For as many fans there are clamoring for certain celebrities to land the perfect "dream role," there are as many executives that usually shoot those assumptions down. That's not what we're here to report though, as Ronda Rousey's fan casting as Captain Marvel excites none other than Kevin Feige himself.
Heroic Hollywood covered the recent Avengers: Age Of Ultron Q&A, at which Feige was in attendance. With all eyes on the third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has Captain Marvel slated to make her debut, the conversation turned to the MMA fighter's campaign to fill the shoes of the title role. Feige's reaction, shown below, couldn't be more ecstatic:
I love it. That happens occasionally, and I think that’s a testament more to the strength of the characters. Going back to my early days at Marvel, there were always various people campaigning to be Wolverine. I guess that was pre-Twitter and pre-Internet days, but still for some reason would pop up in Wizard Magazine. Wizard Magazine would always have ‘this person wants to play this role!’ It’s a testament to how great the characters are that it appeals to such a wide range of talented, talented people.
Bringing Wizard Magazine's casting items into the fold just shows how deep in the paint Kevin Feige has always been when it comes to the comic world, and it's refreshing to see such enthusiasm to fan casting come from an official source. Most other filmmakers might not comment on internet campaigns, and if they do it's usually to say something along the lines of, "just wait until you see who we've cast." Yet with Feige's reaction to Ronda Rousey suiting up for battle as Captain Marvel, it seems like that bit of fantasy comic casting is just that much more legitimate.
With Rousey's film career growing slowly, but surely, her experience in the world of film will naturally serve as a qualifying factor when evaluating whether she's a good fit as Carol Danvers. By time the cameras start to roll on the Marvel Studios picture, presumably at some time either next year or in early 2017, her resume will surely have been raked with a fine tooth comb. Which means that her work in the upcoming Road House remake – as well as any other film she may work on, is going to be even more important. Rousey may have the fan's votes, but she's now got to win the hearts and minds of the studio brass.
The next couple of years are crucial for Ronda Rousey, as well as Kevin Feige, with both having images to maintain and business to attend to. But if fortune smiles on both of them in the right fashion, we might just get to see Rousey join the Marvel Cinematic Universe before we know it. We still have a bit of a wait though, as Captain Marvel is set for a November 2, 2018 release date. In the meantime, either Peter Berg's Mile 22 or Road House look to be the next film you can catch Ronda Rousey kicking cinematic ass.
