The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to theatrical projects as well as those available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. The shared universe has had some box office struggles recently, but the post-Endgame phase has also brought us beloved installments like Spider-Man: No Way Home. That movie included three Spider-Men and villains from the various franchises. It turns out Kirsten Dunst would have returned as MJ Watson if she was asked, and now I've got Zendaya-related FOMO.
The cast of Spider-Man: No Way Home was stacked, but there were a number of major characters who weren't included in the crossover event. Chief among them was Kirsten Dunst, who played MJ throughout Sam Raimi's trilogy. While speaking with GQ about her career, she was asked if she was asked to appear in No Way Home, saying:
No. No. I would have.
Well, there you have it. While Alfred Molina, Willam Defoe and more reprised their Spider-Man roles in that 2021 blockbuster, the Bring It On actress wasn't asked. And Dunst has expressed her interest in returning to the superhero genre, albeit for the paycheck that comes with genre work.
Kirsten Dunst played MJ to pitch perfection in the Sam Raimi trilogy (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), although she admitted the upside down kiss with Tobey Maguire wasn't great to film. I would have loved to see her in Spider-Man: No Way Home, especially if she got to share screentime with Zendaya's MJ.
When Zendaya was introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming she was simply named Michelle, before she revealed her friends call her MJ. This character is a new creation that isn't Mary Jane Watson, which is why I wish we could have seen Zendaya and Dunst share a scene in the acclaimed blockbuster.
While it was fun seeing the three Peters compare stories and abilities throughout No Way Home's runtime, I would have loved to see other characters swap stories. Since Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy died in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, that leaves just the two MJs.
Alas, Dunst didn't get to appear as Mary Jane in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But some fans are hoping this will happen in an upcoming Marvel movie, as the success of No Way Home has fans hoping for new sequels from the previous two franchises. What we know about Spider-Man 4 is extremely limited, so fans are largely in the dark about what's coming next.
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy is streaming on Disney+ alongside The Amazing Spider-Man and certain MCU titles. The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Deadpool 3 on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next trip to the movies. Hopefully we'll see Dunst return to the superhero genre soon.
