Warning: The following contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.Though Mary Jane Watson is known as Spider-Man’s longest-running romantic partner, she isn’t his only one in the comics. Liz Allan, Felicia Hardy, and Gwen Stacy also have significant relationships with the superhero. All of them have appeared in live action Spider-Man movies at some point, but in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so far, only Liz Allan, and the MCU’s version of MJ have appeared. Felicia Hardy, also known in the comics as the sometimes-villain Black Cat, did have a movie of her own in development with Sony at one point. Gwen Stacy, however, is one fans are interested in seeing come to life in the MCU, especially since another version of her character appears in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and in Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors.
In those animated projects, the hero is voiced by Hailee Steinfeld and Dove Cameron, respectively, both of whom have already appeared in live action Marvel projects as other characters, which likely means they wouldn’t be called on to play Gwen outside of animation. In both of those, Gwen is also a hero in her own right, whether as Spider-Gwen or Ghost Spider. With the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home seeing Peter Parker on his own, there’s room for new comic book characters to enter the picture, and Gwen Stacy is certainly a fan favorite, whether as a love interest, a fellow Spider-hero, or both. Outside of Steinfeld and Cameron, there are a lot of actresses who could do the character justice.
Sabrina Carpenter
One thing to note about Gwen Stacy is that one version of the character is actually in a band, not unlike DC’s Black Canary. With that in mind, the actress should at least be capable of singing, even if the MCU version of the character ultimately doesn’t pursue that route. Sabrina Carpenter is a recording artist in addition to having a pretty lengthy acting resume.
She’s best known for her work on the Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World. While the network’s sitcoms tend to go for more theatrical acting choices in their young cast members, Carpenter demonstrated early on that she could go big and go subtle with Maya. She gave the character a depth that went beyond her being the trouble-making best friend of the main character. She’s got a knack for sarcastic line deliveries as well, which could make for one fun and witty take on Gwen.
Savannah Lee May
Savannah Lee May is mostly known for her roles in children’s television programs. She’s seen a lot of success and built a loyal fan base with roles in Nickelodeon’s Knight Squad and Netflix’s Julie And The Phantoms, but it’s about time for her to get the chance to appear on the big screen. While she doesn’t have experience in action movies, she does have plenty of experience with choreography as a dancer, which could definitely help her when it comes to learning Gwen’s fight scenes if the MCU chose to go the superhero route.
Much like Carpenter, her previous work has shown that she can have fun with a big personality, but can also more subtly convey her character’s feelings. Her most recent work, as mean girl Carrie in Julie And The Phantoms, takes what could be a one-note character and makes the audience sympathetic to her. If the series hadn’t been canceled, it’s likely May would have played a much larger role in a second season.
Midori Francis
Gwen Stacy is traditionally drawn as blond in the comics, but casting Zendaya as MJ in the MCU has handily demonstrated, the actors don’t need to look like the comic book characters in order for the movie versions to capture the attention of the audience. Zendaya’s MJ is very different from previous versions of Mary Jane Watson, but she’s a fan favorite. Midori Francis could do the same for Gwen Stacy.
Francis is best known for her role as Lily in Netflix’s Dash & Lily. There, she plays the character with an earnestness that makes it easy to love her. She could definitely bring a fresh take to Gwen that would draw the audience in, and make them see her as a potential partner for Peter Parker, which is going to be a difficult feat in the wake of Zendaya’s performances in the movies.
Naomi Scott
While Carpenter, May, and Francis would likely be best suited to a very green Gwen just coming into her own abilities with Peter giving her a leg up if the MCU decided to make Gwen a masked hero, Naomi Scott could play a more seasoned version of the character. Scott had her breakout role in the musical Lemonade Mouth, and she’s explored a diverse resume ever since.
From being a Power Ranger to a Disney princess to one of Charlie’s Angels, she’s done a little bit of everything. That range, and her experience with fight choreography, is an asset here. Scott is, admittedly, a popular armchair casting choice when it comes to superhero movies because she’s already shown she can do it as the Pink Ranger. An older version of Gwen would also set the character apart from what the audience has already seen in The Amazing Spider-Man and animated projects, allowing the audience to feel like they haven’t already seen the best of Gwen’s story.
Peyton List
One of the best options for the heroic version of Gwen Stacy is Peyton List. Like a lot of the actresses here, she got her big break on the Disney Channel as a kid. Most recently, however, she's been stealing scenes on Cobra Kai as Tory. Tory is an incredibly aggressive role for List, and likely far angrier than she would play Gwen. List has proven though that she could play a Gwen with a bit of an edge.
It would certainly be a plus to see an actress who has a martial arts background, which List has trained in for Cobra Kai, in the role. It would definitely make for smoother fight scenes, and less need for doubles, for Spider-Gwen. While List has a ton of experience in a variety of smaller roles on TV, Gwen Stacy would allow her to really dig into a big screen part.
For now, fans are free to speculate until Gwen Stacy appears in another live-action Spider-Man movie. Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently playing in theaters.
