Why is Gwen Stacy in these movies instead of Mary Jane?

MJ isn't in this movie. Neither is Gwen.

Peter has had many love interests in the comics. I think Gwen might have been the first, but I'm not an expert on the comics either. I think Gwen was his high school sweetheart for a while, but then she was accidentally killed during a battle with the Green Goblin.

If I recall correctly Mary Jane was supposed to be in this film, but her scenes were cut. I don't blame them. The movie was overstuffed as it is. She likely would have appeared in the third film. Or they would have upgraded Felicia/Black Cat for a larger role instead.


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Gwen was Peter's first serious girlfriend in the comics.

Peter's first love (or so he felt at the time) was Betty Brant, Jameson's secretary at the Daily Bugle.

He met Gwen Stacy during his college years and she was his first true love.

While he had been on dates with Mary-Jane before committing to Gwen, he and Mary-Jane didn't become a serious item until after Gwen was killed during a battle between Spidey and The Green Goblin.