Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan has wowed audiences with her best movies like Little Women, Brooklyn and Lady Bird. While those films have gotten her attention during awards season, those are still considered small-scaled productions compared to the big-budget film franchises of Marvel, Harry Potter and Star Wars, among others. After addressing the casting rumors that surrounded her being offered the part of Yelena Belova in Black Widow, the Irish actress gets real if she’d consider joining an upcoming Marvel movie.
On the podcast Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, the host sat down with the Foe star and addressed those Black Widow casting rumors. The Golden Globe winner wondered how he heard about that and awkwardly laughed as if she didn't know what to say about that. With that “non-answer,” as Horowitz described it, he asked her if she’d ever consider joining a Marvel movie, and here was her answer:
I can't see myself doing Marvel. … I don't. No. I would prefer to do Bond. … There is nothing wrong with [Marvel], and I think they're brilliant films.
As all Marvel fans know, Florence Pugh was ultimately cast in the Black Widow movie as Natasha Romanoff’s sister, Yelena Belova. However, there was a rumor floating around that A-lister Saoirse Ronan turned down playing Yelena first, with Deadline reporter Justin Kroll claiming the reason being Marvel wasn’t Ronan’s “cup of tea.”
There’s no denying that Marvel would be a great way to get your name out there. After all, playing Iron Man in many of the Marvel movies in order truly shaped Robert Downey Jr.’s career, with the same happening to Tom Holland playing Spider-Man. At the same time, though, it doesn’t mean that the superhero realm is for every A-lister out there.
With that in mind, I can absolutely picture Saoirse Ronan in a James Bond movie. With her versatility and range, I'd love to see her kicking ass like when she was in the underrated action movie Hanna playing an assassin. But don’t expect the Atonement star to aspire to play the hero as she disclosed to Josh Horowitz how much she’d want to play the villain that gives off “Javier Bardem-vibes.” I’m already crossing my fingers that this moment will happen for her in the future.
The next 2024 movie release that Saoirse Ronan has out is the Sundance Film Festival premiere film The Outrun, where her performance is scoring early Oscar buzz. Even though Ronan can’t picture herself in a Marvel movie, she told Josh Horowitz it doesn’t mean that the talented actress doesn’t see herself starring in big films one of these days:
I want to do more big movies. … I love making independent films, I really do. But, especially in this landscape we’re in right now, to know that a film is going to be seen is such a luxury. I think especially after seeing Greta [Gerwig] make Barbie as well. I want to do that. Of course, I want to do that stuff.
The BAFTA nominee was almost in Barbie through a cameo appearance. However, she had to turn it down in order to star and produce the drama film The Outrun. With Saoirse Ronan’s history of headlining movies before, I’m sure the time will come when she’ll be in a big mainstream movie that’ll put her name on the map even further.
Saoirse Ronan may not have any interest in doing Marvel films, but I’m confident her future movies will bring her the greatest success that any Marvel actress has experienced before. She’s already got the Steve McQueen WWII-drama Blitz that’s coming to your Apple TV+ subscription on November 22nd, and she's in the upcoming movie Bad Apples about a teacher facing disruption from one student. Even without a big-budget franchise, Ronan still fits the bill for a successful, accomplished actress of her time.
