Homecoming The Zendaya is Mary Jane thread

[X Knight]

Why all the secrecy of her playing Mary Jane?

Also the hidden name reveal is stupid. It generally always backfires.

I think the secrecy angle is silly.

exactly.

if you want to change the race and cast Zendaya as MJ, just do it. and make it known from the beginning.

and then call her MJ and make her character look like MJ in terms of being a hot bombshell ( which Zendaya is perfectly capable of ).

why have to drastically change her look and be so secretive with her real identity and name?

why overcomplicate?

 

[X Knight]

They won't, most likely. I think there will be a running gag where she tries to say her name but gets interrupted by one of the characters or a loud sound

I'm sorry......but that just sounds so ******* stupid.

and I don't mean that as an offense to you, harry. I'm directing that towards the director and creative team if thy do decide to go that route.

 

[TheVileOne]

Maybe the way the story is written, her name just doesn't come up until a certain part.

FYI, in some movies, characters are never named at all. FYI, in Pirates of the Carribbean, Pintel and Ragetti are never actually called Pintel and Ragetti until At World's End.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

They won't, most likely. I think there will be a running gag where she tries to say her name but gets interrupted by one of the characters or a loud sound

Zendaya mentioned at comic con that her character tends to pop in and out of the movie.

She'll be teased until her big reveal...

Spoiler

Liz Allan is still the main female lead.

They're setting up Zendaya for future films.

 

[TheVileOne]

OK, the casting of Mary Jane is the way it is. Marvel Studios actually has done this quite a few times over the years, especially in TV. Gender and race bending characters.

However, while they will gender and race bend certain characters, they won't do that to the main marquee or titular heroes.

So if the problem is truly a lack of diversity in these films, does changing the races or genders of the supporting characters truly help when all the main stars of these projects are kept white? Just saying...

 

[Spider-Gnome]

Just s thought, maybe the director wanted a more Spidey Loves MJ type MJ during this movie and by the end of the movie we get the 616 type MJ. That way they get to explore two different iterations of MJ.

 

[Dave]

I mean, the argument whenever people complain about a movie being all white is that "they just cast the best actors for the role," so it's possible they just cast Zendaya because she gave the best audition. She's clearly gorgeous, so that takes care of that character trait. I don't think Mary Jane needs to be white in every adaptation of Spider-Man from here to eternity, but she should definitely have red hair. Hopefully if they really do go with a big reveal scene, she has red hair by the end.

 

[FlareKnight]

The whole situation seems weird. Of course nothing is really confirmed here. For all we know she is still playing an original character and it was all a bunch of confusion created by nothing.

But, treating it as if it is true....I don't know. Agree that I don't love the idea of losing the iconic characteristics of the character (redhead, her personality and popularity). Doesn't seem like they will do anything in regards to the hair colour which is a shame.

Of course the whole discussion there is going to be lost on the internet as a whole as a big race thing. That's all anyone reporting on this thing is going to care about.

Hopefully they know what they are doing. They might want to re-think the whole secrecy thing if they are planning on that for the movie.

 

[harryoscop]

Zendaya mentioned at comic con that her character tends to pop in and out of the movie.

She'll be teased until her big reveal...

Spoiler

Liz Allan is still the main female lead.

They're setting up Zendaya for future films.

Yeah.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Thinking about it; why am I annoyed by Zendaya playing MJ?
I had no argument about Tony playing Flash Thompson.

 

[MadVillainy]

OK, the casting of Mary Jane is the way it is. Marvel Studios actually has done this quite a few times over the years, especially in TV. Gender and race bending characters.

However, while they will gender and race bend certain characters, they won't do that to the main marquee or titular heroes.

So if the problem is truly a lack of diversity in these films, does changing the races or genders of the supporting characters truly help when all the main stars of these projects are kept white? Just saying...

Been saying this for a while.

That's one of the reasons why most of these racebending stuff never moves me.

 

[TheVileOne]

Thinking about it; why am I annoyed by Zendaya playing MJ?
I had no argument about Tony playing Flash Thompson.

Because you're racist .

LOL, I kid I kid.

 

[NotSoLongAgo]

Just s thought, maybe the director wanted a more Spidey Loves MJ type MJ during this movie and by the end of the movie we get the 616 type MJ. That way they get to explore two different iterations of MJ.

Yeah she has a whole phase in that book where she's like a freak in freaks and geeks. I dunno. Considering the whole unobtainable party girl image is just that, an image and a facade they could do this and still stay true to the character. It'll once again end up in a better developed character. Thats if it even happens.

 

[JOE]

Her name is revealed at the end of the movie or the final act i'm assuming. Michelle was just a cover name used by the Director

There's a possibility her name could actually be Michelle and her last name starts with a J? When her and Peter are more on a nickname basis she can say, you can call me MJ. Something along those lines wouldn't bother me either, it doesn't have to be Mary Jane.

 

[Loki882]

Zendaya has dyed her hair red before (or at least worn red wigs before) if I'm not mistaken. So if this is true, then I'd think that she'd most likely just do that again.

And as others have said, they could pull the "MJ reveal" in the film's version of the "face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot" scene.

 

[FlareKnight]

There's a possibility her name could actually be Michelle and her last name starts with a J? When her and Peter are more on a nickname basis she can say, you can call me MJ. Something along those lines wouldn't bother me either, it doesn't have to be Mary Jane.

That could easily be the case and a good reason why her character doesn't have a last name right now. Though could also be a middle name with the "J."

If they go that route I think it'll be fine. Since she won't actually be Mary Jane Watson. Just an original character filling that space. And still leaving the option to introduce Mary Jane later on.

At least I'd prefer her character to be Michelle so it wouldn't be outright lying to people.

 

[TheVileOne]

If I read that quote properly, she's not even going to have a major role in the movie.

The model stuff doesn't fly with me. You don't need to be a model in order to play a character with model good looks or one who is a part-time model in a story.

I'm not against her playing the character. However, her acting work has never really impressed me that much before, but maybe she can surprise us.

 

[Spider-Gnome]

There's a possibility her name could actually be Michelle and her last name starts with a J? When her and Peter are more on a nickname basis she can say, you can call me MJ. Something along those lines wouldn't bother me either, it doesn't have to be Mary Jane.

Nah, if they are making her MJ then make her Mary Jane.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

yup, this is gonna be a robin john blake thing, but it will actually be done right this time.

maybe she makes everyone call her Michelle because the Mary Jane name is so outdated.

 

[TheVileOne]

Zendaya has dyed her hair red before (or at least worn red wigs before) if I'm not mistaken. So if this is true, then I'd think that she'd most likely just do that again.

And as others have said, they could pull the "MJ reveal" in the film's version of the "face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot" scene.

She's a mixed race actress playing Mary Jane Watson. We are sort of past the point of worrying about, is she a redhead or not. That's not meant to be an insult. What I mean is, the whole redhead part of her character is sort of gone at this point. She's not playing redheaded MJ if she is MJ.

 

[Havok83]

She's a mixed race actress playing Mary Jane Watson. We are sort of past the point of worrying about, is she a redhead or not. That's not meant to be an insult. What I mean is, the whole redhead part of her character is sort of gone at this point. She's not playing redheaded MJ if she is MJ.

Agreed. They already changed her race. Her hair color at this point is kind of irrelevant. They should go with what she looks best as (and thats darker hair) as opposed to giving her an unnatural look

 

[Jake Cassidy]

OK, the casting of Mary Jane is the way it is. Marvel Studios actually has done this quite a few times over the years, especially in TV. Gender and race bending characters.

However, while they will gender and race bend certain characters, they won't do that to the main marquee or titular heroes.

So if the problem is truly a lack of diversity in these films, does changing the races or genders of the supporting characters truly help when all the main stars of these projects are kept white? Just saying...

Aquaman

 

[MadVillainy]

OK, the casting of Mary Jane is the way it is. Marvel Studios actually has done this quite a few times over the years, especially in TV. Gender and race bending characters.

However, while they will gender and race bend certain characters, they won't do that to the main marquee or titular heroes.

So if the problem is truly a lack of diversity in these films, does changing the races or genders of the supporting characters truly help when all the main stars of these projects are kept white? Just saying...

Been saying this for a while.

That's one of the reasons why most of these racebending stuff never moves me.

 

[FlareKnight]

Aquaman

Well Marvel was specifically mentioned and....unless something changed I think that's a DC character .

 

[Schlosser85]

this.

it's not so much about the race change anymore. It's that, based on what she looked like in the set pics, they are TOTALLY CHANGING the character herself.

As you said, MJ is supposed to be the hot, bombshell, jackpot. Even nerdy MJ in Ultimate was hot. Even nerdy Gwen in SSM was beautiful.

here, they've suppressed Zendaya's beauty to maker her very plain, average, and frumpy looking. for what will presumably be a transformation into a stunning beauty by the end of the film.

if that's the route they are going to take, I'm sorry. That is NOT MJ!!

That is another character.

MJ does NOT go from conservative, frumpy looking wallflower to stunning beauty. She is supposed to be the wild, fun loving party girl who's so beautiful she would be "unobtainable" and out of Peter's league. But the fact they end up together - that the nerd does get the beauty - makes their relationship that much sweeter.

Change that and you change the whole character. and that's my biggest problem with this. It would be like making Peter a jock/athlete before the spider bite - it's NOT THE SAME THING!!

And it's not just Zendaya's MJ that bothers me.

It's the fact that I look at the rest of the HS cast and to me, they are completely UNRECOGNIZABLE!! None of them look like their comic book counterparts to me.

I mean......that Tony guy is supposed to be Flash??

Add to that and there seems to be a literal buffet of villains and potential villains thrown into this film.

IDK.......my interest in this has markedly dropped with all of these casting choices.

To me, it's feeling more and more what I feared - a SJW experiment using Spidey's cast of characters that could potentially become bloated with way too many characters.

and that is NOT what I wanted for Marvel's 1st crack at the character.

Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks the above.