The Marvel Cinematic Universe is stealing yet another Star Wars actor! MJ’s new boyfriend in Spider-Man: Brand New Day will reportedly be played by a beloved star.
Heading into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, fans have been steeling themselves for the possibility that MJ (Zendaya) will find a new boyfriend now that Peter Parker no longer exists in the minds of most MCU characters. Given how controversial that concept has been in the comics in recent years, there hasn’t been much excitement about seeing it replicated on the silver screen.
Yet it seems that there is at least a silver lining to this (likely ill-fated) sub-plot. A rumor from Hollywood insider DanielRPK reveals that Eman Esfandi, best known for his role as Ezra Bridger from the Star Wars series Ahsoka, will be playing MJ’s boyfriend in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While no details were given on what character he’ll be playing in the MCU, there seem to be two major camps.
Who Is Eman Esfandi Playing In Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
The nanosecond this rumor was posted, the entire internet was convinced that Eman Esfandi would be playing Paul in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While there’s not time to fully recap the saga of Paul here, the short is that he is the boyfriend of MJ who she became amorous with while they were trapped in another dimension, resulting in them having two kids. It’s a controversial storyline for many reasons, not the least of which is Marvel refusing to let Peter and MJ be married in the mainline continuity.
However, given that Paul as a character is so new and controversial, it’s not likely they’d bring him into Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Rather, it’s more likely that Marvel uses Eman Esfandi to kill two birds with one stone. The other prominent theory, and the most likely one for this rumor, is that the Star Wars actor will likely be playing some variant of Harry Osborn in the MCU who’s dating MJ.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters July 31st, 2026. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding Spider-Man’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future!
