Ever since it was announced that Spider-Man would be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans have been itching to see Miles Morales join the superhero cast in a live-action format. Some fans even wanted the MCU to skip over Peter Parker in favor of starting with Miles Morales. Following the blockbuster hits of the animated films Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales has reached a much wider audience who are dying to see him in live-action.

Update October 20, 2023: 2023 has been a big year for Miles Morales, so in honor of the release of both Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Insomniac's new video game, Spider-Man 2, this article has been updated with even more actors who can play Miles Morales in the MCU.

Even Tom Holland himself wants Miles Morales to take over the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise. Currently, it is unknown what the future of Spider-Man in the MCU is, but one thing fans are sure of is that sooner or later, they want to see Miles Morales join the franchise. As expectations and impatience grow bigger, let's look at possible candidates for the role of live-action Miles Morales.

Lonnie Chavis

MOV_Lonnie Chavis_This is us
NBC

Lonnie Chavis might be the better choice in the whole ranking in the MCU wants a young Miles, someone experienced who can grow in the role and eventually take over Tom Holland in the MCU. The 15-year-old has already made waves as Randall Pearson in the show This is Us with several nomination awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

He's also worked alongside Hollywood royalty, such as Rosario Dawson, Adam DeVine, and Kevin Hart, in multiple projects. Not only is this kid an accomplished actor, but he's also a real-life superhero who started his own rallying movement against bullying using social media with the hashtag #FixYourHeart.

Chase W. Dillion

The cast of Haunted Mansion
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

While many people did not see Haunted Mansion in theaters, those who did all agreed that it was young Chase W. Dillion who stole the show. At only 14, Dillion has already shown an incredible talent to hold his own with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. He could easily step into the role of Miles Morales, first as a protegee of Peter Parker before growing literally and figuratively into the franchise's lead.

Brett Johnson

MOV_Brett Johnson-Five feet apart
Netflix

Miles Morales could work with a low-profile actor who gets to grow in the role. Brett Austin Johnson was born in Washington, D.C., on 12th May 1997, and while he might be a bit too old for the part at 26, he could be a great choice if Miles is introduced as someone in his mid-20s; Johnson made his acting debut in the television documentary Swamp Murders in 2016. He played Randy Metcalfe. He would later star in the film Five Feet Apart in 2019, taking on the role of Jason. His work might not be as impressive as others on the list, but he certainly has the acting chops to grow in the role.

Michael Rainey Jr.

MOV_Michael Rainey Jr._Amateur
Netflix

Now, if you want your Mile Morales to be a real-life hero, it doesn't get any better than Michael Rainey Jr. This young American-Jamaican actor is a big-time ambassador for the charity "Find and Feed," an Indiana-based organization that cares for people without housing.

You can see his acting chops alongside rapper Ice Cube in Barbershop: The Next Cut or the Ryan Koo-directed basketball drama Amateur. He's also had supporting roles in popular shows such as Orange Is the New Black, but his most famous role to date is Tariq St. Patrick in the show Power, Power Book II: Ghost, and Power Book IV: Force.

Jharrel Jerome

Jharrel Jerome in When They See Us should be Miles Morales
Netflix

Jharrel Jerome is an American actor and rapper born in 1997 to an Afro-Latino family. A young actor who should be more appreciated, he is best known for his Primetime Emmy Award-winning performance as Korey Wise in When They See Us, telling a true story of falsely accused young boys due to racial profiling. Jerome also starred in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama Moonlight, where he portrayed teen Kevin (Chiron's love interest).

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His other projects are the American drama film Selah And the Spades and the American western drama Concrete Cowboy. Since Jerome is an Afro-Latino and lives in NYC, just like Miles Morales, he would almost be the perfect choice for the role. He is a bit too old for the role now, so if they ever go for an older version, the MCU would nail their casting.

Dallas Dupree Young

MOV_Dallas Dupree Young_Cobra kai
Netflix

Young American actor Dallas Dupree Young is no stranger to the action-comedy formula, which Marvel Studios often uses in their movies. He plays a major protagonist-turned-major antagonist in the Netflix martial arts comedy-drama series Cobra Kai. With additional roles in the Nickelodeon sitcom Cousins for Life and the family drama TV series The Fosters, Young is a great candidate for the role of live-action Miles Morales. He also already has the martial arts training to play a superhero.

Miles Brown

Miles Brown in Blackish should be Miles Morales
ABC

Miles Brown is an 18-year-old American actor best known for his role in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. After his selfie with Tom Holland and Zendaya, Brown got immediately fan-cast as Miles Morales. Many are finding interesting similarities between the animated character and the actor. Even the actor himself admitted on The Ellen Show that his dream is to become the next Spider-Man. If the MCU wants to get it right with the casting choices, here they have an actor of Miles Morales' ethnicity and a similar age. There's no doubt that if they ever decide to make a live-action Morales movie, Brown is going to audition.

Rhenzy Feliz

Rhenzy Feliz in Runaways should be Miles Morales
Hulu

Born in the Bronx and of Dominican descent, Rhenzy Feliz is best known for his role of Alex Wilder in Marvel's Runaways and as Camilo Madrigal in Encanto. Many argue that despite having only a few lines in Encanto, Camilo's voice actor stole the show and deserves to have a singing career and many albums. Most of Feliz's mentions on Twitter are people suggesting him as live-action Miles Morales, and we're honestly here for it.

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The actor deserves more recognition, and playing Morales would give him an opportunity to showcase his acting skills on a bigger scale. Despite The Runaways being a Marvel property, it seems that Marvel Studios is not treating it as canon, opening the door for Feliz to take on the role.

Abraham Attah

MOV_Abraham Attah_Tazmanian devil
1091 Pictures.

Yeah, we know including Abraham Attah in the ranking is a bit of cheating since he already plays Abe Brown in the MCU, and he's already played a role in Homecoming. However, his character is never addressed as such in the films, and we know his name only if we go by the credits of both films. Plus, he has the right look for the part despite being 22 years old and has plenty of experience to take on the role. Abraham comes from Ghana and was born in 2001. He got his big break by playing a child soldier in Beasts of No Nation, which earned him critical praise and multiple awards in the film festival circuit.

Asante Blackk

MOV_Asante Blackk-This is Us
NBC

Asante Blackk has yet to make the jump to the big screen, but he already has a longstanding career in television. Born Asante Duah Ma'at, this young American award-winning actor is best known for his recurring role as Malik Hodges in the series This is Us, which earned him a Critics' Choice Television Award for outstanding performance. He had already made a big impression playing the role of Kevin Richardson in the show When They See Us, which helped him land his first Primetime Emmy Award Nomination. His calm demeanor could give him the perfect gravitas to play a more grounded version of Miles Morales.

Jaden Smith

Jaden Smith in The Get Down should be Miles Morales
Netflix

American rapper and actor Jaden Smith started acting alongside his father, Will Smith, in movies such as The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth. He is best known for his roles in Karate Kid and The Day The Earth Stood Still. Smith took a break from acting for approximately seven years to fully focus on his music, only to return in 2017 when he starred in the Netflix original The Get Down.

There have been many rumors already that Smith may have been considered/cast for the live-action role of Miles Morales. Will Smith encouraged speculation on Jaden Smith's MCU casting. "My son is preparing himself physically and mentally to get a place as one of the characters who will make history for the first time in the saga of a movie that many already know and ask for," he said in a statement reported by POPTime.

Caleb McLaughlin

Caleb McLaughlin in Stranger Things
Netflix

Caleb McLaughlin is famous for his role of Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things. He has also previously performed on the Broadway stage as Young Simba in The Lion King and made his movie debut in Concrete Cowboy. Many argue that McLaughlin is indeed the real-life Miles Morales, often pointing out how even the resemblance in their outfits is truly uncanny. The actor certainly is primed for big things, and being a major superhero would not be a bad move for his career.