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Some actresses have become famous either for joining the legendary club of horror Scream Queens or for playing a comic book character in a film adaptation, but Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Anya Taylor-Joy is one of the few stars of her generation who has managed to do both and, technically, in the same movie a few different times. However, the 25-year-old actress and model’s horror movies (The Witch or the upcoming Last Night in Soho) have often proved more successful than her superhero movies (with the exception of Split and Glass) so far. Someone as talented as Taylor-Joy deserves a second shot at the Marvel movies, especially with how soon The New Mutants fell into obscurity upon release, which is why I have compiled the following list of characters whom I think she could likely play to perfection, such as one who has a favorite hobby somewhat similar to her character from The Queen’s Gambit.
The Beyonder
In the Emmy-nominated Netflix original miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, Anya Taylor-Joy plays an extremely skilled, teenage chess prodigy struggling with emotional issues and battling addiction behind the scenes. Now, can you imagine if someone with a similarly competitive motivation but a far more twisted and inhumane personality also had the power of an unstoppable god?
Such is an accurate description for The Beyonder - who is, literally, the living manifestation of an entire alternate dimension from the Marvel multiverse that uses its omnipotent abilities to kidnap various characters and use them as pawns in deadly, barbaric games for its own amusement. The Marvel villain’s human form is typically portrayed as a young male in the comics, but I would love to see Anya Taylor-Joy bring the same complexity she brings when playing Beth Harmon to a gender-swapped version of the role for a film that would see her orchestrating the ultimate game of “chess” as the MCU’s next big bad after Thanos.
Namora
Another acclaimed TV show starring Anya Taylor-Joy was Atlantis, a BBC original series inspired by legends of Greek mythology. Right as she was on the cusp of achieving mainstream success in the United States, Taylor-Joy appeared in five episodes of Season 2 as a prophet named Cassandra, whose purpose was to reveal the will of the gods to fellow Atlanteans. If the actress were ever interested in returning to this fabled land, I have the perfect idea.
It has long been rumored that the Atlantean anti-hero Namor the Sub-mariner may play a part in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the upcoming sequel to the Oscar-winning MCU hit. Well, if we are finally going to introduce Marvel’s equivalent to Aquaman (a phrase that should really be reversed), we should also make room for his non-biological cousin, known as Namora, who is noted for using her semiaquatic abilities for good on a more regular basis. In fact, I think I would much rather see her get her own movie with Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead.
Invisible Woman
Another character who has close ties to Namor (but, actually, in a more romantic sense on and off) is Sue Storm, who is better known as Invisible Woman to Marvel readers. The aptly named hero has been portrayed on the big screen a couple of times before (by Jessica Alba in two poorly received action-comedies and by Anya Taylor-Joy’s Morgan co-star Kate Mara in the infamous Fant4stic in 2015), but with the MCU’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot movie now finally in the works, fans are hoping to see Sue and the gang given some proper justice. The only questions is, who will play her?
Considering it seems less likely now that fan-favorite choice Emily Blunt would be interested in the role, I think that Anya Taylor-Joy would be a great fit. She already looks the part, we know from the authority she brought to the title role of Emma that she can play a leader, and her reputation as an action star has been steadily on the rise. What more could you ask for in Invisible Woman?
Gwenpool
As a longtime fan of Anya Taylor-Joy, I would actually like to see her in a role that better reflects her more positive personality in real life. As much as I admire her ability to play characters with a darker edge, they seem to make up the majority of her resume. Now, instead of a role that requires her to play off of more distressing circumstances, how about a character who plays against darker tones in a hilarious fashion?
That is essentially the basis for the character of Gwendolyn Poole, who used to be an average teenager before she was magically transported into Marvel’s Earth-616 and decided to use her extensive knowledge of the universe from reading the comics to become her own superhero. Already one of the most original characters in Marvel history, adding Gwenpool to the MCU would be a game-changer, particularly for her extra-meta, interdimensional perspective. Plus, doesn’t the idea of giving Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth a sidekick with the same sort of mindset in Deadpool 3 sound too good to pass up?
Magik
So, I wanted to find a Marvel character in reference to Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout role in 2015’s The Witch, which led me to a search for heroes and villains alike who practice - you guessed it - witchcraft. One of the first names to come up was Magik - the apt alter-ego of magic-wielding mutant Illyana Rasputin. Since Taylor-Joy already played her in The New Mutants, I could have gone back to the drawing board, but instead I thought, Eh, why not?
It is no secret that this X-Men movies spin-off was not very well received when it finally released in 2020 (after countless release date delays). However, I would argue that Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance (and that of rest of the The New Mutants cast, even) is one of film’s greatest strengths. Now that the X-Men will become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the Disney/Fox merger, it is not completely out the question the Taylor-Joy and the gang could received a second chance as their mutant characters, and I think that is a chance worth taking.
You know, even if none of these Marvel characters work out for Anya Taylor-Joy (a second time in one instance), she could also be a great addition to the DC movies. However, she is playing a younger version of Charlize Theron’s Furiosa in the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel, so I think her up-and-coming reputation as a badass is in safe hands for the time being. Yet, if you could cast the actress in another Marvel movie, which role would you choose for her?
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