Following rumours Stranger Things star Sadie Sink was being eyed for the role of Jean Grey in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot, the news broke yesterday that she's instead set to star in Spider-Man 4.
Regardless of whether it's a street-level story of an epic Multiversal adventure, we don't believe Sink is suiting up as Jean. It's also highly unlikely that she'll play the "real" Mary Jane Watson when the MCU has an MJ in Zendaya's Michelle Jones.
With that in mind, we're now taking a closer look at the six most likely possibilities for Sink's mystery MCU role. From longtime Spider-Man supporting characters to love interests and Multiversal Variants, there are some spectacular options.
You can see who we think Sink will play in Spider-Man 4 by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
6. Anna-May "Annie" Parker
In the post-Secret Wars Marvel Universe, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson married and had a young daughter, Anna-May, who quickly developed spider powers of her own. She'd later take the names "Spiderling" and "Nesting."
With Marvel Studios' post-Avengers: Doomsday movies expected to be set on Battleworld, could Sadie Sink be playing Peter and MJ's daughter? Yes and no.
We think there's a chance the Stranger Things star has been cast as the daughter of Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst's respective Variants of Peter and Mary Jane. That would be a fun twist and means Earth-616's Peter would be teaming up with "his" daughter from a different timeline.
5. Firestar
Introduced in NBC's Saturday morning cartoon Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Firestar teamed up with the web-slinger and Iceman, and soon became a firm fan favourite.
That led to her making the leap from the screen to the comic books (rather than the other way around) in the pages of 1985's Uncanny X-Men #193. The mutant hero has since helped found the New Warriors and remained friends with Peter.
Currently taking centre stage in Marvel Comics' latest take on the West Coast Avengers, Firestar is a character we could easily imagine Marvel Studios making use of as it looks to establish a new supporting cast for Spider-Man in the MCU.
4. Gwen Stacy
Did you know every actress who has played Gwen Stacy in live-action - Spider-Man 3's Bryce Dallas Howard and The Amazing Spider-Man's Emma Stone - was a real-life redhead? So, yeah, don't discount Sink just because of her hair colour!
With Peter likely heading to college in Spider-Man 4, we'd say it's a pretty safe bet that he'll encounter Gwen. Marvel Studios already has plans for the character in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man where she'll suit up as Spider-Gwen, so could the same thing happen here?
Honestly, it's hard to say. The Multiverse being in play makes it more likely, though we'd be perfectly fine with Gwen also just being a new love interest or friend of Peter's as finally moves on from his high school days.
3. Carlie Cooper
A product of the "Brand New Day" era of storytelling, Carlie Cooper was one of Peter's more forgettable love interests but still a character Marvel Studios could improve during the transition from page to screen.
In the comics, Carlie works in the medical examiner's office as a forensic expert and plays a crucial role in many of Spidey's adventures. She became a trusted ally to the web-slinger and the red hair alone makes her a contender for Sink's mystery role.
It would take a talented actor to really make Carlie interesting and we have faith in The Whale star being able to do exactly that. Still, there are other, admittedly far more exciting, options...
2. Black Cat
Among those is Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. Black Cat. This character's live-action debut is long overdue and she deserves better than being put front and centre in one of Sony Pictures' lousy Avi Arad-produced efforts.
The world has forgotten Peter Parker exists and, according to multiple insiders, he's now fully embraced being Spider-Man. Cue Black Cat, an anti-hero who initially had zero interest in the man beneath the mask when she and Spidey started dating.
Not only would she encourage him to embrace his darker nature but this team-up would be a blast to finally see on screen. Does Sink have the right attributes to play Felicia? We think so, though some tweaks would likely be made.
1. Janine Godbe
We're guessing you didn't expect to see Janine Godbe here, but allow us to explain. In the comics, she was the love interest of Ben Reilly, Peter Parker's clone; abused as a child by her father, she killed him in self-defence and later ended up spending time in prison.
Janine was initially supposed to be a stand-in of sorts for MJ, and it would be kind of fun for Marvel Studios to head down a similar route by utilising this Mary Jane lookalike as Peter's new love interest on Earth-616.
Sink looks the part, but if the MCU's take on Janine followed the comics, then she could undergo a villainous transformation. As the twisted Hallows' Eve, she's capable of creating masks which change her appearance and give Janine different powers and effects.