Sadie Sink is one of the most prominent young actresses in Hollywood right now. Her breakout role as Max Mayfield in “Stranger Things” made her a star. For me personally, that role made her one of my favorite actresses. Just watch this scene and try not to get chills.
Naturally, her success led to being cast in more prominent roles. The biggest thus far has been “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” With “Stranger Things” ending after Season 5, Sadie Sink is poised to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And depending on how things play out, it could cement her as one of the biggest, brightest stars in the industry.
However, we don’t yet know who Sink will be playing in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” That has been a closely guarded secret since her casting was confirmed. Months later after this announcement, it was later confirmed that Sink will also be in “Avengers: Secret Wars.” So, whoever she’s playing in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will not be a one-off in the mold of Mysterio, Hela, or MODOK.
This hints that her role will be significant. But even in interviews, Sink has been very careful not to drop any hints, going so far as to say that her character need not have red hair. That could be a red herring. Or it could be a hint. Nobody knows at the moment. Even known insiders have given conflicting information.
One early theory indicated she would play Shathra, a lesser-known Spider-Man villain who tends to move between timelines and universes. Given how this movie is supposed to stem directly from the events of “Avengers: Doomsday,” that could make sense. But given how obscure this character is, I think that’s unlikely.
It’s much more likely that she’ll play a variation of Mayday Parker, the daughter of Spider-Man. Given that Tobey McGuire has also been rumored to appear in “Avengers: Doomsday,” it would make sense. If the multiverse is irreparably broken, he would want nothing more than for his daughter to survive. The only flaw in that theory is that in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Tobey’s Spider-Man did not hint at all that he had a daughter. He said he and Mary Jane had a complicated relationship, but they made it work. That’s ambiguous, but not definitive.
If I had to put odds on who I think Sink is most likely to play, the best odds would go to Firestar. She’s a mutant most often associated with the X-Men. But she’s probably most famous for being a member of “Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends,” the classic Marvel animated series from the early 1980s. She has connections to Spider-Man. And Marvel Studios has been laying a foundation to bring mutants into the MCU.
By most measures, Firestar makes sense. She could be an ally to Peter, who will definitely need them after the events of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” She could function as a multiverse refugee if things in “Avengers: Doomsday” get as messy as they’re rumored to be. And that would also leave her in a position to play a role in “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Depending on how she handles this role, it could open the door for her to be included in future X-Men movies.
However, there’s one role in particular that I really hope for Sadie Sink. I think it’s somewhat less likely than her playing Firestar. But it’s also much more prominent and would position Sink to play a major role in the MCU for years to come. And that role is none other than fire and life incarnate herself, Jean Grey.
Now, I freely admit that Jean Grey is one of my favorite characters of all time. And I judge any and all X-Men movies based on how they handle Jean Grey. As a result, she’s a significant reason why I didn’t care for the original X-Men trilogy.
That being said, nothing would make me happier than to see Sadie Sink make her first appearance as Jean Grey in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” Even though Jean isn’t closely associated with Spider-Man, it would make sense, given the context of this movie.
This is a world where everyone has forgotten Peter Parker, including MJ and Ned. He’s all alone and trying to be Spider-Man in a world with next to no support. Who better to help restore the memories of those he cares about than one of the most powerful psychics in the multiverse?
Someone with Sadie Sink’s profile would be perfect for a role like Jean. It’s not even a new idea. Even before Sadie Sink was cast in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” there were numerous rumors that she was in the running to play Jean Grey in a future MCU X-Men movie. Sadie has even acknowledged some of those rumors without giving any credence to them.
Based on what little has leaked regarding this movie, there aren’t many hints regarding Sink’s character. But thus far, those leaks don’t indicate that her hair color is being changed. There’s also no hint that she’s wearing an identifiable costume or uniform. So, she could still be Mayday, Firestar, or even a variant of Gwen Stacy (although I think that’s unlikely since Gwen still has a major role in the Spider-Verse movies).
But my hope is that she ends up playing Jean Grey. I think it would be so appropriate that she would be the next step towards bringing the X-Men into the MCU. She could help provide the foundation for the next generation of X-Men movies. Someone of her caliber could do justice to such an iconic character.
I’m still bracing for disappointment. I still think the odds aren’t great that Sadie will be Jean. But if she ends up in that role, the multiverse as we know it will be a better place.
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