Marvel Studios has quietly altered one of the most devastating details from Spider-Man: No Way Home, and its return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits even harder than before. Despite MJ and Ned having no memory of Peter following the events of No Way Home, both Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are confirmed to return in the fourth installment of Tom Holland's Spider-Man saga, with the first trailer showing that the memory spell will be addressed in some form or fashion.
When Peter Parker walked into the diner at the end of No Way Home, he was holding something that audiences barely got a glimpse of: a letter meant for MJ.
During the film's mid-credits sequence, a partial look at the note revealed a message that read: "Dear MJ, You don't know me, so this is going to sound pretty crazy. But actually, you do know me."
This is different than what is said (and shown) in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer.
The text Peter reads in the trailer aligns closely with what he was actually rehearsing out loud in No Way Home before entering the diner: "Hi, my name is Peter Parker, and you don't know me, but you..." suggesting that what we see in Brand New Day is maybe the final draft.
Based on the glimpse of the front and back of the letter in the Brand New Day trailer, plus Peter's voice-over, this is how the full letter reads:
"Hi, my name is Peter Parker, and you don't remember me, but I have something to tell you that's going to sound crazy. But it's the truth, and I know you're going to believe me, because you're very good at telling when I'm lying.
We used to know each other.We were together.
But something bad was going to happen to the world. And the only way to stop it was to make everyone forget me, including you.
Because I'm not just Peter Parker. I'm Spider-Man.
And sometimes, Spider-Man has to do the hard thing. Even if it breaks Peter Parker's heart.
Maybe I'll never read this to you. Maybe I'm just writing this for me. Maybe that's my responsibility, to live alone with the truth. But the truth is I love you. And I hope that deep down, something inside you remembers you love me too."
And when you read it in full, it's devastating, maybe even more so than originally thought. Peter doesn't just explain who he is, he explains who they were. He tells MJ they were together, that something terrible was coming, and that erasing himself from everyone's memory was the only way to stop it.
What makes it land so hard is the ending. After everything, the sacrifice, the isolation, the grief, Peter closes the letter not with anger or bitterness, but with "the truth is I love you. And I hope that deep down, something inside you remembers you love me too."
Now, four years have gone by since Peter decided not to actually tell MJ the truth, and kept her dafe from having to know Spider-Man (which inherently puts his loved ones in danger).
In the Brand New Day trailer, a brief shot reveals MJ and Ned's apartment wallpapered with photos and evidence surrounding Spider-Man, an investigation board that suggests the two are actively trying to piece together who the hero is (or maybe they're just fabs).
Though Doctor Strange's spell wiped their memories of Peter Parker, there's no reason for either Ned or MJ to forget at least interacting with Spider-Man before.
What may be surprising to many who expected a brand new direction, MJ and Ned are going to have substantial roles in the film, it seems, including a rooftop moment between the former couple.
Beyond a few party moments, including MJ's new hated boyfriend, Peter's love life isn't expected to be a major part of Brand New Day, besides still missing his past life.
Is Brand New Day's Canon Intact?
The short answer is yes. The slight differences between Peter's two versions of the letter are easily explained away (one was a probable draft, one was the final copy), and neither contradicts established canon in any meaningful way.
Elsewhere, the film appears to be threading continuity carefully. Peter's suit closely echoes the Final Swing suit from No Way Home, with minor updates that make perfect sense given that several years have passed.
Bruce Banner's Hulk Inhibitor wrist device keeps him canonically in human form, confirming the film is aware of where each character stands in the broader MCU.
There are still fascinating connective threads to watch unfold. How Brand New Day ties into Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, especially with Spider-Man receiving a key to the city in the trailer, will be worth tracking, as will Jon Bernthal's MCU film debut, bridging his role from The Punisher: One Last Kill.
Even Michael Mando's return as Mac Gargan after nine years lines up neatly, with Scorpion last seen behind bars in Homecoming.
