The latest casting news for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has sparked excited speculation that Miles Morales may finally be set to make his MCU debut.
Deadline reported that Liza Colón-Zayas, best known for playing Tina Marrero on FX’s The Bear, has joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
While her role remains unknown for now, MCU fans are speculating it signals Miles Morales’ appearance in the film. Some are suggesting Colón-Zayas will play Miles’ mother, Rio Morales, who has already appeared in the comics, the animated films Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and the Marvel’s Spider-Man video game series.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact Colón-Zayas is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in New York. Miles Morales is, of course, of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in New York.
However, some are saying the addition of Miles Morales to the MCU is wishful thinking, and Colón-Zayas may instead play a mother-type figure for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, replacing Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May, who died in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Colón-Zayas joins Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink in Brand New Day. Sink’s casting also sparked significant speculation, with some pointing to X-Men character Jean Grey (Sink herself has remained coy on the rumors). Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, who play Peter’s love interest MJ and close friend Ned respectively, are expected to return, according to Deadline.
Brand New Day is expected to be something of a reset given the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that film, Peter reintroduces himself to MJ after Doctor Strange erases his identity from everyone’s memory.
The MCU is in full swing once again, with Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* now behind us, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to kick off Phase Six in July. Avengers: Doomsday comes out May 1, 2026, then Spider-Man: Brand New Day releases on July 31, 2026. Avengers: Secret Wars is set for May 7, 2027. Interestingly, Tom Holland was not among the names revealed as part of Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
