When it comes to the biggest franchises of the past 15 years, two names that you will see on that list are the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Walking Dead. Both of these legendary sagas are inspired by comic books and they have both dominated their respective mediums for the better part of two decades. And both have stood the test of time, producing incredible legacies that are still ongoing through new titles and chapters each year.
The TWD Universe franchise kicked off back in 2010 with AMC's The Walking Dead, which ultimately ran for 11 seasons and produced six spinoffs along the way. Three of those spinoffs didn't start until after the main show ended and two of them are still ongoing, with the hopes of more stories to be told in the future.
Meanwhile, the MCU began all the way back in 2008 with Iron Man and it has since produced 37 movies, 13 TV shows and even some standalone specials. And now, as fans look ahead to the next chapters in the franchise's ongoing Multiverse Saga, rumor has it that a TWD star could be about to make the jump to the MCU... again.
The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun reportedly eyed for Spider-Man role
It sounds like Steven Yeun could be about to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for real this time! A report from Marvel insider MyTimeToShineHello claimed that Marvel Studios is eyeing the actor to play a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while subsequent reports from multiple scoopers, including long-standing scooper account Marvel Update, suggest that the role could end up being the villain Mister Negative.
Very little is known about the upcoming film - particularly in the villain department - but Mister Negative has been rumored for some time now, with Yeun's name constantly coming up among insiders as a potential choice. It's looking as if the MCU film could include multiple villains at this point, and it sounds like Mister Negative could be one of them.
Yeun has enjoyed a remarkably successful career, but his big break came in 2010 when he was cast in The Walking Dead as the beloved Glenn Rhee. A major part of the show for its first seven seasons, fans fell in love with Glenn due to his kind, meaningful approach to life that always ensured he was a good friend to those around him. Yeun's endearing performance and the character's beloved relationship with Maggie Greene has lived on as one of the best parts of the show's 11-year run.
Glenn's infamous demise at the hands of Negan in the season 7 premiere has also gone down in history as one of the show's most polarizing moments, with a lot of the audience tuning out after his brutal death. And that is also a sign of just how adored the character was, as TWD just wasn't the same without him.
Since the conclusion of his character's arc, Yeun has enjoyed immense success in Hollywood, most notably his Emmy-winning performance on Beef. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in 2020 film Minari and he voices the main character in Amazon Prime Video's Invincible - which is based on another of Robert Kirkman's classic works.
If this rumored role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day does pan out, it would be the second time that Yeun has been associated with the MCU. The actor was previously cast in the role of Bob Reynolds, a.k.a. Sentry / The Void, in Thunderbolts* but he had to pull out once the delays due to the WGA and SAG strikes in Hollywood at the time eventually led to scheduling conflicts for all involved. The role would ultimately go to Lewis Pullman, who received critical acclaim for his performance in the movie.
Ironically, another TWD legend is set to star in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Jon Bernthal, who is known for his role as Shane in the first two seasons of The Walking Dead, is set to reprise his long-standing Marvel role as The Punisher in the upcoming film. Bernthal has played the iconic Marvel Comics character since his 2016 debut in the second season of Netflix's Daredevil series. He reprised the role in his own spinoff which ran for two seasons before Netflix moved away from Marvel shows. Marvel Studios has since acknowledged the events of the Netflix franchise as being canon to the MCU, allowing Bernthal to return in Daredevil: Born Again.
His return in next year's Spider-Man movie won't be the only time we see him in 2026 as he will also star in his own standalone Disney Plus Special Presentation. But is a reunion with his Walking Dead co-star Yeun on the cards?
Other TWD stars to appear in Marvel projects include Danai Gurira, Lauren Ridloff, Matt Lintz, and Kerry Condon. Needless to say, fans would love to see Yeun add his name to that growing line of stars to make the jump from the TWD Universe to the MCU.
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