The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become an absolute behemoth in both TV and film. The shared universe is constantly expanding, especially as we continue trekking through phase 3. And with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 now in theaters and making tons of money, the time has come to look to the next installment: Spider-Man: Homecoming. The highly anticipated film will focus on teens and a diverse cast in the MCU's version of Queens, New York. One member of this cast is none other than teen star Zendaya, who was rumored to be playing Mary Jane Watson. But the actress has recently opened up about her character.
Zendaya recently spoke to MTV about her mysterious role in the highly anticipated blockbuster. She took the time to clarify that she's most certainly NOT playing Mary Jane, saying:
My character is 100 percent Michelle. That's her name. I promise you I'm not lying. She's definitely a different character. I think, you know, this is a character that I could have fun with and just really create what I wanted to make her.
Well, that certainly seems cut and dry. It looks like Zendaya is playing an original character for Spider-Man: Homecoming, rather than Peter Parker's most famous love interest from the comics.
The rumors of Zendaya's possible role as Mary Jane began circulating as soon as the Disney Channel star was announced as a cast member. Mary Jane Watson is one of the most iconic characters from the Spider-Man comics, serving as a red headed love interest for the nerdy Peter Parker. She was played famously by Kirsten Dunst in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, while The Amazing Spider-Man franchise chose to sidestep and focus on Emma Stone's Gwen Stacey.
And since we got a small break from MJ, it would stand to reason that the MCU would choose to bring the character back to the silver screen. Alas, instead we're going to be introduced to the new character Michelle, who was shown serving serious sass in Spider-Man: Homecoming's trailer. Zendaya explained this dynamic to her character.
She says weird things at the wrong time, but I think that's why people will like her.
It looks like Peter Parker and his buddy Ned aren't going to be the only socially awkward characters in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Peter is in a high school for gifted teens, so we'll likely see a fair amount of quirkiness from the full ensemble. And with the use of comedy being one of the MCU's strongest suits, this will likely help keep the Homecoming light, balancing out the high stakes and fight against evil that Peter Will be embarking on.
Spider-Man: Homecoming will arrive in theaters on July 5th. Be sure to check out our full 2017 premiere list and plan your next trip to the movies.
