Spider-Man: Homecoming is currently basking in the glory of critical acclaim and a very strong opening weekend at the box-office, and there are many aspects of the film that people can't seem to stop talking about. Two of those aspects are the reveal that Zendaya's character, Michelle, goes by the famous nickname 'M.J.', and the final shot of the movie where Aunt May discovers Peter wearing the Spider-Man suit.
With the M.J. scenario, producer Kevin Feige says they wanted to make sure that the character Zendaya plays was NOT Mary Jane Watson and was indeed a new character named Michelle. But he does weigh in on giving her the famous initials:
“In setting up this will be a very different thing, she’s not Mary Jane Watson, that’s not who the character is... But giving her the initials that remind you of that dynamic certainly is intriguing about what could go forward.”
He also discusses the thought process behind not including some of Peter's more well-known friends who we've already seen in previous films:
“Peter’s had a lot of friends over the years in the comics, and a lot of schoolmates and characters he’s interacted with. It wasn’t just Mary Jane Watson; it wasn’t just Gwen Stacy; it wasn’t just Harry Osborn. So we were very interested in the other characters, and that’s where Liz came from and that’s where the version of the character Michelle came from.”
And when it comes to Aunt May's little discovery, director Jon Watts weighs in on how that idea came about and what it could mean for the dynamic between her and Peter in future films:
“That was a thing where I don’t remember exactly at what point it came up when we were just brainstorming ideas, but as soon as that came out, it was like, ‘We gotta’ do that. Like we gotta’ do that!’ It’s like when you have an idea that makes everyone excited and nervous, and feels like, ‘Are we seriously going to do that?’ Then you know you have to do it… And it definitely has opened up a huge can of worms, and I have no idea how we’re going to address it... How do you explain your way out of that? I don’t think you can!”
So, what are your thoughts on Feige and Watts' revelations? Do you agree with their decisions? Do you disagree? Are you excited to see where these characters go next, particularly now that we have this newfound information? Sound off below.
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