Sadie Sink's first look from Spider-Man: Brand New Day sparks speculation about the new MCU character

Sadie Sink’s first look from Spider-Man: Brand New Day has arrived, and Sink showing up on set alongside Tom Holland is exactly the kind of sighting that fuels fast character theories across the MCU. The fourth Holland film is dated for July 31, 2026, with Destin Daniel Cretton directing.

Principal photography began in the U.K. this summer after the title reveal at CinemaCon. Filming briefly paused in late September when Holland sustained a mild concussion, then resumed. Returning faces include Zendaya as MJ and Jacob Batalon as Ned.

Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle is set for his big-screen crossover, with Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk discussed publicly but not locked. The title points to the 2008 comics status reset, hinting at a more street-level New York and a reset around Peter’s life after No Way Home. Read on to know what the first-look actually shows, the best supported character theories for Sadie Sink, and the timeline, cast, and release plan so far.

First-look breakdown: What the on-set photos confirm and what they do not

The images show Sadie Sink on an exterior U.K. unit with Tom Holland and crew. Wardrobe reads civilian and contemporary with no visible power tells. There is no prop, stunt rig, or on-camera dialogue that reveals a codename or powers. The look is consistent with early-film human-scale scenes rather than a full reveal shot. Studios have not identified her role, so any ID claims remain unconfirmed.

Production context matters for reading first-look frames. Cameras started rolling in the U.K. in August 2025. In late September, production paused for roughly a week while Holland recovered from a mild concussion, then resumed. The pause does not appear to have changed the release plan. As framing for the tone, the lead has already called the movie a clean slate for Peter. As per the Entertainment Weekly report dated April 1, 2025, Tom Holland said,

“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.”

Who could Sadie Sink be playing? The leading theories, weighed against canon

Jean Grey is the fan-favorite guess, since the MCU is actively seeding mutants. It is popular, but unconfirmed by trades. Weigh the theory against the movie’s New York street focus and the fact that a Spider-Man film would be an unusual place for a marquee X-Men debut.

A cleaner fit with the Brand New Day era is Carlie Cooper, a street-level ally with police forensics ties. That alignment fits a grounded plot and also fits with the Punisher crossover. It does not require a broader mutant rollout and keeps the story inside NYC institutions. This remains speculation, not reporting.

Other live options include a Gwen Stacy variant, Felicia Hardy Black Cat, or Firestar. Each is plausible inside a street-level frame. None are supported by official announcements. One grounded test for any theory is whether it complements Frank Castle’s lane and an NYPD-adjacent plot rather than demanding multiversal mechanics. Sadie Sink has publicly acknowledged the rumor mill without confirming anything. As per the Collider report dated May 23, 2025, Sadie Sink said,

“I see a lot of rumors too. They've been really cool. I love the Marvel universe. I mean, they're awesome rumors.”

Everything official so far: Title, timeline, cast, and MCU Phase 6 context

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026. The title and date were set with the CinemaCon reveal and are listed on the studio’s official slate page with Destin Daniel Cretton as director. Confirmed returnees include Tom Holland as Peter, Zendaya as MJ, and Jacob Batalon as Ned. Sadie Sink is on board in an undisclosed role. Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle is in the film, marking the character’s feature crossover.

Mark Ruffalo has discussed the possibility of appearing as Bruce Banner, though he has said the deal was not closed as of early September. As per the Variety report dated September 5, 2025, Mark Ruffalo remarked,

“I don’t know, I’m still waiting to hear. I haven’t read a script yet.”

Liza Colón-Zayas joined the ensemble in May 2025 with her role under wraps. Cretton has described the creative brief as a character-first reset. As per the Entertainment Weekly report dated April 1, 2025, Destin Daniel Cretton stated,

“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.”

The current lane lines up with a street-level NYC arc that can credibly intersect with Frank Castle while keeping multiversal elements limited. For cross-project texture, Marvel’s Head of Streaming and Television Brad Winderbaum recently noted a shared city feel between the upcoming Punisher special and Brand New Day. As per the Popverse report dated October 15, 2025, Winderbaum said, “

"You want New York to feel like New York, like the same New York,”

while clarifying that major plot points will not necessarily transfer between projects.

Stay tuned for more updates.