Zendaya’s predominantly dark outfits during the global press tour for Spider-Man: Brand New Day prompted fans to speculate that they foreshadowed the death of her character, MJ, or a transformation into Venom. The theories gained traction because Zendaya and stylist Law Roach are known for “method dressing”, using promotional fashion to reference a project’s themes.

Fans particularly noted her black looks, while a white-and-black dress worn in Shanghai was interpreted by some through Chinese mourning traditions; Roach’s comments about “metamorphosis” added to the speculation. However, after the film’s release, it was confirmed that MJ neither dies nor becomes Venom, leaving the online theories unfounded.