MJ’s New Boyfriend in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Might Be a Villain Marvel Just Killed Off

Marvel Studios has a knack for hiding Easter eggs in plain sight, and one of their cleverest moves involves revealing a character’s identity solely through subtitles rather than credits. This intriguing misdirection has sparked fan investigations weeks after ‘Brand New Day’ broke box office records.

The focus of this mystery is a character who appears for less than a minute yet has ignited intense speculation among fans since the film’s release. What began as a minor moment at a party has evolved into a full-fledged detective effort across social media platforms.

Viewers who attended subtitled screenings of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ have discovered that MJ’s new boyfriend, portrayed by ‘Ahsoka’ star Eman Esfandi, is identified as Paul in the film’s captions. However, he is only credited as “The Boyfriend” in the movie, leaving his identity shrouded in mystery until observant fans noticed the subtitle detail.

This name holds significant weight for longtime comic book readers. The choice appears to reference Paul Rabin, a character introduced in Marvel Comics in 2022 as a new love interest for MJ during her separation from Peter Parker. Rabin quickly became known as “an almost universally hated character” among fans of the comics.

In the film, Paul’s role is limited to attending Ned and MJ’s housewarming party, where a kiss between him and MJ sends Tom Holland’s Peter Parker into an emotional tailspin. This brief yet crucial moment was heavily featured in the film’s marketing, although his name was notably absent from official credits and promotional materials.

Interestingly, Marvel Comics recently wrapped up Paul Rabin’s storyline by killing him off in a recent issue of ‘Venom’. In this storyline, MJ forms a bond with the iconic symbiote. The comic’s conclusion emphasized Rabin’s perceived insignificance, with him telling MJ in his final moments that he “didn’t matter and never did,” a sentiment some fans believe the film echoes by not naming him explicitly.

Not all fans are convinced that the subtitle detail definitively confirms the character’s identity. Some have proposed alternative theories, suggesting that Esfandi could be portraying other comic characters like Tarantula, Boomerang, or even Harry Osborn, although these theories lack the same direct textual evidence as the subtitle naming.

This mystery adds another layer to what has become one of the most speculation-heavy releases of the year, closely following the film’s surprising Jean Grey reveal involving Sadie Sink’s character. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has previously mentioned that the film’s original cut was significantly longer, leaving open the possibility that additional footage exploring MJ and Paul’s relationship may have been left on the cutting room floor.

Whether or not this subtitle detail definitively confirms Paul Rabin’s identity, the ambiguity has only intensified ongoing fan speculation about MJ’s romantic journey moving forward, especially given the film’s hints that she may be starting to regain memories of her relationship with Peter.

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