Disney
Chris TillychristillyEdit Profile
A new photo from the set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day shows Tom Holland posing with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, aka MJ and Ned, but there’s one small detail that’s captured our attention.
There’s plenty of hype for Holland’s fourth solo movie as Peter Parker, especially since it’s set to give Marvel fans what they want: a street-level Spidey story.
While No Way Home was a multiversal event featuring three Spider-Men and a stream of villains, the ending saw Peter wiped from everyone’s memory – including his partner MJ and best friend Ned.
We don’t yet know how significant MJ and Ned’s parts will be in the upcoming MCU movie, but every detail that rolls in sparks a fresh round of speculation, the latest being Zendaya’s wardrobe choice.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day set photo sparks MJ theory
In the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day set photo, Zendaya is wearing a hoodie over her head, leading to speculation that she’ll be donning MJ’s comic-accurate red hair in the movie.
That might sound small, but in Spider-Man lore it’s huge. Up until now, the Euphoria star’s character, Michelle “MJ” Jones, has always been an MCU reinterpretation of Spidey’s love interest, with her initials serving as a nod to Mary Jane Watson.
In the comics, fiery red hair has always been her trademark, and Zendaya adopting that look could be Marvel’s way of bringing her closer to the classic Mary Jane Watson, even if her character is still a modern reimagining.
Responding to the set photo, one fan wrote on Reddit, “Zendaya hiding her hair… Red hair coming,” while another said, “Oh, they’re covering her hair?!?!?! She’s definitely going full MJ redhead.”
Over on X/Twitter, one commented, “I know Zendaya’s hiding her hair ‘cause she dyed it red for more comic accurate MJ, I just can’t prove it.” A second chimed in, “MJ needs to have red hair under that hoodie.”
Related
Others have picked up on another detail that supports this theory: Batalon is wearing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shirt.
After the memory wipe in No Way Home, Ned and MJ got accepted into MIT, suggesting the actor is, in fact, in costume for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
In response to the Zendaya hair chat, one wrote, “Jacob’s MIT shirt could be from wardrobe too.” Another said, “Jacob Batalon didn’t go to MIT and Ned Leeds did, so it really should be from wardrobe.”
Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits cinemas on July 31, 2026. Read more about five villains who are reportedly planned for Holland’s next trilogy, who Tramell Tillman should play, and check out our ranking of the MCU movies.