Sadie Sink Is Probably Playing Jean Grey, But an Obscure Spider-Man Character Would Be Better

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The upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day promises to be Tom Holland’s biggest solo adventure yet, bringing together a huge cast of heroes, villains, and those in between. The trailer released in March 2026 showed the return of Mac Gargan as Scorpion, a tense relationship between Spider-Man and the Punisher, and a major role for Bruce Banner as Peter Parker seems to be changing physically. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has also filled the movie with classic Spider-Man enemies like Boomerang, Tarantula, and the Hand, all contributing to a growing crisis. However, Marvel Studios hasn’t revealed what role Sadie Sink plays, and with the film just four months away, the mystery surrounding her character is now the biggest topic of discussion among Marvel fans.

Ever since Anya Taylor-Joy was cast, the clues suggesting she’ll play Jean Grey have been building up. Marvel has been gradually introducing more mutants in its Phase Six films, and the recent trailer for Brand New Day featured a character who hates mutants – a detail taken straight from the comics. This hints that a major mutant will be a key part of the story. Taylor-Joy’s naturally red hair, which she’s known for from Stranger Things, also matches Jean Grey’s iconic look. Several sources have also indicated this character will be one of the original X-Men. Plus, the trailer repeatedly shows people being controlled against their will, which many fans believe connects to Jean Grey’s power to read and control minds. Historically, Marvel struggles to keep big secrets, and most people in the industry now think Jean Grey is the answer. However, there’s another Marvel character whose story actually fits the themes of Brand New Day even better.

Who Is the Spider-Queen in Marvel Comics?

Adriana Soria, also known as the Queen, first appeared in a Spider-Man comic book in 2004. She was a Marine with hidden mutant genes who was secretly part of Operation Crossroads, a wartime program similar to the one that created Captain America. This program involved exposing soldiers to radiation from nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll, which killed everyone in her unit except for her. Instead of being harmed, the radiation unlocked her mutant powers. However, the government that experimented on her then imprisoned her for decades. Years later, she reappears in New York City and unexpectedly crosses paths with Peter Parker.

The Queen possesses a unique power: she can control people with a specific genetic marker – a remnant of our shared ancestry with insects. Roughly one-third of the world’s population carries this “insect gene,” and Spider-Man, due to his spider-derived abilities, is particularly susceptible. She can remotely control those with the gene, effectively turning them into a coordinated hive mind. She can also transform people through physical contact, using a special enzyme. Beyond this, the Queen has telekinetic abilities, a powerful sonic scream, and can command all insects and spiders across an entire continent.

The Queen Would Be Perfect for Spider-Man: Brand New Day

The trailer for Brand New Day includes imagery suggesting mind control, and fans have thought this could be the work of either Jean Grey or Mr. Negative, a villain known for corrupting others. While that’s possible, the way the mind control is shown actually fits better with the powers of the Queen. Mr. Negative usually corrupts people by dramatically changing their colors and altering their souls, but the trailer depicts people moving as if their bodies aren’t under their own control – and that’s exactly how the Queen’s powers manifest.

Notably, Wonder Man showed that the Department of Damage Control (DODC) has grown beyond simply cleaning up after superhero battles. They now imprison people with superpowers in a high-security facility and are even willing to exploit them for their own purposes. This setup aligns well with the comic book backstory of Queen, who was a mutant with hidden abilities that her government weaponized. She endured brutal testing, survived, and ultimately became too powerful for them to control. Having Queen evade the DODC suggests Marvel Studios plans to use the agency as a major, ongoing threat, while keeping Jean Grey independent from the X-Men storyline.

The biggest reason to introduce the Queen into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the hint that Peter Parker is changing. The trailer shows him seemingly growing organic webbing, which is a major shift from the tech-based web-shooters he’s always used. In the comics, this power upgrade happened because the Queen kissed him, triggering a biological transformation. She essentially took control of his body, and he died and was reborn with new abilities after defeating her. Bringing that storyline to the MCU would explain how Peter gets these new powers.

We’re not expecting it, but Sadie Sink is probably going to play Jean Grey. However, in a Spider-Man movie already featuring Scorpion, adding another character with insect or spider connections would create a stronger theme than simply introducing an X-Men character. Before the original X-Men actors return for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel might be better off focusing on Spider-Man’s established story instead of using his movie to kick off a completely new franchise.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31st. 

Sadie Sink is a talented actress – which Marvel character do you think she’d be perfect for? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-30 18:14