Spider-Man 4 Brings Tombstone to the Live-Action MCU With the Same Into the Spider-Verse Actor

File this under: did not see that coming. Marvin Jones III, who voiced Tombstone in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is reportedly jumping to live-action to play the same character in the MCU's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Deadline says it's happening. Marvel hasn't officially confirmed it yet, but if this sticks, it looks like the first time someone from the Spider-Verse movies has carried their role over into an MCU film.

Why this is a big swing

We've seen cross-pollination before, just in the other direction. Donald Glover played Aaron Davis as a regular guy in Spider-Man: Homecoming, then showed up again as a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Prowler variant in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Jones potentially making the leap from animated to live-action as the same villain is a different kind of weird, and honestly pretty fun, precedent.

So who is Tombstone again?

In the comics, Tombstone is a brutal crime boss with near-unbreakable, stone-like skin. The character is an African American man with albinism, which mirrors Jones himself. If you watched The CW's Black Lightning, you've already seen Jones bring similar energy to Tobias Whale, another white-haired crime lord who does not play nice.

One thing to keep in mind: the Tombstone Jones voiced exists in an alternate Spider-Verse timeline. So even if he's playing Tombstone in the MCU, don't expect it to be the exact same incarnation. Think of it as a smart bit of casting that opens the door for other Spider-Verse-to-live-action translations.

Does Tombstone fit Spider-Man 4?

Short answer: yeah. Brand New Day (call it Spider-Man 4 if you prefer) is said to be going more grounded and gritty, and a street-level boss like Tombstone slides right into that lane. The movie already has Jon Bernthal back as the Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk has been floated as a possibility. Mister Negative is another name that keeps popping up on the rumor mill.

The bigger MCU shuffle around this

Bernthal's Punisher recently made his official MCU return in Daredevil: Born Again, and Season 2 of that show is set to bring back Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. Comics-wise, Tombstone has thrown down with Luke Cage too. Mike Colter played Cage in the Netflix era, and while he hasn't been confirmed for a comeback, I'd be very into a Tombstone vs. Cage face-off if Marvel feels like making my day.

• Marvin Jones III is reportedly playing Tombstone in live-action for Spider-Man: Brand New Day (not officially confirmed yet).
• It's potentially the first time an actor has crossed from the Spider-Verse films into the MCU with the same role.
• Donald Glover previously cameoed as Aaron Davis in Homecoming and as a Prowler variant in Across the Spider-Verse.
• Tombstone basics: crime boss, stone-hard skin, African American with albinism; Jones also played crime lord Tobias Whale on Black Lightning.
• Don't expect the exact same Tombstone from the Spider-Verse timeline; this would be an MCU take.
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day is aiming for a grounded vibe; Punisher is in, Hulk is a maybe, Mister Negative is rumored.
• Elsewhere in the MCU: Punisher returned in Daredevil: Born Again; Jessica Jones is back in Season 2.
• Long shot wish-list item: a future Tombstone vs. Luke Cage matchup, if Mike Colter returns.
• Release date: Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in production for July 31, 2026.

Bottom line: If Deadline's right, Marvel is quietly blurring the lines between its animated Spider-Verse and the live-action MCU in a way that could get very interesting, very fast.