Marvel Studios finally revealed exactly how old Aunt May is in the MCU, sparking a fresh wave of discussion among fans. The confirmation reignited conversations not only about the character's on-screen portrayal but also actress Marisa Tomei's real-life age. Tomei, who played Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) aunt across the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, has notably been seen as a younger version of the character compared to past iterations.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day set photos confirmed that Peter Parker will visit Aunt May's grave in the upcoming film. The emotional moment calls back to Spider-Man: No Way Home, where the character tragically died after delivering the iconic "With great power, there must also come great responsibility" line to Peter.
In the latest images, Tom Holland’s Peter is seen bundled up in winter clothes as he stands by his aunt’s tombstone, a scene that also teased Zendaya's return as MJ despite her character’s memory loss at the end of No Way Home.
However, the biggest reveal from these photos is what May's gravestone actually says. For the first time, the MCU confirmed that she was 60 years old at the time of her death, the exact same age Tomei is currently.
When No Way Home premiered in 2021, Tomei had just turned 57, having been born on December 4, 1964. In the MCU's timeline, factoring in the Blip from Avengers: Infinity War, Aunt May would have been technically 55 years old when she died, but the gravestone's date affirms her canonical age in-universe.
Fans have been quick to react to the reveal on X. One user, Guy Who Loves Apples, pointed this out: "55 because she got blipped."
This also verifies that the second half of No Way Home took place in 2024, as May's tombstone dates were previously obscured in that film, leaving the exact timing up for debate.
Another fan, Angela Morales, expressed surprise over May's age, writing, "1964?? She was playing 60?? I thought she was more like 40."
User Zoddo added their own surprise as well following the confirmation, "At first im like, she's not sixty, now after learning the actress’s age, I am shocked."
Others noticed another detail in the scene, with Ruly Muhammad asking, "No Ben Parker's grave next to her????"
The absence of Uncle Ben's grave will likely fuel further speculation, especially since the MCU never directly addressed the character on-screen or cast an actor for flashbacks or photographs. However, it's also not confirmed if Ben ever existed, as in Spider-Man: Homecoming, after Ned (Jacob Batalon) finds out Peter is Spider-Man and asks if May knows, Peter tells him that "May cannot know" after "everything that's happened with her."
For now, the main takeaway is that Brand New Day is finally confirming a detail about May while simultaneously confusing the masses over the fact that Tomei is 60 years old.
Spider-Man fans have been feasting lately with updates, from fresh set photos of Holland sporting a stunning new Spider-Man suit to the confirmation that Mark Ruffalo's Hulk will appear in the movie. Add in a bevy of theories about the film's mysterious villains, and the excitement surrounding Brand New Day shows no signs of slowing down.
Aunt May's Lasting Impact on Spider-Man
In the MCU, Aunt May served as Peter Parker's moral compass, grounding him in empathy and, of course, responsibility. Her final moments in Spider-Man: No Way Home solidified her as the Uncle Ben figure for this version of Peter, shaping his identity as a hero.
Her influence will likely continue to guide Peter's decisions, especially now that he's operating anonymously without the safety net of friends, family, or super-powered mentors like Tony Stark or Doctor Strange.
Whether he's facing street-level criminals like Michael Mando's Scorpion or joining larger battles like Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, the memory of May's sacrifice could push Peter toward protecting others at any cost.
