Zendaya's role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day was teased in a new rumor, which might leave her fans somewhat disappointed with what to expect in the next movie. A veteran of three MCU movies, Zendaya has a jam-packed schedule over the next few years. Taking her recent MCU history into account as well, questions are being asked about how substantial her role will be in her return to the world of Spider-Man.
A new rumor teased what to expect from Zendaya's role as Michelle Jones-Watson in Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Even after Spider-Man: No Way Home's dramatic ending, Zendaya's place in Spider-Man 4 was expected to come to fruition almost immediately upon the film being greenlit. However, the extent of her role has gone up and down in various reports, setting up plenty of mystery regarding how much she will impact the sequel.
Scooper Daniel Richtman shared a rumor that Zendaya will have "an important role" in Brand New Day as she returns to the MCU alongside Tom Holland and Jacob Batalon. However, he also noted that it will not come with "a lot of screentime," seemingly setting Zendaya up for a smaller role than initially expected.
While Richtman did not offer specifics, this rumor makes sense when looking at MJ's current standing in the MCU's greater story. Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with Doctor Strange casting a spell to make the world forget about Peter Parker's existence, which included MJ. Peter and MJ met again when he came to get coffee from her, prepared to tell her who he really was, but he stopped himself after only telling MJ his name.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the fourth solo Spider-Man film in the MCU and the second film released as part of Marvel Studios' Phase 6 slate. Starring Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Sadie Sink, the film will pick up with Peter Parker in a world unaware of his existence as he tries to pull his life back together. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now filming and will be released in theaters on July 31, 2026.
Why Reduced Role for Zendaya’s MJ in Spider-Man: Brand New Day Makes Sense
Considering Zendaya's status as one of the world's most famous actors, many initially banked on Sony and Marvel giving MJ a big role in Brand New Day to capitalize on her draw with fans. However, taking the MCU story into account, a reduced role for Zendaya in the fourth Spider-Man movie makes plenty of sense.
Depending on how long after No Way Home this takes place, Peter Parker and MJ may still not be close to where they used to be, even as friends, much less as a couple. Peter is likely still holding tight to his unexpectedly secret identity in this film, and many expect that he will be even more careful than he was before about who he shares it with.
On top of that, this movie is set to feature at least two superheroes in Jon Bernthal's Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk. With more expected to be big players in Spider-Man's next solo adventure, the civilian side of his life may not get as much shine as it did in his original trilogy.
Even so, the report teases Zendaya's smaller role still being important in the grand scheme of the story, which could mean big changes to MJ's relationship with Peter Parker. No matter how it plays out, all eyes will be on Sony and Marvel as one of the MCU's most popular power couples reunites with one another again.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
