Spider-Man: Brand New Day Subtly Reveals How MJ & Ned Will Remember Peter

As Peter Parker reckons with the fact that MJ and Ned don’t remember him, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has subtly teased how they can get their memories back. The second trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day hinted at more of the goodness that the first one did, from Peter facing off against Scorpion and the Hand to a clash with the Hulk. Another big focus of the trailer, beyond the superhero aspects of the Web-Slinger, was MJ and Ned, who continue to be ghosts of Peter’s past.

Yes, the lack of MJ and Ned’s memory of Peter makes their story in the film interesting, but what makes things even more intriguing is how this could be tied to Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s main villain. Although characters like Scorpion, Tombstone, Boomerang, the Hand, and the Hulk will all face off against Spider-Man in the movie, Marvel is keeping the main villain under wraps. Who this is remains to be seen, but a key theory, especially after Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s second trailer, is that it is Sadie Sink’s character.

Who Sink is playing is unclear, but the prominent theory is Jean Grey of the X-Men. This would support the trailer’s hints that Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s main villain can control the minds of New York’s citizens, including the Hulk himself. Given that mind control is one of Jean Grey’s powers that X-Men movies have left absent in the past, it would make sense for Spider-Man: Brand New Day to include it. Furthermore, the trailer includes a line that states MJ is in danger from whatever threat this may be.

If this theory is to be indulged, Jean Grey could be the key to restoring Ned and MJ’s memories. If Sink is playing Jean, it is unlikely she remains a villain throughout the film and into upcoming Marvel movies. Still, she could venture into Ned and MJ’s minds at some point in the story and reverse the spell Doctor Strange put on them in Spider-Man: No Way Home. As an omega-level mutant, Jean would certainly have the power to do this, resolving one of Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s biggest plot threads and giving Peter his best friends back.

MJ & Ned’s MCU Return Supports This Spider-Man: Brand New Day Theory

To further support this Spider-Man: Brand New Day theory, the fact that MJ and Ned are even returning for the film is huge. Many assumed that after Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending, which was essentially a soft-reboot for MCU Spidey, future stories would include other Peter-adjacent characters, from Gwen Stacy to Harry Osborn. Seemingly, though, these characters are not part of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with a big focus still being placed on Ned and MJ.

Therefore, it is highly likely that the film will end with MJ and Ned remembering Peter. If they didn’t, the question of why they were even brought back could be raised. After all, two Spider-Man films in a row would end with Peter, MJ, and Ned in mostly the same spot: the latter two moving on with their life without remembering Peter, and the hero having to reckon with that. Ultimately, bringing Zendaya and Jacob Batalon back as their characters hints they’ll remember Peter eventually, with the possibility of Jean Grey being a good fix for this.

Should Marvel Reverse Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Ending?

The final question that all of this speculation raises is whether the MCU should actually reverse Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending and restore MJ and Ned’s memories of Peter. If this happens, there is certainly an argument to be made that this would make No Way Home‘s ending less impactful. As a tragic choice that Peter had to make between his personal life and his responsibilities as a hero, the moment truly worked as one of the best on-screen Spider-Man decisions. As such, reversing that could be a mistake.

Then there is the aforementioned element of introducing new Marvel characters to MCU Spider-Man movies. MJ and Ned are great, but there is no denying that many would like to see some more iconic Spidey characters alongside Tom Holland’s Peter. If Spider-Man: Brand New Day reverses Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s memory loss and keeps MJ and Ned around, the chances of seeing more classic Marvel characters interact with the Web-Slinger get slimmer.

Release Date

July 31, 2026

Runtime

150 Minutes

Director

Destin Daniel Cretton