All anyone wants to talk about is who is going to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Of course, it’s hard to get upset about the tidal wave that is the movie, since it looks like an all-timer. Of the first three pieces of marketing released so far, two focus on characters whose big-screen days seemed behind them: Captain America and the X-Men. The idea of Steve Rogers and Cyclops sharing the screen is too good to ignore, but it doesn’t need to hog the entire spotlight. After all, Marvel Studios has another movie coming in 2026 that has just as much going for it.
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In typical Marvel Cinematic Universe fashion, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to give Peter Parker a couple of new allies. This time around, Punisher and the Hulk are going to be in his corner, helping him take down every threat that crosses his path. But superheroes aren’t the answer for every problem, especially in the love department. According to a new rumor from insider Daniel Ritchman, MJ will have a new boyfriend inย Brand New Day, and he will be played by none other thanย Eman Esfandi, who stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka.
Esfandi is a newcomer to a galaxy far, far away, making his franchise debut in 2023, but the character he plays is not. Ezra Bridger is the lead in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, a street rat who witnesses a group of rebels fighting back against the Empire and offers his services to them. Eventually, he learns the ways of the Force and becomes a Jedi. Ahsoka picks up after the events of Rebels, with Ezra stranded in another galaxy and in need of rescuing.
While Esfandi probably won’t get as much action in the MCU as he does in Star Wars initially, there’s certainly room for his role to grow, especially if fans get their way and he’s playing one of the key figures in Spider-Man lore.
Eman Esfandi Could Be Playing a Very Important Marvel Character

Rumors about MJ’s new boyfriend have been floating around long before Esfandi was attached to them. The prevailing theory is that she meets someone while she’s away at school, and there’s nothing Peter can do about it because she doesn’t remember who he is. But fans don’t seem to think MJ is going to gravitate toward just any guy; they believe that only someone on Harry Osborn’s level will do the trick.
If Esfandi is playing Harry, there’s a chance that Brand New Day doesn’t reveal it until the very end, wanting to set up stories down the line and not overstuff the one that he’s introduced in. No matter how the actor’s role is revealed, though, he’s a perfect fit for Harry, as he can portray a character that walks down both the light and dark paths with ease.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.
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