Mary Jane Watson-Parker Appreciation 2021

[Spiderfan001]

I had no problem with Zendaya as Michelle Jones up until "My friends call me MJ." As an original character she is great..but that line just annoyed me. Just let her be her own thing and not tie he to any comic character.

Hard agree.She's cool as Michelle as in her own thing.
MJ not so much.

It's the same thing as Ben being the real Peter(this is a random example and has nothing to do w/ beyond discussion, ), more accurately in this case Bruce in titans, etc.

They are all great OC's but when you put the Mary Jane,Spider-man or Batman names on them it makes them bad.

[Frontier]

They're stuck in a situation they put themselves in and need to work it out.

[Spiderfan001]

They're stuck in a situation they put themselves in and need to work it out.

This.They really played themselves

[Starrius]

I had no problem with Zendaya as Michelle Jones up until "My friends call me MJ." As an original character she is great..but that line just annoyed me. Just let her be her own thing and not tie he to any comic character.

I totally agree with you.........especially not tie her to any iconic comic book love interest which Mary Jane Watson is

[Confuzzled]

Well, Aunt May approves


How terribly did the MCU mess up when the real-life counterparts are closer to the characters than what is written for them?

[Kevinroc]

They really messed up with MCU Spider-Man.

[AngelJD]

I know this won't be popular but I have a question I want people to think about.
From 1 (smallest) to 4 (largest) rank "Who has the bigger fanbase" around the globe and not just on this site or comic shops when all influence forms & strategy is taken in?
* 616 comic book version only MJ's fanbase (us),
* MCU/SONY version only "MJ" movie's fanbase,
* MCU/SONY Spider-Man Movie's as a whole fanbase,
* or Zendaya's fanbase?

Comics is a niche market in itself. In the world of comic characters this fanbase is amoung the top tiers but outside and put into a globe situations of all fanbases in the world this fanbase is much smaller comparison so.

Today 'My MJ' was a number two when I first discovered it on Twitter in the general trending area beating other forms of news and hashtags that could of been there. I was reading multiple people commented so positively to this. I as well found it heartwarming generally when people support people is a nice positive so I can feel empathy and understand how other people posted warmly to this.

All Actors have (or is trying to grow) a Personal/Business Branding, PR, and grown fanbases that they (and the people they hired to work for them) have labored to build & support somehow. Actors can bring that fanbase & influences when they self advertise themselves during the whole process to studios. These are major factors that can always be at play.
Zendaya's 'fanbase' I honestly feel outnumbers 616 MJ's fanbase just from the matters that comics are a 'niche market'.

In the world of the "Entertainment Business" if placing what is most important to follow as far as 'canon' rules goes & rules that motivate to what is to be presented in movies being made what are the odds & hierarchy order that list will be? In my personal view based mostly on interviews of the past I've seen about this area:
1st Major Movies (specifically what has been shown within the universe currently written/presented and other versions 2nd),
2nd TV,
3rd Video Games (wasn't a big factor before however times have changed where thanks to YouTube and Twitch people who don't play games can still watch the game's movie cutscenes resulting in fanbases of overall stories, games, and gamers gather to talk about it thus now becoming a rising factor but still much bellow 1 & 2),
4th Merchandise (visuals tell a tale for people plus can shape perspectives/narratives of others even if knowing very little of the origins that the merchandise was based on),
5th Comics
6st Books
7th Misconceptions ("Beam Me Up Scotty" was NEVER said on the original show Star Trek yet many believe and 'quote' it. Popular Misconceptions might be even more powerful & influencing then Merchandise the more I think about this.)
8th Fanfictions & Fan Works (only if they somehow hit Godly levels and give consistent support & growth of a influencing fanbase which has extremely low odds).

Granted if the origins starts with a very well know book series or comics series then that has some power at first but must be somehow so powerful that it breaks traditional niche levels that comics & books have otherwise the writers for TV and Movies can do their own ideas it starts.
In terms of a whole 'MJ' as in all versions ever presented before has a wide reach so that has some influencing factors at play maybe. In terms as a whole presently "616 MJ" doesn't have as big as we might hope for.

So I don't think 'MCU MJ' (Zendaya written and present version of her) will be killed just to bring in another actress unless that new actress has some form power/money influences and will be a good from a hired Strategist concerning fanbases around the world view. If MCU Zendaya version MJ is killed but the rest of the cast continues then levels of clear marketing & strategy from Zendaya and Marvel will quickly need to be planned and carried out. Zendaya will have to write "I wanted this" to keep her fanbase from attacking or that new actress fanbase has to have louder voices in whatever ways messaging is carried out.

Now if Zendaya MJ character is killed and Zendaya is able to keep her fanbase calm and in control (which will make her also in turn be a positive for all studios that is interested in hiring her for projects) that might open the door for a new MJ version from maybe the growing MCU Multiverse to step in but still no guarantees how things might play out.
MCU Zendaya MJ dies and no new main MCU MJ might come forth.
MCU Zendaya MJ dies and then a new love interest influenced or brand new made first for the main MCU might come.
MCU Zendaya MJ dies and in a twist to the trope "I let Gwen Stacy die" MCU Zendaya MJ BECOMES that role trope in the MCU Movie series and then walking into MCU Peter's door is MCU Gwen twisting roles we known in comics a bit while also some new.

Anything might come to be but I feel they didn't played themselves. Characters and tales can be altered and as fans of 616 MJ while we usually hope for aspects we can link directly to when new versions of 'MJ' comes into existence the matters of the personal scales of what is most important to capture and what isn't or what we allow in changes can fluctuate but in the end all that also has little power vs other matters movie writers and hired strategists have to take into factors when making choices, changes, and long term planning. I believe they want to appease us but in levels to whom they must appeases while making a working story, world, and characters within it all you have to ask whom has the biggest fanbases and how can we motivate them to join our hopes vs fighting them.

Instead of going to Zendaya's fanbase with messaging of hoping that MCU MJ dies (aka removing Zendaya to them) we have to think strategically. If any influencing factors to how MCU MJ is presented from this point on we must consider truly how big our fanbase and clear community communication messaging really is compared to other influencing fanbases larger or in greater power then ours. Before posting the thoughts towards how negativity your words can directly or indirectly blow-back and form negative consequences if reacting by posting negative views without respectful communication.

If care about how Zendaya's hair not being Red for MCU MJ is what's bothering you greatly to how you perceive 'all MJ versions' are to be presented then instead of fighting join their fanbases and inside post beautifully crafted pictures of redhead Zendaya stating how 'beautiful she looks being redhaired and she really pulls it off spectacularly'.
You want Zendaya MCU MJ to be an actress? Go find what roles Zendaya acted as "a character that was hoping to be a actress" and write how you felt "she was amazing in those roles" (and if the gross box office supports your research/message put that also into the message carefully). Get Zendaya's fanbase ON YOUR SIDE.

Now I reading for some it's her name "Michelle Jones" is a factors that is giving some discomfort in seeing her as a version of 'MJ' as her name isn't directly 'Mary Jane' yet supposedly she's one of the infinite variants linked.
This may not be a big issue requiring a new actress as maybe due to how the next movie might play out Peter in the end will STILL be known as Spider-Man and we heard in the trailers Peter mentioning how this is 'affecting those he cares about'.
Maybe Peter and some of his cast thanks to Nick or others secretly moves away and "Michelle Jones" wanting to still be called 'MJ' as deep inside her that's what she feels fits her yet able to let go of "Michelle Jones" which she didn't feel fitting or has a bad taste in her mouth (have we seen any indication of her family life as 616 MJ didn't have a good family life before Peter and that can come into a reason also for MCU version as a excuse for a reasonable name change). Using this opportunity when running away or being hidden somewhere new she changes her name to reinvents her life dyeing her hair red and changes her name legally or with SHIELD's help to "Mary Jane". She decides her own life and her self identity vs her parents she doesn't have a good relationship with.

The open doors for possible opportunities is still there but the matters of how they might be opened or closed is less on 'their' side and more on ours.
We can try forming strategies to when Zendaya eventually decides to step down or has written in her contact to do so and a new movie version MJ is being considered and written by professional writers and strategists. How appeasing a message of solidarity to what as a whole are the "must be" rules all variant MJs of all Multiverse versions we wish to see follow and how to properly deliver that message to be empowered by others and reaching their ears. Also what as a group here due to that 'variants' should have some form of freedom to be written differently from other MJs including even 616 version what factors do we find is not as troubling to be altered or certain levels allowed if other rules are followed?
These are personal subjective levels however so that is going to be difficult and not everybody I think will 100% agree.
I've read many times just from this site personal subjective views on just one version of a character thread and how they are 'out of character' or not with their fanbases.

[Chris0013]

They really messed up with MCU Spider-Man.

I have my issues such as all the StarkTech, Not Flash, and what I said above about Michelle Jones...

What are your issues with it?

[Jman27]

I have my issues such as all the StarkTech, Not Flash, and what I said above about Michelle Jones...

What are your issues with it?

Probably the stark and Peter relationship. The avengers stuff. Maybe no Uncle Ben flashback? Lack of familiar story beats idk read all the old post on the mcu spiderman

[Frontier]

Lack of quipping for me.

[Jman27]

My biggest gripe honestly is his height I know it stupid but I have the same issue with red hood current actor in Titans.

[Kevinroc]

Spider-Man has a lot of Class subtext. Or at least it's supposed to.

[Chris0013]

Probably the stark and Peter relationship. The avengers stuff. Maybe no Uncle Ben flashback? Lack of familiar story beats idk read all the old post on the mcu spiderman

Lack of quipping for me.

Yeah....overall there is just too much that gets him away from the core of who Spidey was.

I could even go so far as to through in the friendship with Ned and the romance with Michelle. Peter really didn't have friends early on and not much in the way of romance. Maybe have introduced a love interest in 2 but not gotten them together until 3.

I do think Tom Holland was well cast though.

[Serving Size]

The MCU Spider-Man is too juvenile in general for me. All the characters feel like paint overlay for a Disney afternoon show. Well, well take this character and call him Flash and so forth. Then the Iron Man stuff is embarrassing for Peter. Makes him feel like the worst most embarrassing version of Jimmy Olsen in some bad Superman comic.

Zendaya is ok for what she does, but Michelle Jones/MJ has very little in common with Mary Jane. I will stick with MJ in Spiderverse as quite possibly the last good adaption of Mary Jane in other media... ever? Hope not.

[Webhead]

MCU Spider-Man is alright. It could have been much more than what it came to be, but it's fine. The problem is being bogged down by Iron Man and the Avengers; just because things coexist doesn't mean they must overlap constantly.

Although it's a tiresome device in comics, having Spider-Man be initially antagonistic to other supers would have helped the films stand on their own.