Spider-Man: No Way Home actress Zendaya reflected on her character’s time with Tom Holland's Peter Parker in a special new book.
Ever since Tom Holland’s first MCU film in 2017, the webhead has been tangled up in one of the MCU’s biggest romantic storylines—sitting just behind Tony and Pepper and Steve and Peggy.
Sadly, unlike those two pairings, who both had notable stretches of happy times together, MJ and Peter’s were cut short thanks to Spider-Man needing to wipe the world’s memory of his existence to save the Multiverse. As it currently stands in the MCU, MJ has no idea who Peter Parker is.
If one thinks about it, their love story is certainly one of the more tragic plot threads in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Zendaya Reflects on MJ’s Young Romance
Marvel just released Spider-Man: No Way Home The Official Movie Special Book, where in its pages, via Twitter user @backtosnack_TTV, actress Zendaya shared some new quotes reminiscing on MJ’s brief time with Spider-Man.
The star noted that the most “heartbreaking thing” for her was how the two only got “a few weeks to enjoy being kids in a new relationship and in love:”
“The heartbreaking thing, for me, as someone who cares about Peter and MJ, is the fact that they got probably just a few weeks to enjoy being kids in a new relationship and in love...and then everything explodes in their face. I was like, ‘No, they deserve happiness!’
She continued, pointing out how MJ’s love for Peter was “clear from the first movie:”
"I think what's important is they [MJ and Peter] love each other for who they are. It's clear from the first movie that she's probably loved him long before she figured out that he was Spider-Man. And he appreciates and loves all her quirky takes on life."
It wasn’t just young love either. Zendaya explained that both lovebirds “[understood] each other on a real human level:”
"What's cool is [MJ and Peter] each understand each other on a real human level, which allows them to be more vulnerable. That has been the fun thing: watching her become more vulnerable as she knows that Peter loves her.”
She admitted that one part of the dynamic she enjoyed was how MJ’s “glass half empty” attitude reacted wonderfully to Peter’s “hopeful, positive side:”
"[MJ is] a very ‘glass half empty,’ negative person, but he [Peter] brings out this hopeful, positive side of her. I think that's really sweet to watch - how they bring out these different parts of each other and rely on each other in different ways."
She then aimed to word why those characters and their relationship connected with audiences so much:
“The things that we as human beings can relate to, which are friendship and love and loss and guilt. . . . I mean, we may not have superpowers, but we all know what it's like to go through these things. No matter how big a movie can be, it still feels connected to us."
What Does the Future Hold for MJ and Peter Parker?
Despite their unhappy ending on screen, both Zendaya and Tom Holland have actually had their own little love story going. In fact, it was something one of the film’s producers even tried to warn against—efforts that clearly went nowhere.
But what about their fictional counterparts?
While not many teases are given in No Way Home, the film’s script actually contains quite a notable hint as to the duo’s future.
On the page, it’s revealed that during her last scene with Peter Parker in the coffee shop, MJ has a “flicker of déjà vu.” While it’s a small thing, it’s something, and it leaves the door open for an emotional reunion going forward.
As for when Spider-Man 4 will be landing, a release date isn’t known just yet. Many estimates pointed toward the summer of 2024, but given how packed Marvel Studios’ slate is, that specific release date feels unlikely to happen.
At the very least, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that they are hard at work penning the story to the fourth entry. So, hopefully, new information is only right around the corner.
