Spider-Man Fans Divided Over Zendaya’s MCU Future
After No Way Home’s emotional ending, Spider-Man fans are split: should Zendaya’s MJ return, or is it time for Peter Parker to move on? The debate heats up as new theories emerge.
The aftermath of Spider-Man: No Way Home left punters gutted, with Peter Parker’s identity wiped from everyone’s memory—including MJ, played by Zendaya. While some are hanging out to see how she might reappear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, others are wary about undoing the film’s powerful ending by reuniting her with Tom Holland’s Peter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
There’s a growing call among fans to introduce a fresh face as Peter’s new love interest, with Sadie Sink’s mysterious casting fuelling speculation. One theory doing the rounds suggests Sink could be playing Jean Grey, who briefly dates Peter before he realises he’s still hung up on MJ. According to the theory, Jean would eventually help MJ recover her memories of Peter by the film’s close.
Fan Reactions: New Love Interest or Stick With MJ?
Despite the buzz around a new romance, many fans are pushing back, worried that bringing MJ back would spoil the emotional punch of No Way Home’s ending. Some reckon it’s time to wrap up MJ’s story and let Peter move forward with someone new, perhaps even Gwen Stacy or another classic character from the comics.
Others are poking holes in the Jean Grey theory, pointing out that mutants from the X-Men universe haven’t really crossed paths with Spider-Man in the MCU, and that Peter and Jean’s comic book history is pretty thin. As one fan put it,
Nooo… this should not happen, first of all It'll ruin that perfect ending that we got in NWH and secondly they should end MJ's story and introduce someone new, Like sadie playing either Gwen Stacy or other love interests that peter had in comics.
Another chimed in,
ending a relationship with jean would be absolutely wild especially to go back to mj ☠️
while some questioned the logic of mutants just popping up in Peter’s world out of nowhere. There’s also the suggestion that Kitty Pryde, who actually dated Peter in Ultimate Spider-Man, would make more sense as a new love interest than Jean Grey.
Zendaya’s MJ: Should Her Story End Here?
It’s not hard to see why some are keen for Zendaya’s MJ to stay out of Peter’s life, at least for now. The ending of No Way Home saw Peter promise to tell MJ everything after Doctor Strange’s spell, only to realise she no longer recognises him. The heartbreak in that coffee shop scene hit home for heaps of viewers.
With Peter now on his own, having lost MJ, Ned, and Aunt May, he’s left to start over in a tiny flat, no one remembering who he is. It’s understandable he’d want to keep his mates safe by not dragging them back into his world. Still, some argue that Zendaya’s return could give Peter the hope he needs to keep going, after losing just about everyone close to him.
What’s Next for Spider-Man’s Love Life?
There’s a fair bit of debate about whether bringing MJ back would stop Peter—and the franchise—from moving forward. Some reckon it’s time for new faces and fresh stories, while others feel Peter’s sacrifice was already a big ask, and he deserves a shot at happiness, even if it means reconnecting with someone from his past.
The upcoming film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and will feature a cast including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, and more. It’s currently slated for release on 31 July 2026.
Where do you stand? Should MJ return, or is it time for Peter to move on? Let us know what you reckon in the comments below.