Spider-Man: Homecoming Producers Confirm The Twist Behind Zendaya’s Character

WARNING! HUGELY MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING LIE BELOW!

If you have gotten the chance to see Spider-Man: Homecoming, then you know the film ends on a surprising note. Fans watched as Peter Parker’s academic decathlon team prepared to move into its next year by asking Michelle to lead it. The observant girl accepts on the condition that her new friends call her ‘MJ’, and the fans promptly went nuts.

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After all, MJ is another name for one of Spider-Man’s greatest love interests. Michelle may be no Mary Jane, but fans are now left to wonder if Zendaya’s character will turn into the future wife of Peter Parker. However, according to the film’s producers, Michelle won’t necessarily take the same path Mary Jane does in the comics.

Speaking with IGN, Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Sony’s Amy Pascal commented on the actress’ role following the film’s premiere. When asked how the character twist came about, the president of Marvel Studios said the ‘twist’ was really meant to be more of an homage.

“We never even looked at it as a big reveal necessarily but more of just a fun homage to his past adventures and his past love. She’s not Mary Jane Watson. She never was Mary Jane Watson. She was always this new high school character, Michelle, who we know there’s an “M” in Michelle and an “M” in Mary. [laughs] So we’re so clever and we thought, “Wouldn’t it be neat if her initials were MJ?” And then I think it leaked that she would be playing MJ and then it became a whole headache for Zendaya to have to navigate,” Feige revealed. “It was never a big, “Oh my God, it’s a big reveal!” There are big reveals in the movie. That’s not one of them.”

“She is not going to end as being Mary Jane Watson,” Pascal added, confirming Michelle is a character in her own right.

“She’s not Mary-Jane Watson,” Feige said before tacking on, “Is she going to date Peter? Are they going to fall in love? She seems to be intrigued with him. There’s a nice chemistry there. Who knows what will happen in the future films?”

Judging by Feige’s words, there is a good chance Michelle might share at least some of the Spider-Man romance Mary Jane enjoys in the comics. As for everything else, there is little way for fans to tell how Zendaya’s character will progress. Michelle is not outwardly based on any one Marvel character, so the MCU has room to expand upon the girl however it pleases. But, if Zendaya has anything to say, you can bet Michelle will get a bigger part in the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming. After all, the girl’s bluntness and witty quips made Michelle a standout to fans the first time around.

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A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

The cast includes Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, JacobBatalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, with Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr. It also includes Jon Favreau, Martin Starr, Kenneth Choi, Michael Mando, Selenis Leyva, Isabella Amara, Jorge Lendeborg, Jr., JJ Totah, and Hannibal Buress.

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