Steven Yeun was originally cast as Bob/Sentry in Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* before being forced to drop out due to a scheduling conflict, but it sounds like the Invincible and The Walking Dead actor may get another chance to leave his mark on the MCU.
Scooper MTTSH recently reported that Yeun was "interested" in a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and has now followed up by claiming that he is "being eyed" for an undisclosed part. If he actually enters talks, expect the trades to confirm soon.
We don't have any details on the character Yeun is said to be in the mix for, but there's speculation that it could be Mr. Negative.
Theories that Negative might make his big-screen debut in the movie first did the rounds after Marvel's Spider-Man actor Stephen Oyoung, who voices the character in the game, was asked if he knew anything about the villain's inclusion in Brand New Day and whether the studio has been in touch about potentially playing him in live-action during an interview with 4GQTV.
"I have not been contacted by Sony. Let me just say I know certain things, but as far as contacting me, that is yet to manifest itself."
"I have sort of a nebulous idea, but I also kind of have no idea," he added. "Marvel, and gaming, and Sony. There are so many big parts. There is so much machinery to this that even if I did know, I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to. What I can say, though, is, again, I am hopeful, very, very hopeful. Personally, I think there is a pretty good chance you will see Mr. Negative in the future in some sort of media, whether it is me or not."
Though we haven't seen it for ourselves, some concept art of Negative with Into the Badlands actor Daniel Wu's likeness is also rumored to have been spotted.
If Yeun does end up joining the cast, he will join Sadie Sink (the latest rumor points to her playing Mayday Parker) and Liza Colón-Zayas.
Unlike the previous films, Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home, Brand New Day is the name of a specific arc from the comics, and focuses on Peter Parker attempting to rebuild his life following the events of the status quo-altering One More Day and Civil War.
Brand New Day features a number of new characters such as Carlie Cooper and Lily Hollister, aka the supervillain Menace, which has led to speculation that Sink may have been cast in one of these roles.
Late last year, a rumored synopsis for the then untitled Spider-Man 4 did the rounds online after showing up on a production website. The outline didn't garner much attention since fans figured it sounded a little too "basic," but with the Brand New Day title now confirmed, people are taking another look.
"Following the events of Doomsday, Peter Parker is determined to lead a normal life and focus on college, stepping back from his responsibilities as Spider-Man. However, peace is short-lived when a deadly new threat emerges, endangering his friends and forcing Peter to reconsider his promise. With stakes higher than ever, Peter reluctantly returns to his Spider-Man identity and finds himself teaming up with an unlikely ally to protect those he loves."
Even if this is accurate, it doesn't reveal very much. There are numerous possibilities for this "unlikely ally," but some fans are convinced it will be Sink's mysterious character and not a previously established MCU hero.
“I’m spending my time exploring the next stage of this amazing character with a team of the most incredible artists in the world," said director Destin Daniel Cretton during CinemaCon. "We’re all, just daily, nerding out over the suit, how to swing, how to create an event, an emotional story, and a ride that we haven’t really seen before"
Holland did not appear in Las Vegas for the Sony presentation, but did send the following video message.
"I am so sorry I can’t be with you. I am halfway around the world shooting a movie. I know we left you with a massive cliffhanger at the end of No Way Home, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a fresh start. It is exactly that. That’s all I can say."
Spider-Man 4 was recently pushed back a week from July 24, 2026 to July 31, 2026.