AHSOKA Star Eman Esfandi Reportedly Set to Play MJ’s New Love Interest in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY
Marvel Studios’ next chapter for the web-slinger is sure to end up being a pretty emotional one, and now there’s a new casting rumor that’s getting fans talking. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is reportedly adding another notable name to the mix, with Ahsoka breakout Eman Esfandi said to be joining the MCU as MJ’s new boyfriend.
When we last saw Peter Parker, his life had been completely wiped clean from the memories of everyone he loved. At the end of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange’s spell erased Peter Parker from the world in order to stop a multiversal catastrophe.
Happy Hogan, Ned Leeds, and MJ still remembered Spider-Man, but the man under the mask and everything they shared with him was gone. It was a brutal reset, even with that small flicker of hope in the final scene where MJ seemed to sense there was something familiar about Peter.
Since then, word has been circulating that MJ, now attending MIT, would be moving forward with her life in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, including a new romantic relationship.
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Esfandi may have landed the role of that unnamed love interest. Marvel hasn’t confirmed anything yet, and there’s no indication of which character he might be playing.
It’s tough to imagine Marvel Studios pulling a deep cut like Paul Rabin, one of the more infamous supporting characters from Spider-Man’s comic history. A more familiar name like Harry Osborn has come up more than once in fan discussions, and it would make sense for Esfandi to step into a role that actually has roots in the comics rather than someone created from whole cloth.
No matter who he’s playing, Esfandi joining the MCU is pretty exciting. After making a strong impression as Ezra Bridger on Ahsoka, he’s quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s rising talents.
Scheduling also lines up, since Ahsoka Season 2 was filming in the UK around the same time Spider-Man: Brand New Day was reportedly shooting, making a smaller but meaningful MCU role totally plausible.
MJ doesn’t have a long list of serious romantic interests outside of Peter Parker in the comics, but there are a few possibilities Marvel could pull from. Rick Turk, Bobby Carr, and Pedro Olivera are all characters from Spider-Man lore who could potentially be reworked for the big screen.
For now, it’s all speculation, and odds are we won’t get clarity until the first trailer drops, which could happen sooner than expected.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who previously helmed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The script comes from returning Spider-Man franchise writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, continuing their long run with the character.
Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man, alongside a packed cast that includes Zendaya as MJ, Jon Bernthal as The Punisher, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Sadie Sink, Michael Mando as The Scorpion, Tramell Tillman, Marvin Jones III as Tombstone, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, and Liza Colón-Zayas. On top of that, Florence Pugh is expected to reprise her role as Yelena Belova following her appearance in Thunderbolts* and ahead of Avengers: Doomsday.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026, and if this casting rumor pans out, Peter Parker’s already complicated love life is about to get even messier.
