From the personality of Jaden Smith to the bold talent of Alex Hibbert, there are a plethora of stars who could capably play Miles Morales in the MCU.
It was the biggest hint yet that somewhere in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Miles Morales — an alternate universe version of Spider-Man who made his Marvel Comics debut in the Ultimate imprint a decade ago and was the animated star of 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — awaits.
In the final scenes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Electro — as played by actor Jamie Foxx — beholds the three different versions of the Webslinger and remarks, "There's gotta be a Black Spider-Man out there somewhere." Fans, of course, know there is, and such a seemingly offhanded comment only makes their questions more urgent: When might Miles Morales make his MCU debut, and more importantly, what actors would be the right fit for the role?
Caleb McLaughlin
If the actor made famous by his star turn as Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things gets the nod, Marvel filmmakers better hurry his entrance along: McLaughlin turned 20 this year, and while his acting chops demonstrate he can play a range of ages, his ability to outwardly channel a 13-year-old will be stretching the boundary of credibility as McLaughlin gets older.
As one of Stranger Things' most likable characters, he excelled in comedic timing and delivery, but it was his role as Cole, the wayward teen at the heart of the Netflix drama Concrete Cowboy, that showed he has the gravitas needed to play Miles. All Spider-Men carry a heavy burden as heroes, from the guilt of watching loved ones and heroes die to the stress a secret life puts on family relationships, and McLaughlin has the strength to balance those things with the playfulness that's also required to make an MCU Miles Morales fun to watch.
Jaden Smith
The son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith is no stranger to the camera, having first appeared alongside his father in 2006's The Pursuit of Happyness when he was just 8 years old. Now 23, he, like McLaughlin, is quickly aging out of the early teenage range in which fans were first introduced to Miles Morales, but de-aging special effects wouldn't be needed given Smith's boyish appearance and natural precociousness.
While he could certainly pull off a turn as Miles, however, his music career — as well as his sometimes controversial social media presence — might prove to be too much of a distraction for Disney. Although he's a bold personality, and one that could carry the role, Smith's fame might overwhelm a part that will be one of the biggest additions to the MCU since its inception.
