With Marvel's Spider-Man: Brand New Day due for release, mystery still surrounds the character played by Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink, and fan speculation that she is portraying X-Men telepath Jean Grey has intensified. A podcast interviewer tried a playful trick to get a reaction from Sink, casually working the words "jean" and "grey" into an anecdote about buying clothes, prompting a knowing smile from the actress without her confirming anything.

Sink's role has not been officially revealed, but trailers have shown her character wielding apparent psychic powers and taking control of other characters' minds, fuelling belief she is Jean Grey rather than one of the film's several other villains. Marvel insiders have reportedly grown increasingly confident in the theory, and reports that Sink is set to appear in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars suggest a larger role in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, possibly tying into the studio's upcoming X-Men reboot. Sink has described keeping the secret as "torture", with answers expected once the film opens on 31 July 2026.