Should Gwen Stacy appear in MCU Spider-Man franchise?

[Sardorim]

No, it would mess up her backstory too much.

[macattack]

No, it would mess up her backstory too much.

Not everything needs to be like the comics.

Spider-Gwen can co-exist with Spider-Man without either of them having each other's deaths as backstory. The MCU has never been rigidly faithful to the 50-odd years of backstory, they don't need to be for Spider-Gwen (if they want to use her) either.

Now, I doubt they'll do Spider-Gwen at first because she's too new and too much of a risk, I am sure they want Spider-Man's first movie to have him as the only "Spider" character. But who says Gwen, if she exists in the MCU, doesn't get powers from another spider bite or has a Jennifer Walters-type situation happen to her? You can have Spider-Gwen's origin happen by all kinds of means, it doesn't have to be exactly as the comics.

[Kevinroc]

If you're going by recent comics sales/ buzz, there's just as much reason to include Gwen, given the success of Spider-Gwen, or foreshadow Parker Industries, given that the focus of ASM in coming issues.

I hope Sony doesn't base their film plans on what's big in the comics right now. They've got 50+ years of stories to use, so it should be about what makes the most sense for the story they're trying to tell about Peter Parker in high school in the MCU, rather than what happens to be done in the comics in an arbitrary time. Granted, the leaks have demonstrated that major media companies are capable of making major decisions for flimsy reasons.

Introducing MJ in the films (or Gwen) means that there should be at least three films featuring those love interests when Peter is in high school. That might not be the tack Sony wants to take.

I think a lot of people don't see how damaged the Spider-Man film franchise is after the Amazing Spider-Man films. It's not Fantastic Four damaged, but it is damaged. I think, especially after ASM, that they're going to want a love interest to stick around for multiple films. Given that Sony was seen as "wasting" Emma Stone by killing her off in the second ASM, I can't see them going to the trouble of hiring a talented young actress to play a love interest for a film or two before moving on to the next one. You want the audience to be invested in these characters.

You can't think of it like the serialized fiction of a comic book. Film production is an entirely different beast.

(Usually it takes about 10 years for a comic concept to make it from a Marvel Comic to a film. Ask again in about 10 years for Spider-Gwen or Parker Industries. )

[Geiseric]

In general the movies don't care much about what the current comics are doing. There isn't much to gain by coping them. Especially since comic book movies tend to bank harder on nostalgia then anything else.

[Keeper of the Crows]

I disagree with the idea that there's no logical point to Liz.

Unlike MJ and Gwen, she was in the comics when Peter was in high school.

And it allows Marvel/ Sony to go in a different direction, and do a film in which Spidey doesn't get the girl. Hell, he could realize that Liz isn't right for him, just as Aunt May introduces him to her friend Anna's niece at the end of the movie, allowing MJ to make her "You just hit the jackpot" intro.

I just wanted to say that this a fantastic observation. How different--how refreshing--how just plain great would it be to break the superhero formula where the hero's love interest is almost always a "true love." I love comic films, but I think the relationship angle is one of the few things most of them do the same way. That's one reason why I liked Ant-Man so much, the focus was on the protagonist's love for his daughter, not his romantic relationship.

I think it would be cool to have a protagonist actually choose to break up with his girlfriend (or have her break up with him) or flat-out not get the girl, because it would be different for a change, and real. It would also feel very true to the character of Peter Parker, and make it that more powerful when he does find love in future installments, because we experienced the lows with him as well of the highs. (Heck, that last sentence is what I love about Spider-Man as a whole.)

[Kevinroc]

I just wanted to say that this a fantastic observation. How different--how refreshing--how just plain great would it be to break the superhero formula where the hero's love interest is almost always a "true love." I love comic films, but I think the relationship angle is one of the few things most of them do the same way. That's one reason why I liked Ant-Man so much, the focus was on the protagonist's love for his daughter, not his romantic relationship.

I think it would be cool to have a protagonist actually choose to break up with his girlfriend (or have her break up with him) or flat-out not get the girl, because it would be different for a change, and real. It would also feel very true to the character of Peter Parker, and make it that more powerful when he does find love in future installments, because we experienced the lows with him as well of the highs. (Heck, that last sentence is what I love about Spider-Man as a whole.)

Didn't Raimi do that at the end of his first Spidey film?

[Keeper of the Crows]

Didn't Raimi do that at the end of his first Spidey film?

Kinda! Which is one of the reasons I like the original films so much! But at the same time, MJ did end up being Peter's "one true love," so they were always going to (and should have always) ended up together. That's different than Peter trying to date Liz and realizing she isn't the one for him and them breaking up, which is something I'd like to see (instead of the hero's first love automatically being the true love).

[Kevinroc]

Kinda! Which is one of the reasons I like the original films so much! But at the same time, MJ did end up being Peter's "one true love," so they were always going to (and should have always) ended up together. That's different than Peter trying to date Liz and realizing she isn't the one for him and them breaking up, which is something I'd like to see (instead of the hero's first love automatically being the true love).

I think this is a lot harder to pull off in film than in the comics. Because they are going to want to have people under contract for multiple films. They're going to want to hire the best people they can. And after tossing Gwen away in the ASM franchise, and seeing their dreams of a mega-franchise fall with her, I honestly have trouble seeing them doing anything but playing it as safe as they possibly can.

[Keeper of the Crows]

I think this is a lot harder to pull off in film than in the comics. Because they are going to want to have people under contract for multiple films. They're going to want to hire the best people they can. And after tossing Gwen away in the ASM franchise, and seeing their dreams of a mega-franchise fall with her, I honestly have trouble seeing them doing anything but playing it as safe as they possibly can.

You could be right--and if the first film in the new franchise started off with MJ as the principle love interest of a new trilogy, you wouldn't hear a peep out of me. I love MJ, and hope she's a part of the new franchise. I can see where Marvel might want to play it safe. But as for me personally, I think it would be a better story to see Peter lose out on love before ultimately finding it with the right person, because it's yet another way we get to see him grow as a character. One of the things I loved about the comics was watching him go through these relationships until he ultimately found MJ, and even then their courtship wasn't always easy, which made the characters more real to me. But in Feige I trust!

Edit--This is another reason it's unfortunate the TASM franchise mangled the death of Gwen Stacy, because now we can't see it play out in its proper form.

[Anubhavkumarc]

I really really wanna see this one page in the movies.

[Kevinroc]

You could be right--and if the first film in the new franchise started off with MJ as the principle love interest of a new trilogy, you wouldn't hear a peep out of me. I love MJ, and hope she's a part of the new franchise. I can see where Marvel might want to play it safe. But as for me personally, I think it would be a better story to see Peter lose out on love before ultimately finding it with the right person, because it's yet another way we get to see him grow as a character. One of the things I loved about the comics was watching him go through these relationships until he ultimately found MJ, and even then their courtship wasn't always easy, which made the characters more real to me. But in Feige I trust!

Edit--This is another reason it's unfortunate the TASM franchise mangled the death of Gwen Stacy, because now we can't see it play out in its proper form.

I think we're going to get a film that REALLY looks like early Ultimate Spider-Man. That means a platonic relationship with MJ that becomes a romance.

I think the way they differentiate this film from the other Spidey films is by playing up the MCU elements. I think either Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, or Nick Fury is going to appear in a somewhat important role. (And how cool was that scene in USM when Fury appeared in Peter's class?)

[Keeper of the Crows]

I think we're going to get a film that REALLY looks like early Ultimate Spider-Man. That means a platonic relationship with MJ that becomes a romance.

I think the way they differentiate this film from the other Spidey films is by playing up the MCU elements. I think either Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, or Nick Fury is going to appear in a somewhat important role. (And how cool was that scene in USM when Fury appeared in Peter's class?)

'Twas cool indeed. I'll admit I have no clue what's coming up and what direction they'll take, though hopefully there will be a few clues in Civil War. I'll eagerly see it regardless--I'm just jazzed to have my favorite character in the hands of Feige and company.

[macattack]

I think we're going to get a film that REALLY looks like early Ultimate Spider-Man. That means a platonic relationship with MJ that becomes a romance.

I think the way they differentiate this film from the other Spidey films is by playing up the MCU elements. I think either Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, or Nick Fury is going to appear in a somewhat important role. (And how cool was that scene in USM when Fury appeared in Peter's class?)

There is a strong rumor that Tony Stark will appear in the Spidey film, but that's still a rumor and remains unconfirmed.

As for Gwen . . . I still would like her to be involved. Spectacular Spider-Man showed a great way how to portray her, if they went with that interpretation, it would be different enough from the Emma Stone version to matter. Gwen would be the childhood friend, basically, a frequent collaborative partner, but they're not romantically interested in each other yet.

[Kevinroc]

There is a strong rumor that Tony Stark will appear in the Spidey film, but that's still a rumor and remains unconfirmed.

I am aware of that rumor. But it is just a rumor. I also heard a rumor that Spider-Man says Black Widow reminds him of someone he knows in Civil War.

I'm not claiming that Marvel and Sony playing up MCU connections as anything I factually know. It's just what I think they will do.

As for Gwen . . . I still would like her to be involved. Spectacular Spider-Man showed a great way how to portray her, if they went with that interpretation, it would be different enough from the Emma Stone version to matter. Gwen would be the childhood friend, basically, a frequent collaborative partner, but they're not romantically interested in each other yet.

The problem is Spectacular Gwen is basically Ultimate Comics MJ. And I can't see them prioritizing the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon over the Ultimate Spider-Man comics. I think this movie will basically be Ultimate Spider-Man in movie form.

Edit: Not to mention that Spectacular Gwen isn't really different enough from the ASM Film Gwen.

[AngelJD]

I would like to Gwen (among many others) to appear in the MCU. While also using the various different comics and also shows such as Spectacular as inspirations I also want her MCU version to be different from the Amazing series. Since they went with her being a scientist in the Amazing films I'm thinking for the next version the writers should move far from that version (in order to give this new Gwen a message to the viewers quickly that this Gwen is very different from the Emma Stone portrayal thus don't expect the same things). For the next version I'm thinking more composite of her characterization found in Spectacular, Ultimate, and Earth-65 Spider-Gwen versions.

Thus what I'm hoping for is that Gwen is a close/best childhood friend of Peter who like Peter wears glasses and is smart however is different that she has a punk style who has dreams to be a drummer for a rock band and while in the Amazing films version Gwen spoke and defend Peter from bullies with words MCU Gwen uses her fists and acts like a protective sister to him. Also to make Gwen vastly different from all/most other versions I would also like to see a Storge/Platonic bond between Peter and Gwen and NOT romantic. So Gwen isn't a romantic love interest but they do love each other and care for each other but more as siblings and best friends only. Thus no love triangle between Gwen and whoever else could be a love interest for Peter (I'm kind of sick with love triangles plus the whole Gwen vs MJ topics/fight found online annoys me and ultimately just hurts characters for me (greatly when it's unnecessary). By making them have a very strong Storge/Platonic bond if anything happens to Gwen Peter would take it VERY hard (there are many types of love and caring not all has to be sexual or romantic and i wouldn't mind seeing two characters display those different love and bonds).

Now second I'm hoping for: No "Death of Gwen Stacy" arc again. Everybody expects that if Gwen Stacy is in it than she has to die. No she doesn't have to die. In the multiverse the fate of one version doesn't dictated the fate of all versions. No need to feel that it has to be there otherwise it could produce instead damaging results to a movie or series or characters just because it happen in the 616 version or any version. Just like how it happened in the Amazing series that went and killed Gwen which might of given the movie one very well acted scene but drove for many the final nail in the coffin due to how strong the chemistry and likability Gwen was in the Amazing series and no plans afterwards or backups killing a series.

The made and chosen and woven arcs all depends on the characterizations and setups and much more. When she died in the 616 comics it was shocking tragedy. Now it seems expected thus that shock factor is gone. Plus there was plans for the aftermath set in and finally she was chosen to be killed as the writers at that time wanted MJ and Peter to hook up plus didn't know what to do with Gwen and found her lacking. In the Amazing series Gwen was well written and acted and was very well liked and much more that didn't connect with the same tone or feelings that the 616 writers at that time felt for Gwen or planned.
Now if they really want to capture that shock factor and unforeseen tragedy feeling and sprint created by the 616 Death of Gwen Stacy then... "Death of MJ MCU". Fans will not see that coming and take them by surprise and to the core if done well. But they will never do that (the fans would burn the writers and Marvel at the stake).

The writers can put Gwen in a deadly situation but instead of death Gwen lives but there is a price. That price could be that Gwen becomes paralyze (unable to move her body from the neck down) ending her dreams at being a drummer and living a difficult life and Aunt May and Peter now at her side being her caregiver and nurse. Now "macattack" above (whom I agree with what macattack wrote) wrote that Gwen could have a "Jennifer Walters-type situation" that plays into her own origins as Spider-Woman/Spider-Gwen should Marvel wish to take that chance. In fact the character Professor Miles Warren/The Jackal and Peter could somehow play a hand in that but for different reasons.

As much I was would love seeing Spider-Gwen (the character who got me into comics so I really want to see a great Spider-Gwen movie while I'm alive) she would be a gamble currently. I feel what could be needed and help build a foundation and acknowledgment of Spider-Gwen is first a good animated show of Spider-Gwen on TV gaining a vast majority of viewers and hopefully new fans who would discover her from the show vs the smaller number by comics. When the majority grows comfortable with her then Gwen in a movie or the MCU (may it be a MCU Movie or show) could be the next transition with more viewers discovering her while many fans from the comics and others from the animated show would go seeing the movie and help generate buzz provided it is fantastic and done well. All of that would take time and quality. Unfortunately time is something that can go against these actors who are playing young roles. Spider-man is coming out in 2016 but unknown when they would shot a second movie and third movie and due the actors aging the high school and even college (should they want that) elements is very temporary. Things will have to be changed from the comics but that is fine and I want things different from the comics as that adds mystery and the unknown to the tales allowing me to be invested in what might happen.

Lastly on the topic of Love interest that's been popping up on this board and who it might be or the many it could be I'm hoping for "Chat" to show up and be the love interest but that's because I'm a big fan of hers and she was a fantastic love interest I feel personally however I'm also sure she will not make a appearance and MJ will be the eventual romantic love interest of Peter's.

If Gwen is used the chosen actress and writers will have a big job to do to make a one of a kind Gwen and cast away the shadow and comparisons of Amazing films Gwen version (by making not like her yet still have a bond between Peter and her). Same can be said of a chosen JJ (who unlike Gwen has far less different characterizations in the many Earths of Spider-Man to draw upon).