Fans have been buzzing for months about Caleb McLaughlin, who played Lucas from ‘Stranger Things’, possibly playing Miles Morales in a live-action Marvel movie. It’s the sort of casting rumor that just won’t die. However, now it looks like everyone might need to pump the brakes.Why? Because Caleb himself made his part pretty clear.
‘Stranger Things’ star Caleb McLaughlin on playing Miles Morales in ‘Spider-Man’
Per Superhero Hype, over the weekend, the ‘Stranger Things’ cast, including Caleb, Gaten Matarazzo, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Nell Fisher, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Noah Schnapp, all showed up in Paris for the SFM9 convention. Of course, someone asked Caleb to do the Spider-Man hand sign. He was friendly about it, but politely declined (again). This time, though, the moment hit harder because a known Marvel scooper jumped online right after and said, “He’s not playing Miles so.” That’s about as blunt as it gets.People have been connecting Caleb to the role for a while. After all, he’s posted plenty of gymnastics and martial arts videos on social media, and it’s classic Spider-Man stuff, right? A lot of fans took those as hints. Caleb shot down the idea: “I would love to play Miles, but that was just a hobby I picked up with friends. I wasn’t practicing for anything. That wasn’t a soft audition. That was just Caleb being Caleb.” He’s said it more than once, too.However, he’s not exactly shutting the door.Caleb has made it clear: if Marvel calls, he’s picking up. He said, “If Kevin Feige sees it and calls you… I’m very interested. Very interested. Miles or somebody else? Miles, Miles. Yeah.” In another interview, he doubled down: “I would love to play Miles. Being from New York… seeing the ‘Spider-Verse’ story, I just feel it’s really, really connected, and I feel like a lot of people understand what that means.”So, no, there’s no official news. No secret audition. But the excitement’s still there, from both fans and from Caleb.
Miles Morales and Caleb McLaughlin: What’s the connection?
But why do people keep picturing him as Miles Morales in the first place? Miles is this relatable, funny, emotionally real teen from an alternate universe. He’s Afro-Latino, he’s got unique Spider-powers, like invisibility and those wild venom blasts, and he brings a whole new energy to the Marvel universe. He’s not just Peter Parker 2.0. People see themselves in Miles, and they want someone who gets that.As for Caleb McLaughlin, he’s got a lot going for him. He’s athletic, he’s the right age, and he’s already played a character with depth and heart. He’s from New York, too, just like Miles. It’s not just a fan wish; it actually makes sense.However, Marvel hasn’t made any move, not officially at least. So for now, it’s just talk.But even without Spider-Man, Caleb McLaughlin’s doing just fine. ‘Stranger Things’ turned him into a household name. Playing Lucas Sinclair, he showed everyone he could handle big emotions and tough moments, and he picked up award nominations along the way. After that, he started branching out: voice roles in animation, leading the 2026 film ‘Goat’, and taking on more mature projects.