Marvel fans are wondering if the director of Spider-Man 4's social media activity could hint at a potential villain casting in the new Spidey flick – and even if it doesn't, they're hopeful it might happen anyway.
One Reddit user pointed out that Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton is following Steven Yeun on Instagram and, while they acknowledge that this could just be a coincidence, they also write, "Based on what we hear from casting call rumors, official title, I have a feeling Destin wants Yeun to be Mister Negative (If he is the primary villain we are expecting)."
While not everyone is convinced, 1,200 people upvoted the post, so it seems like plenty of fans are in agreement.
"Steven DID say he was willing to take on another MCU role after having to pass up on Sentry (still curious to see what that could’ve looked like) so I wouldn’t be surprised," another fan responded. "Yeah, this is easily one of the most rational speculation casting assumptions I've ever seen here," someone else replied.
"If Steven Yeun is playing Mr. Negative that is one awesome casting," another user posted. "I’m definitely down for this. Hopefully that pans out to be true."
"Yeun as Mr. Negative would be fucking incredible," someone else agreed. "He plays slimy back stabbing shitheads so damn well. Just saw him in Mickey 17 and was reminded of that."
Mister Negative appeared in the first issue of the Spider-Man: Brand New Day comic book storyline back in 2008, which is likely to serve as the source material for the movie, and he's also come up against other heroes in Marvel Comics – including Shang-Chi. Cretton made his MCU directing debut with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings back in 2021.
As for Yeun, the Invincible and The Walking Dead star was originally meant to play Sentry in upcoming Marvel movie Thunderbolts*, a superhero whose alterego Void is a villainous figure in the film. However, Lewis Pullman ended up playing the role instead after Yeun dropped out due to scheduling issues.
So far, the only cast members confirmed for the follow-up to 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home are Tom Holland, who's back as Peter Parker, and Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, whose role is still being kept under wraps.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will arrive in theaters on July 31, 2026 as part of Marvel Phase 6. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other upcoming superhero movies on the way.
