After months of speculation and Marvel secrecy, Sadie Sink can finally openly discuss becoming Jean Grey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Stranger Things star made her debut as the iconic mutant in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, giving audiences their first look at a new Jean Grey who could eventually become one of the central characters in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Menreboot.
In a new interview with Variety, Sink discussed taking on a character who has been an important part of Marvel Comics for decades.
“She’s such an iconic figure in X-Men and in comics, and I’m very excited to bring my iteration of her to life.”
However, Brand New Day introduces Jean in a very different place than longtime X-Men fans might expect.
Rather than already being a member of the X-Men, Jean is presented as a young mutant struggling with her abilities and the circumstances surrounding her. Although she serves as an antagonist during portions of the movie, Sink says she never approached Jean as an actual villain.
“In this film, they told me that I was the villain, but that you’re not actually the villain, which is how I played her.”
Sink added that she didn’t want to give Jean a traditional villainous personality because Jean herself believes her actions are justified.
That distinction appears to be an important part of Marvel’s approach to the character. Instead of introducing Jean as the established superhero audiences previously saw portrayed by Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner, Marvel has an opportunity to show how she eventually becomes that hero.
Famke Janssen, Sadie Sink, Sophie Turner
Sink explained that she viewed Jean primarily as a teenager dealing with pain and anger rather than someone who was inherently evil.
“She’s a young girl in pain.”
According to Sink, the plan was to avoid focusing on the “evil bits” and instead concentrate on Jean as an angry and hurt teenager.
That idea also connects directly to what Sink believes makes the X-Men different from many other superheroes.
“What makes the X-Men special is they are all incredibly flawed.”
Sink explained that mutants have to discover their own relationship with powers they never asked to have. Those abilities don’t necessarily make their lives easier and can instead make them considerably more difficult.
It’s an approach that could tell us quite a bit about the direction Marvel Studios intends to take with its new X-Men.
The mutants have traditionally worked best when their powers aren’t simply treated as abilities that allow them to become superheroes. Being a mutant is part of who these characters are, and learning to live with that identity has always been central to the franchise.
Jean Grey is particularly suited for that kind of story.
As one of Marvel’s most powerful telepaths and telekinetics, Jean has frequently struggled with abilities that can become overwhelming and, eventually, potentially catastrophic. Her comic book history with the Phoenix Force has made her one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe.
But Marvel doesn’t appear to be rushing toward that version of Jean.
Instead, Brand New Day gives Sink the opportunity to start much earlier in Jean’s life and potentially develop the character across several movies before exploring some of her biggest comic book storylines.
Sink also revealed that some of the first people she told about landing the role were Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things.
“The Duffers were some of the first few people I told.”
Sink said she wanted them to know what she would be doing after Stranger Things, and the brothers were excited about the opportunity. Their reaction carried additional weight for Sink because of their love for comics.
It’s easy to understand the excitement.
After spending years playing Max Mayfield in one of Netflix’s biggest franchises, Sink is moving directly into what could become another defining role, and potentially one that lasts for much of the next decade.
Marvel Studios is currently preparing its new X-Men movie with Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier set to helm the project. Sink’s introduction in Brand New Day now gives the MCU at least one major piece of that team before the movie arrives.
Jean Grey’s future could also introduce another important relationship.
Kit Connor has recently been reported as Marvel’s choice to play Scott Summers, better known as Cyclops. Jean and Scott have one of the most famous and complicated relationships in X-Men history, making the two characters natural candidates to become central figures in Marvel’s new mutant era.
For Sink, though, Jean’s imperfections may ultimately be what makes the character worth exploring.
Marvel has already had two cinematic versions of Jean Grey and has twice attempted to adapt the Dark Phoenix storyline. Simply repeating that journey would offer audiences little they haven’t already seen.
Starting with a younger, angry and emotionally overwhelmed Jean gives Marvel Studios something different: time.
Time to show Jean learning about her powers. Time to show her finding others like herself. Time to establish her relationship with the X-Men. And eventually, time to show how one of Marvel’s most powerful mutants becomes Jean Grey.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day may have introduced her as an antagonist, but if Marvel’s plans come together, Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey is only getting started.
