We’ve been hearing from tabloids and blogs for months/years, that Marvel has been keeping an eye on Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow, Looper, Sicario) for the role of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel. While catching-up with MTV and Indie Wire at TIFF, the actress says otherwise, and even plays dumb to who even the character in question is.
Something a bit perplexing to us, but could also be a negotiation tactic on the part of Blunt as well. Also, actors have bold-faced lied to press during studio talks before, so she could be lying to the hills here. Then again, she denies involvement to two separate press outlets.
Here’s what she had to say to MTV.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “I’ve not had a phone call about it. Not one whisper of Captain Marvel has come my way. Promise.”
Promise promise?
“Promise promise. I don’t even know who Captain Marvel is!”
One reason to deny any involvement is that she might have passed or was passed-on by Marvel, making it hard for her to talk about those dealings, if she wants to play nice for the next round with Marvel or even Disney for that matter. Sometimes it doesn’t look good if an actress turns down a legitimate franchise deal from a major studio, or is overlooked for another actress.
Although, the actress had some choice words for Indie Wire, concerning her future status as an action star, and praising her potential rival Rebecca Ferguson. She is also co-starring with Ferguson in the film Girl on A Train, who is said to have exited Gambit talks to take the role. Blunt’s quotes here give the impression she’s not interested in the part, or taking-on an action franchise like Captain Marvel in general.
Are you going to be our new action star?
“No, that means I have to be in the gym all the time. I don’t want to do that.”
“You know what I love about Cruise? He’s not afraid of having very emboldened, strong women in his film and it’s because he loves women. Like, he grew up with very strong women, he’s from a family of sisters, and his mom. Rebecca Ferguson in the new “Mission: Impossible,” she’s as good as he is.“
Now that you’ve had two action-heavy roles, you’re starting to be pushed into this strange cycle of casting list rumors for films that require that, like “Captain Marvel.”
“My new anointing. No, I have not heard anything about Captain Marvel.“
“I think it’s because the list is very short, because we don’t see women in these kind of roles. So I think as soon as you do a role like that, like Charlize did or I did, or Rebecca’s done — there’s like four of us or something. And Jen Lawrence. So I feel like us four, we get talked about — and Angie, Angelina. So it’s a list of like, four women who are going to be considered for those kind of roles. So I think that’s why the rumors happen, because they’re like, “who else? Surely not another girl can wield a gun,” you know what I mean? “A woman doing push-ups? There’s only one who can do that.”..”
This might come into play with recent word Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation‘s breakout lead Rebecca Ferguson might be actually on the top of Marvel’s wish-list, not Blunt. Birth.Movies.Death, have suggested that Rebecca’s addition to the mix, might have been to light a fire to make a deal with Emily for Captain Marvel. It’s possible talk with Blunt never got that far, and a deal was never offered.
Marvel always has backups, when concerning casting their lead roles. You might remember Joaquin Phoenix was the top choice to play Doctor Strange for a hot moment, until he turned down the role, and Benedict Cumberbatch took his place instead. I’d imagine they have names in-mind other than Blunt and Ferguson as well, considering there is apparently a list of names yet to be revealed.
Actresses such as Jessica Chastain (Interstellar, Zero Dark Thirty, The Martian, Crimson Peak), Bryce Dallas Howard (Spider-Man 3, 50/50, Jurassic World), and Vikings‘ Katheryn Winnick, have all mentioned a desire for the role in the past. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that they were among the others on that Marvel casting wish-list, of course, being on a list doesn’t mean they’ll end-up getting a call from Marvel.
Here’s what Chastain told to IGN, when directly asked about playing Captain Marvel.
“Yeah. People have asked me if I’d be interested in playing a superhero or doing a superhero film” she revealed. “And absolutely, but for me, in any genre of film that you do… I want to be part of it. So if I’m doing a superhero film, I want to wear a costume, I want a fight scene, I don’t want to be the girlfriend or the civilian that’s taking care of superheroes or whatever. I want to be part of the action. So if they came a calling that sounds very cool.”
Jessica Chastain is still someone I’d like to see considered for the role, as she’s a workaholic actress that wouldn’t be scared-off by the workload of a Marvel contract. Along with the fact she’d nail the role, and get into the character convincingly enough for us to want to see her take the part. I mean, she’s already kind of proved with Zero Dark Thirty and The Martian, she’s always had the kind of “heat” that attracts Marvel.
Like Emily Blunt, Marvel has been trying to lockdown Jessica in a Marvel role as well. The actress turning down parts in both Ant-Man and Iron Man 3. It doesn’t hurt she’s worked with a slew of their actors such as Chris Hemsworth in The Huntsman, Tom Hiddleston in Crimson Peak, Chris Pratt in Zero Dark Thirty, and Sebastian Stan/Michael Pena/Chiwetel Ejiofor in The Martian.
I assume that they’ll want an actress lined-up before pre-production on Captain Marvel, to allow some sort of cameo for Danvers beforehand, to introduce her to audiences. Similar to how Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther is apart of Captain America: Civil War, before his solo outing. The role is expected to lead to three possible solo films, a role in Avengers: Infinity War, and a possible cameo in Civil War with reshoots.
SOURCE: MTV & INDIE WIRE