Singer-Actress Zendaya cast in MCU Spider-Man film

[Mister Mets]

As reported on Deadline, Disney channel actress-singer Zendaya will appear in the upcoming MCU Spider-Man film...

EXCLUSIVE: Sony and Marvel Studios are beginning to cast up their Spider-Man reboot. I’m told that actress-singer Zendaya has landed a key role in the ensemble they are building around Tom Holland, who’ll play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the film to be directed by Jon Watts (Cop Car). She was among the actresses who’ve quietly been testing for roles, and I hear she will play a character named Michelle. Nobody is providing details on whether this is the romantic lead opposite Peter Parker, but it doesn’t sound like it. In the comics, Parker romanced Mary Jane and Gwen.

It's an interesting insight into the direction Marvel and Sony are taking the series. It feels a bit weird not to be familiar with the careers of actors and actresses cast in major parts in a Spider-Man film. I feel old.

[Huntsman Spider]

Yeah, they are really determined to sell this as being an authentic film modernization of Spider-Man's high school years. If Zendaya's been cast as a character named Michelle, the only one I can think of from the Spider-Man comics would be Michele Gonzalez from the Brand New Day era. If so, I hope the movies do her better than the comic writers did.

[Kevinroc]

A lot of people are saying that "Michelle" is a placeholder name and they aren't going to announce who she is actually playing until later.

So speculate away.

[Huntsman Spider]

You have just unleashed the hounds, good fellow. May there be some higher power that has mercy on us all.

[Frontier]

From what I've seen with her, I could actually see her playing Mary Jane. She certainly has the spunk for it .

Though while I'm not averse to race-changing so long as the actor/actress is right for the role and the character is intact, I would feel disappointed that one of Marvel's most iconic redhead would probably no longer be a redhead. Especially given how inconsistent comic hair color translates to live-action hair color.

Ironically Zendaya's Shake it Up co-star and real life BFF, Bella Thorne, is a popular fan casting for MJ as a I recall...she even has MJ's height .

[Kevinroc]

From what I've seen with her, I could actually see her playing Mary Jane. She certainly has the spunk for it .

Though while I'm not averse to race-changing so long as the actor/actress is right for the role and the character is intact, I would feel disappointed that one of Marvel's most iconic redhead would probably no longer be a redhead. Especially given how inconsistent comic hair color translates to live-action hair color.

Ironically Zendaya's Shake it Up co-star and real life BFF, Bella Thorne, is a popular fan casting for MJ as a I recall...she even has MJ's height .

If they've cast Zendaya as MJ, they could always give her a wig or dye her hair. There are people of different ethnicities with red hair.

[Von]

From what I've seen with her, I could actually see her playing Mary Jane. She certainly has the spunk for it .

Though while I'm not averse to race-changing so long as the actor/actress is right for the role and the character is intact, I would feel disappointed that one of Marvel's most iconic redhead would probably no longer be a redhead. Especially given how inconsistent comic hair color translates to live-action hair color.

Ironically Zendaya's Shake it Up co-star and real life BFF, Bella Thorne, is a popular fan casting for MJ as a I recall...she even has MJ's height .

Let us mark this moment in Internet History: The First Post of the Legendary 10,000 Post Bloodbath Fury (2016)

[Frontier]

If they've cast Zendaya as MJ, they could always give her a wig or dye her hair. There are people of different ethnicities with red hair.

I'd be down for that .

[Hilden B. Lade]

A lot of people are saying that "Michelle" is a placeholder name and they aren't going to announce who she is actually playing until later.

So speculate away.

Harriet "Harry" Osborn

Pete's best- and girl- friend in one package!

[Aruran.]

I think she is being cast as Michelle Gonzales. Might be a whole arc of the movie where they have Vin as well whose a cop that doesn't agree with what Spidey is doing and Michelle leads the anti-Spider-Man fan club or something like that.

The only reason why I don't think it's a place holder name, is cause they already named Aunt May, so why do it on other well-known characters?

[Kevinroc]

I think she is being cast as Michelle Gonzales. Might be a whole arc of the movie where they have Vin as well whose a cop that doesn't agree with what Spidey is doing and Michelle leads the anti-Spider-Man fan club or something like that.

The only reason why I don't think it's a place holder name, is cause they already named Aunt May, so why do it on other well-known characters?

The speculation was that Aunt May was cast as part of Civil War.

Now they're getting into making the new Spider-Man (which should begin production some time this Summer, so expect more casting announcements in the days ahead).

Productions do this kind of thing all the time. Even Civil War did it (look how long it took them to announce Martin Freeman was playing Everett Ross).

[Aruran.]

The speculation was that Aunt May was cast as part of Civil War.

Now they're getting into making the new Spider-Man (which should begin production some time this Summer, so expect more casting announcements in the days ahead).

Productions do this kind of thing all the time. Even Civil War did it (look how long it took them to announce Martin Freeman was playing Everett Ross).

But Freeman isn't playing a character popular to the everyday world, so they get a bit of leeway with delaying the casting announcements.

Could be that the agent leaks this info so more companies know their client has been getting jobs.

[SpiderNerd]

I find it really hard to believe that she's Michelle Gonzales. I'd say she's probably an original character that they've created to be part of the supporting cast, and we'll probably get more casting coming soon. Gonzales just seems way too out of left field for them to use.

[Metamorphosis]

Yeah, I just can't see them using BND Michelle. She was little more than an antagonist, and her and Peter's fling was chalked up to little more than apple juice and then the Chameleon. So it's not like it's some love interest for the ages.

[stillanerd]

I do find it a bit odd how Zendaya is only the third person officially announced as part of the cast for the reboot. Which lead me to think that her role in the film may be more important than is being let on. Certainly, considering how she's the same age as Tom Holland, she can also credibly pass for being a teenager as he can.

If Zendaya is playing Michele Gonzales, then I think it's obvious the film will do a lot of changes to her character compared to the comic book version for obvious reasons. However, I do think it's a very strong possibility that "Michelle" is simply the alias Sony is giving out so as to not yet reveal the role Zendaya is actually playing in order to avoid any spoilers. Sort of like what Paramount and J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions attempted to do when they announced Benedict Cumberbatch was cast in Star Trek Into Darkness, or how Warner Brothers and Christopher Nolan also tried to hide who Marion Cotillard was really playing in The Dark Knight Rises. Though if Zendaya is playing an original character for the films, that's certainly interesting. Then again, Ursula Ditkovitch was an original character in Spider-Man 2 and 3.