Homecoming The Zendaya is Mary Jane thread

[PeterBenParker]

If anything, Marc Webb's Gwen Stacy already borrowed quite a bit from Ultimate Mary Jane.

however, they may shy away from Ultimate MJ because TASM Gwen ( and SSM Gwen ) essentially filled that role ( fellow nerd who's also your best/childhood friend who becomes LI ).

I never got the vibe that Peter/Gwen were friends in TASM series. They exchanged names, had a run-in at Oscorp, played cute at school, she asked him over for dinner, he revealed his secret, they made out and were a couple. TASM2 is where they attempted to be friends but even then it was really lovey-dovey.

I will agree that the fellow nerd who becomes LI bit is totally USM, though.

 

[X Knight]

I never got the vibe that Peter/Gwen were friends in TASM series. They exchanged names, had a run-in at Oscorp, played cute at school, she asked him over for dinner, he revealed his secret, they made out and were a couple. TASM2 is where they attempted to be friends but even then it was really lovey-dovey.

I will agree that the fellow nerd who becomes LI bit is totally USM, though.

yeah, that's true. TASM Gwen didn't fulfill the best/childhood friend that Ultimate MJ does. SSM Gwen is much closer in that regard.

however, TASM Gwen was a fellow nerd who becomes the LI.

so, for that reason alone, they may not go that route again with Homecoming MJ, if MJ is indeed going to be the main LI.

they'll probably go back towards 616 / SSM MJ where she's the hot model/actress/party girl.

and they can differentiate Homecoming MJ from Raimi's MJ by NOT making her the girl next door / object of Peter's longing.

do it like 616 and SSM, where May tries to hook Peter up with MJ, but he's interested in a different girl ( Liz, Betty, etc. ) and avoids meeting MJ, but then at the end she shows up at his door with the Jackpot line.

 

[sl500jazz]

I meant in terms of being the popular girl the hero has a crush on. She fulfilled that role in the Raimi movies. Ultimate MJ was anything but popular, Flash even called her Brainy Jane. She wasn't the unreachable dream girl next door, she was the relatable close friend/secret keeper/would-be love interest. We'll see how they portray her in the movie if she is even there, I simply have a particular fondness for the Ultimate version.

The unattainable popular girl was mainly Liz Allan during Peter's high school days. That was adapted in the Raimi trilogy with Mary Jane filling Liz's role. I suspect we'll actually be getting a real Liz this time around (in which case it wouldn't work out for Peter).

616 Gwen and MJ were both beautiful and glamorous women (Romita really brought fashion to Spider-Man), but neither were presented as being too "unreachable" for Peter (by the Romita years, Peter was much less of a nerdy outcast).

I do like Ultimate Mary Jane, and think that she would probably be best suited for a film adaptation given the simplicity of her relationship with Peter. Personally, I prefer 616 MJ's vivacious personality in the way that it contrasts Peter's. Imo she's not only a more layered character, but also a more entertaining character. The more glamourous aspects of the character can be fun, if handled properly. I wouldn't want her to become a word-class supermodel though (it was a short-lived development that I've always hated). Maybe something more akin to what she was in the 70s? Hopefully, they'll find the right balance.

 

[sl500jazz]

I never got the vibe that Peter/Gwen were friends in TASM series. They exchanged names, had a run-in at Oscorp, played cute at school, she asked him over for dinner, he revealed his secret, they made out and were a couple. TASM2 is where they attempted to be friends but even then it was really lovey-dovey.

I will agree that the fellow nerd who becomes LI bit is totally USM, though.

Yeah childhood friends was one aspect that Ultimate MJ/Peter and TASM Gwen/Peter did not have in common. Imo it's why Peter revealing his secret in TASM wasn't quite as...effective...they had just met.

 

[Kurenai]

Only thing we know is that she'll be important in later installments while in this film her role is said to be small.

Hopefully other castings can give hints to what characters they're playing, and possibly what the storyline would be. That would actually help in finding out if Zendaya's role is small but substantial or just small.

Not very athletic for BC.

On her Disney show, she plays a spy, so she's learning fight choreography and stunt work, so if she is Black Cat, that would come in handy.

She's also two inches taller than Holland... For now. Holland probably tops out at 5'9 if he hasn't stopped growing already. It's going to be interesting.

She's 5'10 right now, depending on what shoes she wears she can be even taller. I don't know if she's stopped growing, but if she hasn't a thing to know would be that her mom is 6'4, and her dad is like 6'0 or 6'1, so Tom may never be taller her.

Fun fact: Her parents wanted her to be a basketball player like her mom.

 

[guyisnotcool]

Huh me and Zendaya are the same height. She probably looks taller to me because she stands next to short people and wears heels.

 

[PeterBenParker]

yeah, that's true. TASM Gwen didn't fulfill the best/childhood friend that Ultimate MJ does. SSM Gwen is much closer in that regard.

however, TASM Gwen was a fellow nerd who becomes the LI.

so, for that reason alone, they may not go that route again with Homecoming MJ, if MJ is indeed going to be the main LI.

they'll probably go back towards 616 / SSM MJ where she's the hot model/actress/party girl.

and they can differentiate Homecoming MJ from Raimi's MJ by NOT making her the girl next door / object of Peter's longing.

do it like 616 and SSM, where May tries to hook Peter up with MJ, but he's interested in a different girl ( Liz, Betty, etc. ) and avoids meeting MJ, but then at the end she shows up at his door with the Jackpot line.

Only thing I'd change is not ending it with MJ at the door.

I'd have 'em go to the dance, villain strikes, Peter has to leave and MJ saves a dance for him, Spidey/villain (hoping Vulture) battle in the gymnasium with the students fleeing while some watch (namely Flash to cheer on his idol), comedic bits where some students throw their trash or punch in Vulture's way, Spidey gets him out of the school to avoid any innocents being hurt, they have a final battle, Peter comes back realizing the dance is over but sees MJ waiting for him. They dance, say their goodbyes, Peter comes home and Aunt May asks him how his night went, he replies with a simple, "It was something.." and end credits.

After-credits? Tease for the next villain.

Yeah childhood friends was one aspect that Ultimate MJ/Peter and TASM Gwen/Peter did not have in common. Imo it's why Peter revealing his secret in TASM wasn't quite as...effective...they had just met.

Yeah, would've liked to see Peter hold off in revealing his identity to her or just not do it at all and go the route of Gwen loving Peter but hating Spider-Man..

Hopefully other castings can give hints to what characters they're playing, and possibly what the storyline would be. That would actually help in finding out if Zendaya's role is small but substantial or just small.

Yeah, mainly just sucks we're so in the dark.

 

[X Knight]

Only thing I'd change is not ending it with MJ at the door.

I'd have 'em go to the dance, villain strikes, Peter has to leave and MJ saves a dance for him, Spidey/villain (hoping Vulture) battle in the gymnasium with the students fleeing while some watch (namely Flash to cheer on his idol), comedic bits where some students throw their trash or punch in Vulture's way, Spidey gets him out of the school to avoid any innocents being hurt, they have a final battle, Peter comes back realizing the dance is over but sees MJ waiting for him. They dance, say their goodbyes, Peter comes home and Aunt May asks him how his night went, he replies with a simple, "It was something.." and end credits.

After-credits? Tease for the next villain.

I'd be fine with that scenario.

 

[Kurenai]

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Zendaya is not going to be MJ.

 

[Kurenai]

The fact that there are so many gifs I can just pull from internet shows she has some dedicated fans

Zendaya is not going to be MJ.

We'll have to see if that's true, in the mean her possibly being MJ, Felicia, or a new character all seem pretty equal options.

 

[PeterBenParker]

Yeah..that's MJ to me should they go that route.

 

[mustapantteri]

She's freaking hot and fashionable. I hope she's MJ. I never buy Kirsten's MJ.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

We'll have to see if that's true, in the mean her possibly being MJ, Felicia, or a new character all seem pretty equal options.

I think new character.

 

[harryoscop]

That would be a complete and utter waste not to mention evidence pointing against it.

 

[Talion]

She's freaking hot and fashionable. I hope she's MJ. I never buy Kirsten's MJ.

I think she could be a great MJ as well. Or Felicia Hardy. Or Michelle Ayala. Can't picture her as either Gwen or Liz tho.

 

[Ctfxcwatcher]

Zendaya is stunning and has a great fashion sense. She also has a fun personality. I've seen her Disney show and I think she's really good in it. She comes across as likable to. I'm so curious to see how she will do in this movie and her chemistry with Tom, whatever her role ends up being.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

not sure what her personally fashion sense has to do with anything, when it comes to the character she is playing, I mean, the wardrobe department will be picking all her clothes for her

just saying

 

[Johnny-Oh]

If I had to choose a role for her it would probably be Gwen, and hopefully they do the Death of Gwen Stacy in the first movie

But seriously if she HASwhatever to be an important character I would prefer if she plays Felicia instead of MJ.

 

[Ctfxcwatcher]

[.]

 

[PeterBenParker]

edit

 

[Doctor Octopus]

But seriously if she HASwhatever to be an important character I would prefer if she plays Felicia instead of MJ.

Agreed.

 

[TeeKay]

Will there be fan out rage if she turns out to be MJ?

 

[X Knight]

Will there be fan out rage if she turns out to be MJ?

yes.

if there's outrage over MBJ being Human Torch in FF or whitewashing ( and gender changing ) the Ancient One in Dr. Strange or Shailene Woodley not being hot enough for MJ in the TASM movies, then I fully expect outrage if they race change an iconic character like MJ.

I will be part of that fan outrage if that happens.

Now, how long that outrage lasts is another story..........

but I fully expect there will be a backlash.

And it also depends on their public statements and reasoning for the casting.

If it becomes clear they wanted to race change the character for the sake of a more diverse cast and thus looked only at actresses with that particular ethnicity, then that would be the worst kind of reasoning and would engender the biggest backlash.

If, however, they tested actresses from a variety of ethnicities with no particular race in mind, and cast the girl they felt captured the essence and spirit of the character the best ( in this case, Zendaya ), that would be a more acceptable rationale. There will still be backlash, but it may not be as strong or last as long. especially if a pic or trailer comes out and people say "Yeah, I see MJ in her."

 

[Abudefduf]

Um... yeah, she looks exactly like how Mary Jane would look if she were biracial.
I don't always approve of racebending (it depends on the context), but in this specific case, I say ****ing go for it, she'll be perfectly fine.