The Only Jean Grey Explainer You Need Before Spider-Man: Brand New Day

There are many things to talk about as we careen headfirst into the Marvel Cinematic Universe spectacle that is "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." However, we're not talking about those things today. Instead, for one reason or another, Looper's video above will get you up to speed on the history of Jean Grey, a core member of the X-Men.

Jean is famously one of the first five X-Men, a love interest of Cyclops and occasionally Wolverine, and has been known to turn into the dangerous entity called Dark Phoenix. Let's be honest, though: this is more about all those clues that Sadie Sink is playing Jean in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." Sink's character has been kept carefully under wraps throughout the lead-up to the movie, but that hasn't stopped rumors from circulating. Spider-Man and Jean aren't the most obvious pairing in the world of Marvel, so this will be an interesting choice if it turns out true.

Jean Grey made her comic book debut in "X-Men" #1 (1963), and she has been an important fixture in the mutant corner of the Marvel Comics world ever since. To give you an idea how long she's been around, Spider-Man himself debuted in 1962. 

Arguably the strongest of Marvel's omega-level mutants, Jean would be an interesting addition into the MCU. Though hardly the first of her kind to be introduced in this world, she would be the MCU's strongest mutant by far, and her narrative role in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" would be even more important. After all, her presence would serve as another important step to bringing the X-Men into the MCU fold.

To date, Famke Janssen (who won't be reprising the role in "Avengers: Doomsday") and Sophie Turner have played Jean in live-action. We'll soon find out whether Sadie Sink joins the club — but before that, Looper's video above is the only Jean Grey explainer you'll need before "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."