Sadie Sink’s MCU origin could cost Spider-Man’s Brand New Day

Right then, so I went to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day during its record-shattering opening weekend – along with seemingly half the planet. Plenty to enjoy for any self-respecting Spider-Man buff, but bloody hell, what is going on with Sadie Sink’s character? If you felt like you accidentally wandered into a different film halfway through, you’re not alone there.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is already past the $1 billion mark worldwide.

The Jean Grey Distraction

Anyone paying attention to Marvel’s leak machine will know it wasn’t exactly a state secret that Sadie Sink landed the role of Jean Grey – yes, that Jean Grey, the X-Men one. I wasn’t wild about the idea from the off, but I thought I’d give it a fair go. Turns out, my misgivings weren’t totally misplaced. The minute Jean Grey takes centre stage, whatever momentum Tom Holland’s Peter Parker had going evaporates. Good grief, the film just forgets it’s supposed to be about Spider-Man.

For the first half, things are smashing. The new Spidey suit actually looks like something Peter would cobble together and not some Stark Tech abomination. Having Hulk, Punisher, and Black Widow pop in made sense – the sort of MCU crossover business that does what it says on the tin. Even the Peter and MJ stuff feels grown-up; it doesn’t just retcon the bittersweet ending of No Way Home but leaves the door open for future drama. All good so far—until the film basically becomes a dry-run for Marvel’s X-Men reboot. With over an hour left, Spidey is shuffled out of his own movie so Jean Grey can have flashbacks and get tangled up in those tedious Damage Control subplots. Only Marvel could make a Spider-Man film and then act surprised when people want to see Spider-Man in it.

The Producer’s Justification

Now, apparently Amy Pascal – the producer who’s been steering the Spider-franchise for years – reckons it was director Destin Daniel Cretton’s grand idea. Rather than a big scary monster villain, he wanted a 'teenager villain' who would play nicely with all the themes of isolation and human connection the film tries to deal with. Supposedly, Jean Grey is meant to deepen all that.

According to franchise producer Amy Pascal, it was director Destin Daniel Cretton’s idea to make the film’s villain a teenager, with Jean Grey complementing the theme of isolation and empathy.

Okay, fine, but none of that stops the Jean Grey plotline from feeling exactly like it’s there to soft-launch Marvel’s X-Men – not serve Spider-Man’s story. If you’re set on Sadie Sink, why not just write her a new villain with a Jean Grey-style backstory? Would at least look like you’re making a Spider-Man film, not an advert for what’s next in the MCU pipeline.

What They Should Have Done

And it’s a missed opportunity because there was a perfect alternative sat there, twiddling his thumbs: Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. Both Frank Castle and Peter Parker are essentially dealing with major loss and the danger of losing themselves. Instead of sidelining Castle, why not have him step up – be the one to give Peter a reality check, maybe even steer him away from going properly dark. It would fit their dynamic, add grit, and – crucially – keep the focus squarely on Spider-Man.

The best bits of the film, if you ask me, are when Spider-Man and Punisher team up in this odd-couple, buddy cop arrangement. But that’s all glossed over just to set up Jean Grey for the X-Men films we all know are incoming. And meanwhile, other much-hyped elements – Scorpion’s return, stories with genuine crime bosses like Tombstone – get about five minutes each before being nudged aside. Typical Marvel: always thinking three films ahead, rarely giving the current one its due.

Not that it matters for the studio’s bottom line – they’ve already made another Spider-Man 5 inevitable given how much Brand New Day’s pulled in at the box office (they’ll be triple-dipping on our nostalgia by next Christmas). For the love of Stan Lee, maybe next time let Tom Holland actually star in his own solo movie. All I’m asking for is an actual Spider-Man villain as the main antagonist, without another 90-minute advert for the next MCU "event."