Way back in 2014, Marvel announced its ambitious Phase Three slate, including the studio's first female-led superhero film, Captain Marvel. But it would be almost another two years before we found out who would be playing the powerful Avenger. Marvel Studios found its Carol Danvers in Oscar winner Brie Larson. Now, with Captain Marvel finally filming, we are beginning to get a glimpse of what the actress will look like in the role. But becoming Captain Marvel is about more than just how well you can rock a flight suit; it's about all the other factors that go into being a convincing hero. Possible Captain Marvel villain and Ben Mendelsohn spoke about why Brie Larson is perfect for the role, saying:
Brie is absolutely perfect for that role. Why? Because she's a strong, yet sensitive, contemporary female. She is a champion, she's a fantastic actress, and she's a great human. So you can't ask for better for Captain Marvel.
Man, Brie Larson should slap that on her resume because that is high praise. We all know that Brie Larson is a talented actress, as her Oscar-winning turn in Room can attest to, so that should be a huge win for Captain Marvel and the MCU overall. There were questions about the acting chops of Gal Gadot when she was cast as Wonder Woman (questions she answered with a killer performance), but there are no doubts that Brie Larson can bring it, which is very exciting for Marvel's first female-led film. It's these other factors though that Ben Mendelsohn cites in speaking with Entertainment Tonight that speak to the similarities between the actress and the character she will be taking on.
Part of the reason that people are excited for Captain Marvel is that, like Wonder Woman, Carol Danvers is an icon of female strength. She is arguably one of the most well-known female characters in the Marvel canon and she is easily one of the most powerful. It is acting, but having an actress who naturally has that inner strength donning the suit can only add to the performance. Carol Danvers is also notoriously stubborn, incredibly competitive and fiercely independent. She believes what she believes and has no problem fighting for her beliefs with an iron will, hence her role in the limited event comic series Civil War II. She is very similar to Captain America in this way as she will pursue what is right no matter what. Ben Mendelsohn's praise of Brie Larson as a good, sensitive person, who is still strong, seems to fit in well with Carol Danvers' personality.
With Captain Marvel now filming, more and more details are coming out about what should be shaping up to be a truly different and exciting entry in the MCU. The film will be a prequel set in the 90s and it will bring back some deceased faces, as well as one that has been relegated to the TV realm in recent years. We also know that she will be showing up for the mysterious Avengers 4. And we still have some thoughts on how she could factor into this April's monumental event movie.
Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, 2019. Check out our release guide for all the upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
