Spider-Man has swung through the MCU multiple times—three standalone films with a fourth on the way, plus appearances in Captain America: Civil War and two Avengers movies. Marvel Studios has explored plenty of characters from the Wall-Crawler’s universe, but one major player remains conspicuously absent from live-action: Miles Morales.
While the character has become a phenomenon in Sony’s animated Spider-Verse franchise—Into the Spider-Verse (2018) earned $394 million worldwide and Across the Spider-Verse (2023) nearly doubled that with $690 million—Miles has yet to make the jump to live-action. That hasn’t stopped fans from dreaming about who should play him, and now a major actor has thrown his name into the ring: Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin.
A Dream Role Revealed
During the Stranger Things season 5 press tour, the cast participated in a game organized by Time magazine that tested how well they knew each other. When asked about McLaughlin’s dream role, co-star Sadie Sink confidently wrote down “Miles Morales.”
McLaughlin himself had written “Avatar,” but when Sink revealed her answer, he acknowledged the appeal: “I mean, that’s a dream role, but Avatar, I would want to be in Avatar.”
While McLaughlin isn’t actively campaigning for the part, his openness to suiting up as the beloved hero is noteworthy—especially coming from an actor whose profile has skyrocketed thanks to Stranger Things. There’s also an amusing coincidence in Sink being the one to suggest Miles Morales, given that she’s set to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day in a mystery role.
Miles Morales Is Already in the MCU (Technically)
Here’s something many fans might not realize: Miles Morales already exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker interrogated Aaron Davis, a.k.a. the Prowler (Donald Glover), about the Vulture’s weapons operation. Davis mentioned wanting those weapons off the streets because he had a nephew living in the area.
That nephew? Miles Morales.
So while we haven’t seen him onscreen, Miles is canonically out there somewhere in the MCU, just waiting for his moment to shine.
Sony’s Keeping Miles Off-Limits (For Now)
Unfortunately, that moment won’t arrive anytime soon. During an extensive July 2025 interview with Variety, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige addressed where Miles might make his live-action debut. His answer was blunt: “That is nowhere.”
Feige revealed that Marvel Studios has “been told to stay away” from Miles Morales by Sony until the studio completes its animated Spider-Verse trilogy with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, scheduled for June 18, 2027. Sony’s strategy makes sense from a business perspective—why risk diluting the animated franchise’s appeal by introducing a competing live-action version?
This means Miles will remain Sony’s animated exclusive for at least another year and a half, giving the Spider-Verse films their time in the spotlight without competition from the MCU.
Could McLaughlin Land Another Marvel Role?
Even if Miles isn’t in the cards under current corporate arrangements, McLaughlin’s high profile following Stranger Things makes him an attractive candidate for other Marvel roles. The studio has a history of casting rising stars in unexpected parts, and McLaughlin’s talent and fanbase would be assets to any project.
The actor has proven his range across five seasons of Stranger Things, handling dramatic material and action sequences with equal skill. Whether as Miles Morales down the line or another character entirely, McLaughlin would fit naturally into the superhero landscape.
What’s Next for Spider-Man
Miles will continue his animated adventures when Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse swings into theaters on June 18, 2027, completing the trilogy that’s redefined what superhero animation can achieve.
Before that, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker returns to live-action in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, hitting theaters July 31, 2026. The film will expand the MCU’s Spider-Man corner even further—and who knows? Maybe it’ll include another subtle Miles Morales reference to keep fans hoping for his eventual live-action debut.
For now, McLaughlin’s dream role remains just that: a dream. But in the ever-expanding multiverse of Marvel possibilities, stranger things have happened.
