The Next Spider-Man Could Have Been Right Under Our Noses All Along

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has finally hit theaters, marking the return of our favorite web-slinger five years after his last solo adventure. After months of speculation about the role of Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, the film has garnered a strong critical response and is smashing box office records, quickly approaching the $1 billion mark.

As Tom Holland gears up for his fourth solo Spider-Man film, he’s hinted at a desire to eventually pass the torch to another actor and spider-themed hero. Many fans are eager to see Miles Morales make his live-action debut, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day might have teased a different spider hero—one who’s been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for nearly a decade and could serve as a worthy successor.

**Spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day follow.**

In this latest adventure, Holland’s Spider-Man faces off against a mysterious antagonist with the power to inhabit others. At one point, Peter Parker seeks assistance from Bruce Banner to create a device that can suppress the abilities of super-powered individuals. Their conversation takes place after Bruce teaches a class at Empire State University, where a student named Cindy, played by Shannon Young Cho, asks him a question about Thanos. While credited simply as “Cindy,” some fans speculate she could actually be Cindy Moon, a character from the Marvel comics.

Cindy Moon, introduced in the comics in 2014, is a Korean-American teenager who becomes a spider-themed hero. In the MCU, she was previously seen as a classmate of Peter’s in Spider-Man: Homecoming, portrayed by Tiffany Espensen. Espensen reprised her role in Avengers: Infinity War and appeared in the extended edition of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Anyone familiar with Spider-Man comics or the animated Spider-Verse films knows that Peter Parker isn’t the only spider-themed hero in the Marvel universe. Characters like Peni Parker, Spider-Woman, Spider-Gwen, and Miles Morales are all part of the spider family. Cindy Moon, who goes by the superhero name Silk, debuted in 2014 after being bitten by the same radioactive spider as Peter, gaining similar powers. Unlike Peter, who uses mechanical web shooters, Silk can produce organic webbing from her fingertips, much like Holland’s Spider-Man in Brand New Day.

Silk has appeared as a supporting character in The Amazing Spider-Man and event comics like Spider-Geddon, and she has her own comic series. A TV show titled Silk: Spider Society was in development but was ultimately shelved by Amazon. However, she is expected to feature in the long-awaited animated Spider-Women film, if it ever materializes. Additionally, Cindy Moon was hinted at in the post-credits scene of Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2, suggesting she may play a role in the next installment of the game series.

As for Spider-Man 5, Marvel and Sony have yet to confirm its existence, leaving the web-slinger’s future in the MCU somewhat uncertain. It’s likely that Spider-Man will next appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, unless he surprises us with an appearance in December’s Avengers: Doomsday. After that, who knows what lies ahead for Holland and Peter Parker?

Holland has expressed his willingness to pass the torch to a new actor and character. “For whoever’s next, whether that is a Miles Morales or a Spider-Gwen or a Spider-Woman or something like that, I would love to be a part of setting up the next chapter,” he mentioned in a recent interview. “Whatever that looks like, I don’t know. But if I could do what [Robert] Downey [Jr.] did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset.”

While many fans are hoping for Miles Morales to take the lead, Marvel has done little to establish his character in the MCU, aside from featuring his uncle Aaron Davis in Homecoming. However, Cindy Moon has been a recurring presence in the MCU since then.

It’s worth noting that while I might be diving deep into speculation territory, the repeated appearances of Cindy Moon in various MCU films suggest that Marvel has plans for her beyond just being a student. Holland has recently reiterated that he has “a really clear vision to the passing on of the baton, and I think it’s really exciting.” Could that baton end up in Silk’s hands?

If that’s the case, there’s no guarantee that the previous actresses who portrayed Cindy in Spider-Man films will reprise the role, or that they are even the same character. Marvel has a history of recasting roles, such as swapping Don Cheadle for Terrence Howard as James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine, and recasting Scott Lang’s daughter Cassie, with Kathryn Newton ultimately taking on the role of the superhero Stature.

Meanwhile, Marvel’s Kevin Feige has stated that the only plan for Holland is to take a well-deserved break after the global tour. Who knows, maybe Holland will continue playing Peter Parker well into his 90s, and all these comments are just a way to secure his future in the franchise.

As Spider-Man: Brand New Day approaches, Holland is already thinking about who could take on the mantle of the next Peter Parker.