Sony and Disney need to make Spider-Gwen with House of the Dragon‘s Milly Alcock happen. Alcock has been a breakout star as young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, but her run on the series has come to an end. It’s unclear exactly what Milly Alcock is doing after exiting the Game of Thrones prequel series that has made her a household name. But Alcock is now firmly at the top of the list of perfect Spider-Gwen castings, and Sony and Disney should do everything in their power to make a live-action Spider-Gwen film a reality.
Figuring out who owns the rights to a live-action version of Spider-Gwen is a bit complicated. The character Gwen Stacy has been a part of Spider-Man comics since 1965 and has been a part of Sony’s live-action Spider-Man films three times. Bryce Dallas Howard portrayed Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 3 and Emma Stone later played the character twice in The Amazing Spider-Man films. However, the character Spider-Gwen and her comic backstory weren’t created until 2014, several years after Marvel Entertainment had been acquired by Disney. MCU star Hailee Steinfeld currently voices an animated version of Spider-Gwen as part of Sony’s Spider-Verse series, though the character is only officially credited as Gwen Stacy. The complex scenario may mean that both Disney and Sony have reasonable claims to be in control of Spider-Gwen’s live-action solo movie future.
However, despite the potentially messy film rights situation around a Spider-Gwen movie, it’s worth it for both Disney and Sony to work it out and come to an agreement. Especially now that a rising star has emerged as a home-run casting choice. Like Tom Holland did as Spider-Man, House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock has the potential to become a fan favorite as Spider-Gwen, which makes it worth both companies agreeing to bring the character to life in the MCU’s rapidly expanding multiverse. That would mean avoiding the risk of bringing Spider-Gwen into Sony’s spinoff Spider-Man villain universe.
Why Milly Alcock Would Be A Perfect Spider-Gwen
The reasons to cast Milly Alcock as Spider-Gwen go far beyond just her looking the part. In the House of the Dragon role, that’s quickly made her a star, Alcock’s performance as young Rhaenyra Targaryen perfectly balances many of the character traits needed for a live-action Spider-Gwen. Alcock has authority and screen presence as Princess Rhaenyra that feels authentically regal for House of the Dragon’s medieval setting while maintaining a youthful, rebellious spirit that feels cool, contemporary, feminist, and endearing.
The creation of Spider-Gwen came out of artist Jason Latour’s desire to make changes to Gwen Stacy and give the character those same characteristics Milly Alcock has embodied in House of the Dragon. Spider-Gwen represents a departure from the more traditional and tragic portrayals of Gwen Stacy as a woman who only exists to die for the sake of Peter Parker’s character development. Flipping this tradition on its head, Spider-Gwen carries the tragedy of her universe’s Peter’s death. If any actress has proven she can credibly portray a heroine who is bucking tradition while dealing with the effects of a traumatic loss, it’s Milly Alcock. Rhaenyra Targaryen finds herself as one of the most powerful women in Westeros’ after the sudden death of her beloved mother, and Milly Alcock’s star-making run as the character proved she has the talent to pull off a similar story as Spider-Gwen.
Why A Live-Action Spider-Gwen Should Happen (& Where It Could Work)
Despite only debuting in 2014, Spider-Gwen is a popular figure in comics and on screen already prior to making a live-action appearance. The hype surrounding the character has never been higher, as the Hailee Steinfeld-voiced version of the character in Into the Spider-Verse became instantly inspired millions of new fans around the world. Disney and Sony have also created the perfect opportunity to introduce a live-action Spider-Gwen following Spider-Man: No Way Home’s decision to dive fully into the Spider-verse. That development combined with No Way Home’s ending wiping the slate clean for the MCU’s Peter Parker and removing MJ from the equation, Disney and Sony should work together to make the next era of live-action Spider-Man feature the introduction of Spider-Gwen portrayed by House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock.
