Sony to reportedly cast new Spider-Man actor for subsequent films

Spider-Man has been one of the most enduring superheroes of the past century. From his introduction in Marvel Comics to his various animated series and his game-changing live-action movies, Spidey has been a constant through the decades. And yet, it feels like he's currently experiencing his most popular stint yet.

The character is currently a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe played by Tom Holland, he's also headlining his own video game series, and Sony's critically-acclaimed animated Spider-Verse movies have proven that there are more Spider-Men in the Spider-Verse than just Peter Parker.

One of those Spider-Men has proven to be every bit as popular with modern audiences, and now it sounds like we could be about to meet him in a live-action project too.

Sony reportedly casting Miles Morales for a live-action Spider-Man project

According to industry insider Jeff Snieder (a.k.a. The InSneider), Sony Pictures is actively in the process of casting the role of Miles Morales for a live-action Spider-Man project.

Now this isn't too surprising because the character's popularity has increased tenfold with mainstream audiences in recent years due to his leading role in the Spider-Verse movies (in which he is voiced by Shameik Moore) and the PlayStation video game franchise, and this would be just another huge milestone for him as it would mark the character's first live-action adaptation.

While no further details were revealed about who could play the role or specifically which project he could appear in, it would likely be a standalone movie (or potentially TV series) focused solely on that character to ensure that Miles has his own spotlight and isn't overshadowed by current live-action Spider-Man Peter Parker. And speaking of Peter, it's important to note that Morales wouldn't be replacing Tom Holland's Spidey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios and Sony will continue to collaborate on that film series with a new trilogy in the works that will see Holland return to the role.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Miles wouldn't appear in the MCU at some point though. Sony's close partnership with Marvel could make a crossover possible, especially since the MCU is currently in the midst of its Multiverse Saga, featuring nods, references, and cameos from other non-MCU Marvel heroes. In fact, we've already had former Sony Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appear in the franchise, as well as Venom (who is currently the face of the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters), so it's possible.

This is something that Marvel scooper Rejected Scooper believes will happen at some point, claiming that Miles Morales will appear in 2026 MCU film Avengers 5 and that he will even suit up. They also added that they doubt he will make it to Spider-Man 5 before getting dragged into the chaos of the Multiverse Saga and that he likely wouldn't survive on his own "against what's coming". That suggests that he will end up sharing the screen with Tom Holland's Spider-Man at some point, and honestly that's a very exciting thought. Perhaps it will give Peter the chance to be a leader, sharing the knowledge that he learned from the leaders in his life throughout the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy.

Is Miles the next leader of Sony's Spider-Man franchise?

We know that Tom Holland will continue to be an important figure in Marvel Studios' MCU franchise and that Sony will continue to be involved in that process, but what about Sony's own universe of Spidey characters? That franchise has experienced considerably less success and its future has been called into question in recent years.

The saga's Venom movies are easily their greatest attribute, which is why Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock and his symbiotic other half have become the face of the franchise. But that chapter will come to an end when the next installment of the film series brings the story full-circle (Venom: The Last Dance is the final installment in the trilogy), and any attempts to find another success story have fallen flat. Neither Morbius nor Madame Web were box office hits and both were significantly dragged for their questionable writing and lack of coherent storytelling. It's unclear if Kraven the Hunter can fix that, or even come close to emulating Venom's success.

The biggest issue with Sony's live-action Marvel movies is that they are all about Spider-Man characters in a world without a Spider-Man. And that might be one of the reasons why fans have a hard time getting invested in it; are we just watching all these random superhero movies to get a team-up film? That doesn't really matter when viewers have a tough time caring about the characters involved in it. Perhaps introducing a Spider-Man to bring them all together is the way forward.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man is one of the faces of the MCU franchise, so he can't exist in two separate universes. But maybe Sony's Spider-Man movies don't need Peter Parker. Maybe the key to its success is Miles Morales. After all, it was Sony's animated Spider-Verse movies that have turned Miles into a mainstream phenomenon, introducing him to the non-comic book fans and showcasing him for the compelling character that he is. Honestly, Sony doesn't get enough credit for nailing the characterization with Miles, and maybe they could end up doing it again if and when he makes his live-action debut.

Miles Morales is a wonderful character and his live-action debut is long overdue at this point. While we'd love to see him cross over into the MCU franchise, he also may be key to saving Sony Pictures' Universe Of Spider-Man Characters. With Venom bowing out and the studio yet to find a suitable new face, Miles is the obvious choice. Could you imagine a trilogy of Miles Morales Spider-Man movies? Honestly, the thought of just one is unbelievably good; imagine what he could do as the face of the franchise.

We're not saying that Sony won't go down to the route of a streaming TV series with Miles (much like they are doing with Nicolas Cage's Spider-Man Noir series), but it would make sense to have a Spider-Man at the heart of your Spider-Man movie franchise. Miles would be the right hero for the job.