MJ is set to start the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day with zero memory of Peter Parker, following the massive memory-wipe spell at the end of No Way Home. While fans are hunting for clues in the trailers that the spell is cracking, the "Brand New Day" title points to a hard reset where Peter is truly on his own. It’s a heavy theme for kids, but a great setup for a story about choosing to do the right thing even when nobody knows you’re doing it.

Based on the ending of the last film and the comic book source material, MJ will not remember Peter Parker when the new movie drops. The "Brand New Day" era is designed to be a fresh start where Peter is a lonely, struggling hero again. If your kid is hoping for a quick "I remember everything" moment, they might be disappointed—this story is expected to lean into the sacrifice Peter made to save the multiverse.

To understand why MJ is currently a blank slate, you have to go back to the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Peter asked Doctor Strange to cast a spell that would make everyone forget who Peter Parker is—not just that he’s Spider-Man, but that he exists at all.

That means MJ doesn’t just forget their relationship; she forgets she ever had a friend named Peter. In the final scene of that movie, Peter goes to the donut shop where she works, sees she’s doing fine, and decides not to tell her the truth. The upcoming film is expected to pick up that thread, showing MJ living her life at MIT while Peter watches from the sidelines.

If your kid is a reader, they might know that "Brand New Day" was a massive, controversial relaunch in the Spider-Man comics back in 2008. In that version, Peter made a deal with a demon to save his Aunt May’s life, and the cost was his marriage to MJ. The world’s memory was wiped, and suddenly Spider-Man was single again, his secret identity was back in the bag, and MJ was just an acquaintance.

The upcoming movie looks like it’s pulling that same energy. It’s a "back to basics" move. No more Stark tech, no more Avengers backup, and no MJ to help him through the bad days. It’s the classic Spider-Man "Parker Luck"—doing the right thing usually makes his personal life a total mess.

This is the big question every kid (and adult) is asking. In the trailers for the new film, we see Peter lingering near MJ, and there are theories that she might have a "feeling" or a sense of deja vu. Some fans point to the broken black dahlia necklace she was still wearing at the end of the last movie as a potential "totem" that could break the spell.

But from a storytelling perspective, don't expect a quick fix. The drama of the movie depends on Peter being isolated. If MJ remembers him in the first twenty minutes, the sacrifice of the last movie feels cheap. We’re likely looking at a slow burn where Peter has to decide if re-introducing himself to her is selfish or brave.

If your kid is genuinely upset that MJ doesn't remember Peter, it's a perfect opening to talk about what real sacrifice looks like. Peter didn't lose MJ because he was mean or because they broke up; he lost her because he chose her safety and the safety of the world over his own happiness.

You can ask them:

While waiting for the new release, there’s plenty of other Spider-content that handles the MJ/Peter dynamic differently.

For a full breakdown of which version fits your kid's age, check out our Spider-Man franchise guide or browse the best movies for kids.