Why The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Cut MJ's Scenes Revealed By Shailene Woodley

Published Aug 29, 2026, 12:10 PM EDT Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay. Shailene Woodley reveals the truth behind those cut MJ scenes from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Directed by Marc Webb, the 2014 Spider-Man movie features Andrew Garfield suiting up as the legendary hero to save New York City from Oscorp, with Emma Stone returning as love interest Gwen Stacy. It was previously reported that Woodley would make her debut as Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but the character never ended up making an appearance. During a recent interview as part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations, Woodley addresses her scenes from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 being cut, revealing that she was given an explanation. "That was a fun phone call," she says, jokingly. According to Woodley, she filmed “like three scenes together, me and Andrew Garfield. And then like a year later, they were like, ‘So, you’re not in the movie anymore.’ And I was like, ‘What? What do you mean?’ And they were like, ‘We’ve introduced a lot of new characters in this last one, and we’re going to wait for… whatever happens between [Gwen Stacy] and Andrew.” Woodley says that her introduction as MJ wasn't cancelled so much as pushed back to a planned third installment, as the key creatives decided it didn't make sense to introduce another love interest for Peter while Gwen was alive. “’Let’s wait for [Gwen Stacy] to die and then we’ll introduce Mary Jane,'" she was told. "Which made sense. But then they didn’t make that film.” Woodley then jokes that her being cut from the movie may have just been because her scenes weren't very good. “Well, that’s what I was told, you know,” she says. “But again, who knows what the truth is. I could have been terrible and they’re like, ‘We can’t do this.'” Being cut from the film was a disappointment for for Woodley as playing MJ was her "dream." She continues: "Spider-Man’s my favorite superhero. Mary Jane was my favorite character growing up. So, when I got it, I was like, ‘This is so exciting.’” Woodley's MJ debut may have been planned for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, but that movie never ended up coming to fruition. Garfield's first entry as Spider-Man in 2012 may have been a hit, but the critical and commercial performance of the sequel didn't meet expectations, leading Sony to opt for a reboot instead. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has a lackluster 50% from critics and a lukewarm 64% from audiences. The film also grossed about $708 million worldwide, about $50 million less than the first movie and a seemingly concerning number given the film's budget of between $200-$250 million. Although it's now been 12 years since The Amazing Spider-Man 2, calls for a third installment in Garfield's trilogy continue. The actor reprised his role for Tom Holland's Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021, which only increased the demand for Garfield's Spider-Man return. It seems unlikely that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will ever get a sequel at this point, which, unfortunately, means Woodley's dream of playing MJ will probably go unrealized. If audiences are lucky, however, perhaps Woodley's MJ scenes will make their way online at some point. Release Date May 2, 2014 Runtime 141 minutes Director Marc Webb Cast Spider-Man / Peter Parker If Shailene Woodley’s Mary Jane scenes from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 were officially released, how interested would you be in watching them? Very interested — I’d seek them out as soon as they’re available Very interested — I’d seek them out as soon as they’re available 0% Somewhat interested — I’d watch if they were easy to find Somewhat interested — I’d watch if they were easy to find 0% Mildly curious — I might check them out eventually Mildly curious — I might check them out eventually 0% Not interested — I don’t feel a need to see them Not interested — I don’t feel a need to see them 0% If Sony announced The Amazing Spider-Man 3 with Andrew Garfield returning and Shailene Woodley finally playing MJ, how would you most likely watch it? See it in theaters as soon as possible See it in theaters as soon as possible 0% Wait to stream it at home on a subscription service Wait to stream it at home on a subscription service 0% Wait for digital rental or purchase only if reviews are strong Wait for digital rental or purchase only if reviews are strong 0% Skip it unless buzz is overwhelmingly positive Skip it unless buzz is overwhelmingly positive 0% multi-answer Thinking about revisiting The Amazing Spider-Man 2 or a potential sequel, where are you most likely to watch it next? On a major streaming service (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, etc.) On a major streaming service (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, etc.) 0% By renting or buying it digitally (Apple TV, Amazon, etc.) By renting or buying it digitally (Apple TV, Amazon, etc.) 0% On live TV or cable when it’s airing On live TV or cable when it’s airing 0% On Blu-ray/DVD that I own or would purchase On Blu-ray/DVD that I own or would purchase 0%