CAPTAIN MARVEL — 8 Actresses We'd Cast
Art by Arkenstar
Marvel finally announced that a Captain Marvel movie will be coming, marking the first time a woman has been the title character in the Marvel cineverse. With a release date set for July 6th, 2018, it and Inhumans will be released in between The Avengers: Infinity War two part saga.
Kevin Feige has already informed us that Captain Marvel will be about the character Carol Danvers. This gives us some idea of who they might be looking to cast. In the comics, Danvers is blond and 5' 11". I couldn't find a specific age, or even age range, but old enough to be a high ranking officer in the United States Air Force.
Danvers gets a fusion of alien Kree genes and powers from an alien male named Captain Marvel. Danvers, now imbued with powers like superhuman strength, endurance, stamina, flight, and physical durability, takes the name Captain Marvel.
Unconventional Casting:
Marvel has a history of casting the non obvious choice, like Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chris Pratt as Star Lord. They have also cast relatively unknown actors like Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. They have even cast actors with lots of indie-cred like Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. Due to this pattern, we've picked four actresses that don't seem like the obvious choice, but could make a great Captain Marvel.
Mackenzie Davis
25 / 5' 10"
If you haven't seen Halt and Catch Fire, you absolutely must, and Mackenzie Davis is a big reason why. She projects a vicious intelligence, strong presence, and real vulnerability. Davis does not have a long filmography, and she is the youngest on our list, but Captain Marvel is still about three years away.
Anna Torv
35 / 5' 8"
Australian actress Anna Torv proved herself to be a genuine badass on Fringe. She was the emotional core of the show and regularly faced off with some really creepy villains. While known among geeks for Fringe, she not an actor most people recognize. Torv has a great American accent and has a commanding air of authority, making her a very believable Air Force officer.
Brit Marling
31 / 5' 7"
Having only done indie movies, Brit Marling has little name recognition. Most of the characters she has played are highly intelligent and strong willed. In the movie Sound of My Voice, she is the leader of a cult who plays a soft touch with undertones of dark terror. Marling is my dark horse pick.
Katheryn Winnick
36 / 5' 6"
Since she plays a battle-hardened shieldmaiden on Vikings, it seems like Katheryn Winnick should be a up for a role in a Thor movie, not someone imbued with alien powers. At the age of 13 Winnick already had a black belt in karate. While the oldest on the list, Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo where each 44 when they debuted in the Marvel cineverse.
Obvious Casting:
The only other solo female superhero movie coming out between now and 2020 is Wonder Woman. Marvel might feel they need an actress that has more marketability to help it rise above the DC property. The following four actresses seems to be near or at the top of every fan casting list.
Katee Sackhoff
34 / 5' 6"
Katee Sackhoff has done action on several TV shows and movies, and she's also shown great emotional range. She is the #1 fan pick, rumored for years, and I've even seen Captain Marvel casting lists called "actresses who are not Katee Sackhoff." She is the safest bet and somehow the least interesting.
Emily Blunt
31 / 5' 7"
Of the obvious choices, Emily Blunt is my favorite. Proving her action mettle in Live Die Repeat: The Edge of Tomorrow, she showed she's got the grit. She was Marvel's first choice for Black Widow and was sought after for Peggy Carter, but Blunt passed on both roles. Perhaps starring in a solo outing will be enough to charm her.
Natalie Dormer
32 / 5' 6"
Despite already being in Captain America: The First Avenger, Natalie Dormer is overwhelmingly fan pick #2. Being on the largely popular Game of Thrones makes her a higher profile actress than most of the other women on the list. She has transformed for all the roles she has played, which makes it likely she could handle the part.
Yvonne Strahovski
32 / 5' 9"
From round-housing bad guys on Chuck to working covertly on 24 to being a genetically altered super woman in two Mass Effect games, Yvonne Strahovski carries lots of geek-cred. While she's a good actress, I have yet to see her in an emotionally challenging role. Then again, I can say the same of Chris Pratt.
I admit that even my unconventional choices are a bit safe. But I feel that Marvel is not going to stray too far from canon on Captain Marvel. What are your picks? If you have one I didn't mention, let me know in the comments and give me some information on why they would be great and which roles I might know them from.