The Disney+ animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” is distinct from the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the webhead in a few ways. Although it is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, it follows Peter Parker (voiced by Hudson Thames) in his freshman year of high school in the early stages of his fledgling heroism. The series strays from the Tom Holland movies and does not feature Peter’s eventual girlfriend, Michelle “MJ” Jones (Zendaya).
When first announced, the previously titled “Spider-Man: Freshman Year” was originally set to be a prequel series exploring the MCU Spidey prior to the events of “Captain America: Civil War.” Kal Athannassov, who served as a former concept artist on the series before its creative pivot, shared on Instagram early concepts of the series’ take on MJ, which would have reflected Zendaya’s likeness as seen in the movies. These provide an interesting “What If…”-esque scenario, in which not only would MJ have been translated to the animation style, but Peter’s best friend, Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), could have also appeared.
Athannassov’s early concept art for MJ, reflecting Zendaya’s likeness, worked well for Marvel Studios Animation’s initial plans to keep the series within the canon of the established MCU. With the original idea to explore Peter’s freshman year, this would have been some time before he developed feelings for MJ, given that he was crushing on his classmate Liz Allan (Laura Harrier) in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and MJ was merely a friendly acquaintance to Peter at that point.
This Spider-Man pivot leaves one to only imagine
Ultimately, the pivot for an original interpretation set in an alternate timeline helped the series stand on its own and develop its own creative identity with potential to grow in its 2nd season. That being said, it’s fun to imagine that if the original plans had come to fruition, this series would have been a fun way to expand MJ’s backstory.
Given that Zendaya has become one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and bankable stars thanks to her major roles in film and Zendaya’s Emmy-winning performance in HBO’s “Euphoria,” it would have been fascinating to see an animated depiction of this A-lister on a Disney+ series. Considering her star power, she likely would not have lent her voice to the show, so one can only imagine a different actress bringing this animated MJ to life.
The abandoned concept art featuring Zendaya’s likeness reveals how close Marvel Studios Animation came to further extending the MCU’s established visual identity and canon in what would become “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” one of the all-time best “Spider-Man” animated shows. Ultimately, a reinvention allowed for more creative freedom for the team, with previously unexplored characters such as the Osborns being introduced to the series. Luckily, MCU fans eager for some shared link to the established canon can still celebrate the addition of Daredevil, voiced by Charlie Cox.
