Every once in a while, a new TV show will debut and its cast suddenly becomes one of the most talked about group of actors in the business, and the Bridgerton cast is, undoubtedly, one such ensemble. One of the most talked about people from Netflix’s sexy period drama from producer Shonda Rhimes is Daphne Basset (née Bridgerton) actress Phoebe Dynevor, who has previously mastered various other genres (from modern romantic dramedy on Younger to modern comedic crime thriller on Crackle’s series adaptation of Snatch). However, she has yet to tackle any new superhero movies for the time being.
Of course, when someone becomes as critically and commercially popular as the 26-year-old Manchester native has, it is safe to assume that Kevin Feige and co. are already racking their brains over what Marvel characters she would be a great choice to bring to life on the big (or small) screen. We, ourselves, have already pondered the perfect roles for a few of her co-stars (namely Regé-Jean Page, who would make a great Doctor Voodoo, and Simone Ashley, who has the singing talent to play Dazzler), which makes it the perfect time to give Phoebe Dynevor the same treatment. The following are some potential characters we had in mind for her to play if and when she appears in any upcoming Marvel movies, starting with one that would utilize her penchant for costume dramas.
Athena
Bridgerton is only the most recent period piece that Phoebe Dynevor has starred on, having previously had roles on the early 20th-Century drama, The Village, and the Charles Dickens-inspired Dickensian for the BBC. However, she has never traveled back much further in time than the 19th Century so far, but the Marvel Comics universe is full of opportunities to change that for her. One such character I had in mind would also allow her the chance to show her more badass side on the big screen.
Not to be confused with Angelina Jolie’s character from the Eternals cast, Athena is, indeed, Marvel’s interpretation of the goddess of the same name that initially borrows a lot from Greek mythology. The way Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and subsequent writers changed things up was by seeing her eventually become a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, even thought Dynevor’s iteration would more likely be affiliated with S.W.O.R.D. or Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor at this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. Not to mention, with red hair she'd be nearly a dead ringer for the Olympian.
Frankie Raye
I will be honest: Phoebe Dynevor’s natural hair color (which is strawberry terracotta, according to Glamour) did, indeed, play a role in how I chose a few of her potential Marvel characters. However, I wanted to make sure that I did not go for too many of the obvious choice of comic book redheads - such as psychokinetic X-Men member Jean Grey or British monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone. My commitment to branching out a bit further led me in the direction of discovering Frankie Raye.
Otherwise known as Nova (but not to confused with cosmic lawman Richard Ryder’s alter ego), Frankie Raye is a pyrokinetic who was actually able to overcome her initial fear of fire with the help of a person she had a lot in common with: Johnny “Human Torch” Storm. After becoming romantically involved with Johnny and earning a spot on the Fantastic Four with his help, she was later, essentially, “reborn” with new, even more powerful cosmic abilities after becoming a herald of Galactus. Raye was last portrayed in live-action in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and perhaps Jon Watts’ upcoming reboot could fit her in with Dynevor in the role this time.
Mystique
Of course, if there is one character who could be considered the most iconic redhead in the Marvel Universe it would have to be Raven Darkholme, better known to readers and moviegoers alike as Mystique. The shapeshifting mutant has been previously portrayed on the big screen in the X-Men movies by Rebecca Romijin and later, as her younger self, by Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence. The question of who would be the next actress to fill her shoes when Marvel Studios finally reboots the franchise is one that has been on fans’ minds for a while now.
Well, I am willing to bet that answering that question with the name “Phoebe Dynevor” would be welcomed with a warm response. The actress could bring a refreshing dark wit and game-changing charm to her performance, for a new take on the character that could be just what the character needs in this upcoming revision of the property. Plus, the only major physical transformation she would need to undergo is the heavy blue makeup while her hair would be able to stay exactly the same.
Polaris
On second thought, what if Phoebe Dynevor would actually be willing to use her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as an opportunity to change things up with her hair color, just like when she went blonde for her stint in the Younger cast as Clare O’Brien? However, what if she wanted to go for a look unlike anything she has ever done before? I have yet another X-Men comics character in mind who would be perfect for that particular situation.
The green-haired Lorna Dane is better known as Polaris (at least she is currently, having previously gone by Magneta and other aliases) in reference to the fact that she is the daughter of Magneto and was born with, just about, all of the same abilities, but also with a polarity opposite to that of her father. I think exploring their family dynamic would make for an interesting plot point in a future installment of Marvel Studios’ X-Men movies reboot franchise, and that Dynevor would be a smashing choice to portray this fascinating character who has often gone back and forth on her opinions of the state of mutantkind.
Clea
I also have an idea for how Phoebe Dynevor could be able to have a reunion with one of her former Bridgerton co-stars in the MCU, but it would only happen if every detail goes 100% according to plan. Earlier, I mentioned how I named the Haitian-born sorcerer, and Doctor Strange ally, Doctor Voodoo as one of my picks in my hypothetical comic book movie casting session for Simon Basset actor Regé-Jean Page. If that prediction were to come true, then I would recommend casting Dynevor as Clea.
When she initially crossed paths with the Sorcerer’s Supreme, Clea was initially the heir to the dark dimension, until she and Stephen Strange fell in love and embarked on many magical adventures together. So, clearly, this would mean that, while they would be able to fight alongside each other, Dynevor would not be sharing a romance with her onscreen husband from the Netflix hit and, instead, with Benedict Cumberbatch. Sounds like a win either way, especially with a role so beloved.
You know, if things do not work out for for Phoebe Dynevor in the MCU, there are plenty of redheads that have yet to be adapted in any of the new DC movies, such as a Poison Ivy to face off against Robert Pattinson’s Batman or perhaps even Gotham City journalist Vicki Vale. Time will only tell.
