We've known for a while now that Tom Holland and Zendaya will return for Spider-Man 4, but Sadie Sink became the first major new addition to the cast earlier this month.
There's no official word on who she's playing, though rumours and theories range from Jean Grey to Mary Jane Watson and even Mayday Parker. Since the news broke, multiple sources have claimed that Spider-Man 4 will also feature a female villain.
Today, scooper Daniel Richtman reveals that Marvel Studios is looking at actresses between 30 - 50 years old for the mystery baddie, suggesting they're casting a wide net (web?) for the character.
That age range may close the door on it being someone like Black Cat or Silver Sable but does fit the bill for everyone from the Spider-Queen to Shathra and even the Goblin Queen.
It's also possible Marvel Studios will gender-swap one of Spidey's most iconic foes, particularly if Spider-Man 4 is set on Battleworld. The movie is being released between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, making that a very likely possibility.
Despite the seemingly endless rumours, a loose adaptation of Spider-Island looks likely for Spider-Man 4. It's worth pointing out that Shang-Chi played a big role in that story, potentially setting the stage for filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton and Simu Liu to reunite here.
Last December, longtime Spider-Man franchise producer Amy Pascal shared a big update on where things stand with the movie."We're starting shooting the next Spider-Man movie with Destin Daniel Cretton. He's a wonderful director. I love No Mercy, I love Short Term 12, I love Shang-Chi. I think he did a wonderful job."
When it was put to her that Spider-Man: Way Home felt like the perfect send-off for the web-slinger, Pascal responded, "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," the veteran producer teased. "That's what the movie is about."
"This is news to me. This is news to me," Sink has said of the possibility of playing Jean Grey in the movie. "No, I have nothing to say about this. The rumours are really cool, though. It's an awesome rumour. I know the character. It's a great character, so that was cool to read."
Spider-Man 4 has been officially dated for July 31, 2026, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton helming a script penned by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.