance, Zendaya’s character, Michelle Jones, is similar to Mary Jane Watson (often known as MJ) in the comics. Laura Harrier portrayed Liz Toomes, a character analogous to Liz Allan from the comics, and Adrian Toomes’ daughter, The Vulture. Angourie Rice played Betty Brant, a classmate of Peter Parker. In the movie “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” Sally Avril / Bluebird and Cindy Moon / Silk were also introduced as classmates of Peter Parker, portrayed by Isabella Amara and Tiffany Espensen respectively. However, one significant character from the Spider-Man comics, Gwen Stacy, has yet to make an appearance in the MCU.

To date, the character of Gwen Stacy has been mentioned solely by the portrayal of Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Here, he calls Emma Stone’s character “his MJ,” indicating that in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there is a girl named Gwen who holds some importance to Peter—a significance that results in sorrow for him.

If Sadie Sink is cast as Gwen Stacy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it sets up an intriguing character dynamic, as Peter Parker might choose to maintain a distance from her to protect her. The MCU could then introduce a twist reminiscent of contemporary Marvel storytelling by giving Gwen Stacy spider powers and transforming into Spider-Gwen/Ghost-Spider, creating a unique hero who operates alongside Peter Parker. This move would introduce the beloved Spider-Gwen character to live-action, allowing the MCU to deviate from the typical Gwen Stacy narrative where she is often believed to perish. Instead, she would rise as a hero in her own right, much like Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone before her, who have portrayed iconic redheaded characters associated with Spider-Man’s blonde love interest.

4
Silver Sable

Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #265 (June 1985)

For years, Sony Pictures made efforts to bring a movie featuring Silver Sable and Black Cat, titled “Silver & Black,” to life. However, this project failed to materialize, and currently neither character is under active development in filmmaking. This situation paves the way for “Spider-Man 4.” Although some fans may expect Black Cat to appear in “Spider-Man 4,” we believe that casting Sadie Sink as Silver Sable could be a more fitting direction for the movie’s narrative.

Silver Sable is often portrayed as a mercenary commanding a unit known as The Wild Pack. Originating from the tiny European nation of Symkaria, which shares borders with Doctor Doom’s Latveria, her tenuous association with Doctor Doom makes her an appealing choice for the upcoming Spider-Man film. Since Spider-Man 4 is set to premiere between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Silver Sable’s connection to Doctor Doom sets up an intriguing scenario where she is hired to track down Spider-Man, eventually leading to a team-up between them. This plotline offers a compelling proposition and provides Peter Parker with a Black Widow-esque character within his supporting cast.

Instead of portraying Sable consistently as a woman in her mid-30s with extensive comic book background, Marvel might opt to redefine the character as a young mercenary who underwent rigorous training from a disciplined father. There’s also an opportunity to merge Sable with Ana Kravinoff, the daughter of Kraven the Hunter, since Marvel may prefer to steer clear of Kraven-related storylines for some time.

3
Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman

Created by Archie Goodwin and Marie Severin

First Appearance: Marvel Spotlight #32 (February 1977)

Madame Web showcases three different versions of Spider-Woman, excluding the original, Jessica Drew. Because of rights complications, Jessica Drew has been in an unusual position within Marvel adaptations. Despite her name suggesting a link to Spider-Man, Spider-Woman is actually unrelated. Her storyline includes associations with HYDRA and the High Evolutionary, and she’s been part of both the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. However, Sony Pictures holds the film rights to her since she’s categorized among Spider-Man-related characters. It wasn’t until the 2014 “Spider-Verse” storyline that any significant connection between Spider-Man and Spider-Woman became apparent. This complex relationship—part Spider-Man mythos, part Marvel Cinematic Universe—makes Spider-Woman an intriguing choice for Sadie Sink to portray in Spider-Man 4.

In Spider-Man 4, there’s a potential opportunity to incorporate the established lore of the MCU to give a fresh take on Spider-Woman. This could involve maintaining the essence of her comic book origins while making alterations to her backstory. For instance, Jessica Drew might be portrayed as a previous subject of HYDRA or even a former Black Widow, or she could be introduced as a new, young agent working for Damage Control – an organization that debuted in Spider-Man: Homecoming and also appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home when they confiscated the Stark drones from Peter Parker.

It’s highly anticipated among Marvel enthusiasts that Spider-Woman will make her first appearance in Spider-Man 4. Given the inclusion of Maya Lopez, Wolverine, and the Sentry in the Multiverse Saga, she is the last character from Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers series yet to be introduced in the MCU. It’s puzzling why Sony didn’t immediately produce a Spider-Woman standalone film or incorporate her into Madame Web instead. The likely explanation is that they wanted to introduce her within the context of Spider-Man 4.

2
Jean Grey

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

First Appearance: The X-Men #1 (September 1963)

Fans may wonder why Jean Grey, a character from the X-Men series, would show up in a Spider-Man film. This is unexpected since Sadie Sink was reportedly among the top choices for playing Jean Grey in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) X-Men reboot. However, it’s possible that Sink could play Jean Grey in Spider-Man 4 despite this seeming unlikely. This is because Disney now owns the rights to the X-Men franchise following their acquisition of 20th Century Fox, and Spider-Man 4 might be one of the early projects to introduce the X-Men into the MCU.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my anticipation for Spider-Man 4. However, it’s important to consider that its box office performance might not surpass that of Spider-Man: No Way Home, given the unique appeal of reuniting multiple versions of Spider-Man in one film, a scenario unlikely to be repeated. Every movie can’t continuously shatter records. But imagine the excitement if we see Spider-Man team up with the X-Men – Marvel’s two iconic franchises before the advent of the MCU! That collaboration alone would make Spider-Man 4 an unmissable event film.

The connection between Spider-Man and the X-Men, particularly evident in comics, could be acknowledged in Spider-Man 4 by introducing the character of Jean Grey. In Ultimate Spider-Man comics, Peter Parker developed a strong bond with Kitty Pryde from the X-Men, which even included a brief romantic relationship. This dynamic might be reflected in Spider-Man 4, but with Jean Grey taking the place of Kitty Pryde. On another note, Insomniac Games, renowned for their Spider-Man video games like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and Spider-Man 2, are working on a Wolverine game that is anticipated to heavily involve Jean Grey. This hints at the creatives at Sony already having an interest in the telepathic mutant, Jean Grey.

In essence, Spider-Man 4 might not merely continue the Spider-Man series; it could potentially signal Marvel’s early steps towards unveiling their plans for the X-Men.

1
Firestar

Created by John Romita Sr., Rick Hoberg, and Dennis Marks

First Appearance: Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (September 12, 1981)

In Peter Parker’s life, Mary Jane Watson holds the top spot among redheads, but another notable redhead with ties to Spider-Man also has a connection to the X-Men. And it seems that Sadie Sink could be an ideal choice for her: Firestar. Unlike many Marvel characters, Firestar wasn’t born in the comics but was created for the television series “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends,” which ran from 1981 to 1983. Initially designed as a substitute for the Human Torch, Firestar—whose real name is Angelica Jones—was presented as a former X-Men member. Because of her popularity on Saturday morning cartoons, she was officially incorporated into the main Marvel Comics universe in “Uncanny X-Men” #193 (May 1985).

In the realm of Ultimate Comics, it’s me who underwent a fusion with Liz Allen, a fellow student of Peter Parker and, as it turned out, the long-lost daughter of the X-Men adversary known as The Blob. Although there’s already a character named Liz Allen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s the Firestar persona of Angelica Jones that rings most bells among fans. My background seamlessly connects the worlds of Spider-Man and the X-Men, making me a strong contender for future developments within the MCU.

Firestar seems to be an ideal choice for Sadie Sink within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Introducing Jean Grey in a Spider-Man movie is intriguing, but it’s questionable whether Marvel Studios and Disney would prefer introducing one of their iconic X-Men characters in a film they share ownership with another studio. Firestar, on the other hand, has connections to the X-Men but is predominantly linked to Spider-Man, making her an excellent compromise. Her live-action introduction in Spider-Man 4 would be a significant milestone, as it would mark the first time a character originally from animation enters the MCU.

Since the Human Torch from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is now living in another dimension, Firestar could reprise her role as Spider-Man’s flame-wielding partner. As a character who hails from Spider-Man’s universe but fits perfectly into the MCU’s future X-Men scenario, Firestar would be an ideal choice for Sadie Sink in Spider-Man 4.

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2025-03-14 03:04