For months ahead of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the single biggest mystery was who Sadie Sink’s character really was. There was plenty of speculation about her being Jean Grey, and that was undoubtedly the biggest theory, but it wasn’t truly confirmed until about halfway through the movie. With that reveal, along with the news that Samara Weaving was cast as the MCU’s Emma Frost, it was clear that the X-Men were finally coming to the MCU, and in the time since, numerous X-Men characters have been confirmed, from Adam Driver as Mister Sinister to Kit Connor as Cyclops and many others. Thus far, though, we’ve only gotten to see Sink’s Jean Grey in action. However, that has certainly been enough to get fans excited for this new era, and a new Brand New Day featurette released by Marvel has just emphasized why.
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The new video begins with Sink saying she is relieved to finally be able to say she is Jean Grey, which makes sense after months of needing to carefully avoid any spoilers. From there, though, the featurette takes a clear turn towards a focus on how Sink’s Jean Grey is pivotal to the MCU’s upcoming arc with the X-Men, however long that may be. On that point, Sink said, “This is the first introduction of the new X-Men team that we will get in the MCU, and I’m very excited.” Holland can then be heard saying, “The way she brought Jean to life, we’ve never seen Jean Grey like this before.” These comments, while they still keep much of the story to come under wraps, make it clear that the MCU is putting plenty of stock in the significance of the X-Men moving forward, and Sink is obviously an essential part of that. How that ultimately plays out may also be critical for the future of the MCU.
The X-Men Are Exactly What the MCU Needs, as Long as They’re Done Right
MCU fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the X-Men for years, which is understandable given how important these characters are in the larger franchise. It’s also not exactly a secret that the MCU has struggled to get audiences as invested in new releases in the time since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters seven years ago, and while movies like Brand New Day and even Avengers: Endgame Encore have certainly helped, and the upcoming releases of both VisionQuest and Avengers: Doomsday no doubt will as well, this is a pivotal period for Marvel. It’s therefore a wise move to bring in the X-Men now and to do it with cast members that, as this Brand New Day featurette makes clear, can do so with energy and a new take on these fan-favorite characters.
Yet, pressure remains high for the MCU to stick this landing. While Sink’s debut in Brand New Day and various other casting updates ahead of the upcoming X-Men movie are promising, the franchise is taking a major risk. It doesn’t feel overstated to say that getting the X-Men wrong would be disastrous for the MCU, especially in an era where these movies seem to be trying to carve out a new path (including with the ongoing rumors that the MCU will be rebooted after Avengers: Secret Wars). Of course, Marvel and Disney are surely aware of that, and they will presumably proceed with caution as a result. Even so, this featurette is a reminder that there is a lot riding on the X-Men. Hopefully, the MCU will get it right.
What do you think? Are you excited to see the MCU’s X-Men? Leave your thoughts in the comments down below.
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