Carol Danvers has been an important hero in the Marvel Comics universe for decades, and we only have a few more years to go until she finally makes her live action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Outside Brie Larson playing Captain Marvel's eponymous protagonist and Samuel L. Jackson reprising Nick Fury, we haven't gotten any casting information for the penultimate Phase Three movie, but now there's word that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's Ben Mendelsohn is being eyed to play the main villain.
According to Variety, Ben Mendelsohn is currently in negotiations to play the lead baddie in Captain Marvel. Exactly who he would play wasn't revealed, although it's likely this character will be the leader of the Skrulls, the shapeshifting aliens who have plagued the Marvel Comics universe (particularly the Fantastic Four) for over five decades. Supposedly Captain Marvel directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck had Mendelsohn in mind for this role when they started plotting the story, and once the actor was able to meet with them, he moved forward with trying to snag the role.
Should Ben Mendehlson sign on to Captain Marvel, it would be the latest major blockbuster to boost his resume. Late last year, he starred in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Imperial Director Orson Krennic, and he'll appear next year in both Ready Player One as Nolan Sorrento and Robin Hood as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Mendelsohn is also well known for playing Danny Rayburn in the Netflix series Bloodline. It's also worth noting that Captain Marvel wouldn't be the actor's first foray into the world of comic book media, as he played John Daggett in The Dark Knight Rises.
It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year that Captain Marvel will take place in the 1990s, approximately a decade before the modern MCU era kicked off. In this continuity, Carol Danvers' origin story will involve her battling the Skrulls, who, just like in the comics universe, have been at war with the Kree, a species previously seen in Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. During this tale, Carol will cross paths with super spy Nick Fury, who at this point still has two working eyes. Mar-Vell, a.k.a. the original Captain Marvel from the comics universe, is also rumored to appear. As for what's in store for Carol's future beyond Captain Marvel, Marvel Studios Kevin Feige recently revealed that her story will factor into Avengers 4, which comes out a few months after Captain Marvel.
Captain Marvel flies into theaters on March 8, 2019. For movies arriving sooner than that, look through our 2017 premiere guide and 2018 premiere guide for release date information.
