Marvel Confirms a Spider-Man 3 MJ Plot is Comics Canon

Warning! Spoilers for Jackpot #1 below!

Mary Jane Watson hit the Jackpot with her new powers, but one skill she exhibited in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies is still not up to the level she’d like: her acting ability. When Spider-Man’s #1 ex joins the Gang War, Jackpot fights Electro, attempting to allow Peter Parker and She-Hulk time to escape. Her plan to trick the villain fails, however, when her bad acting gives away her scheme.

Jackpot #1 – written by Celeste Bronfman, with art from Joey Vasquez & Eric Gapstur, color by Edgar Delgado & Erick Arciniega, and lettering by VC’s Ariana Maher – confirms that, just as Peter Parker is always sad across the Spider-Verse, it seems Mary Jane Watson always needs a better acting coach.

In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, MJ, as played by Kirsten Dunst, lands a role in a Broadway play. but bad reviews instantly call her out for her lackluster performance. In Jackpot # 1, Mary Jane’s attempt to put her acting abilities to heroic use fails miserably.

Being A Superhero Is A Better Fit for Mary Jane Than Acting Ever Was

Referencing MJ’s first appearance in comics, her superhero name ties to her first-ever line: “Face it, tiger, you just hit the jackpot!” While the Jackpot name has been used by other characters in the past, Amazing Spider-Man #31 gave the title to the person it was truly meant for. Mary Jane Watson’s powers come from her bracelet, which generates random powers based on slot-machine symbols. It was developed by her current romantic partner, Paul, who she met while trapped in an alternate dimension.

With Paul, Mary Jane’s character has grown beyond being Spider-Man’s damsel in distress. When a showdown in the streets between Madame Masque and Big Ben’s henchmen interrupts their afternoon together, the two work in perfect sync – Paul causes a distraction so MJ can clear a path and save civilians. While she suits up to fight, he becomes her man in the chair, regulating her tech on the fly, and helping her take down Electro. As Jackpot #1 emphasizes, Peter Parker and MJ are truly over, and it’s for the best for both of them.

Mary Jane’s Superpowers Give Her a New Dream To Pursue

During her altercation with the latest version of Electro, Mary Jane attempts to buy time by feigning as though she’s an easy target. As the villain notes before taking off after Spider-Man and She-Hulk: “You laid it on a bit too thick there, red.” The display of acting skills – futile at best, feeble at worst – makes it clear that Mary Jane is far from a natural thespian. Thankfully, for her, and for the Marvel Universe at large, she is much more immediately adept at superheroics.

Chasing an acting career is already a gamble for people who are good at it. MJ has always been brave, kind, and smart, so using those skills to instead help people is a greater use of her power. At the end of the issue, Jackpot reflects that being a hero gives her a sense of direction in life that she lacked, which will be expanded on when MJ teams up with Black Cat. While Marvel confirms that Spider-Man 3’s Mary Jane is a bad actress in the comics universe, too, Jackpot will be her greatest performance yet.

Jackpot #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.