5 MCU Characters We'd Love To See Jessica Chastain Play
Jessica Chastain knows what she wants — a superhero role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And she won't settle for anything less.
The "Scenes From A Marriage" actress almost made her MCU debut twice, in "Iron Man 3" and later, "Doctor Strange." Chastain was set to appear alongside Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark as Maya Hansen, a geneticist whose work helped create Stark's Extremis project, an advanced form of genetic manipulation that granted one the ability to heal and regenerate from damages and deformities.
Unfortunately, Jessica Chastain had to leave the project due to a busy work schedule, and the part eventually went to Rebecca Hall. The actor shared on her Facebook page that she couldn't be involved in the project due to her commitments, expressing her wishes to be in another Marvel movie in the future. Years later, Chastain was approached once more to portray Christine Palmer in "Doctor Strange," a surgeon and the former girlfriend of Benedict Cumberbatch's character Stephen Strange. The actor rejected the role again, but it wasn't until 2020 we found out why.
The film's screenwriter, C. Robert Cargill, shared during a podcast that the actor was interested in joining the MCU as a superhero and not a sidekick. She had one opportunity to join the franchise, and she wanted to do it the right way — by putting on a cape and engaging in memorable action sequences.
Chastain also shared with The Guardian that she would've loved to play Black Widow and didn't want to be a superhero's girlfriend or daughter. She desired to play an impactful role in the MCU, should an opportunity be presented to her.
She told the publication in 2014: "I would love to do a superhero movie ... I would have loved to have played Black Widow. A couple of times I've gotten really close. The problem is, if I do a superhero movie, I don't want to be the girlfriend. I don't want to be the daughter. I want to wear a f***ing cool costume with a scar on my face, with fight scenes. That's what I'd love."
Jessica Chastain is patiently waiting to take on a Marvel role that's suited to her (the less said about her turn as Vuk in 20th Century Fox's "Dark Phoenix," the better), and with the MCU constantly adding new faces to their roster, maybe third time's the charm? Here are 5 badass characters from the comics that we'd love to see Jessica Chastain take on!
Ava Orlova/ Red Widow
Ava Orlova, also known as the Red Widow in the Marvel comic books, is part of the same Black Widow Ops program that recruited fan-favorite characters Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). While Ava and Natasha don't share a family connection, Natasha refers to her as her sister in the comics. Ava was rescued by Romanoff when she was nine years old and grew up to be an aggressive vigilante. She can channel electricity through firearms and uses a pair of extendable and retractable sabers to generate charges through them. Jessica Chastain wanted to play Black Widow — but the role went to Scarlett Johansson, and later, the MCU introduced Yelena Belova. We already know that Yelena will be the second character to take on "Black Widow" as her alias, so maybe there's room for a Red Widow alongside her in the MCU? It could be the perfect role for the actress!
Elektra
Another character that can be an excellent fit for Jessica Chastain is Elektra Natchios — an assassin skilled in martial arts and weaponry. Elektra is a love interest of the superhero Daredevil/Matt Murdock, but her violent nature and mercenary lifestyle usually meddle with it. She becomes the second Daredevil and possesses extraordinary strength, speed, and reflexes. Elektra is an antihero, she is dangerous, has a dark past, and is often motivated by revenge. The comics feature several stories that see her as a bit of a gray character, and with Chastain's acting range, who could be more promising than her?
Previously, French-Cambodian actress Elodie Yung portrayed Elektra in the second season of Marvel's Netflix series "Daredevil," and in 2003, Jennifer Garner played the character in "Elektra" (2005). Time for a new iteration of the character? Maybe.
Dorma
"Avengers: Endgame" co-screenwriter Christopher Markus confirmed the film's Easter egg referencing Namor the Submariner, the comic book character who is a mutant-Atlantean hybrid. In a future MCU project focused on the Atlantean Prince, there could be room for Chastain to play Dorma, a close confidant (and later, lover) of Namor. Dorma is a member of the aristocracy of under-sea Atlanteans and is a trained warrior with Atlantean combat skills. She can breathe underwater, withstand underwater pressure and temperatures, and can see through the depths of the ocean. Dorma once went up against Dr. Doom, who recruited her to join a group that could help him conquer Earth and rule it, but her ruthless nature made her aspire to usurp Doom's leadership by killing him.
Angela/Aldrif Odinsdottir
Angela (also known as Aldrif Odinsdottir) is the daughter of Odin and the lost sister of Thor and Loki. The character has appeared in two series of comic books — "Spawn" and "Guardians of the Galaxy." She's an immortal angel and a bounty hunter who can fly, has immense strength, super speed, and durability that enables her to withstand the attacks of Gamora, Drax, and Thor.
Her comic book storylines include a run-in with the Guardians who accompany Angela to visit Earth and a Thor/Loki adventure to the tenth realm, making her a fascinating character. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3" has already added Adam Warlock to their squad, so why not Angela? She would be a badass character to play!
Clea
Jessica Chastain rejected a role in "Doctor Strange" because she wanted to play a superhero. While the Sorcerer Supremer is the central character of his comic books, there's also Clea, a powerful and intriguing female character who has yet to join the MCU. Although Clea was originally Strange's love interest and disciple, she transforms into an accomplished sorceress and becomes his equal partner. She can create and throw magical bolts of energy, conjure objects, cast illusions, and control minds. Clea is deeply rooted in Strange's history, and with the character continuing to be an indispensable part of the MCU, there's only a matter of time before Clea is seen on the big screen. The character also becomes the Sorceress Supreme of the Dark Dimension, so it's inconceivable that she'll sit out of the story forever.