Kristen Stewart Will Star In A Marvel Movie On One Condition - And It's Big
Though she has roots in franchise fare — specifically, her starring turn in the "Twilight" films — Kristen Stewart has been a champion of independent filmmaking for years. As such, it's not shocking that she said she's not very interested in appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If she did join the MCU, however, she has one big condition.
During an episode of the podcast "Not Skinny but Not Fat," Stewart shared a pretty hilarious take on blockbuster films, saying, "[I] like big movies because I like people to watch them when I'm in them." Still, she said that being in a superhero movie sounds like a "f***ing nightmare," largely because of the structures in place at studios like Marvel. "[The] system would have to change," Stewart remarked. "You would have to put so much money and so much trust into one person, and it doesn't happen. And so therefore, what ends up happening is this algorithmic, weird experience where you can't feel personal at all about it."
Okay, so what's her condition? Apparently, if "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig — who was recently the subject of a pretty rough Oscars snub — took on an MCU movie, Stewart would do it. "But maybe the world changes," she said, clarifying that if Gerwig were to ask her, she'd be totally on board.
In the unlikely event that Kristen Stewart joined the MCU, who could she even play?
Let's speculate wildly for a moment: if Greta Gerwig got involved with Marvel Studios and asked Kristen Stewart to appear as a character from the original comics, who could she possibly play? There are a few options available ... and any one of them could be fascinating. (It's important to note that, in these character descriptions, we are barely scratching the surface of what these characters have done in the comics.)
First, there's Kate Pryde, whom longtime "X-Men" readers and fans of the films where she was played by Elliot Page, know as Kitty. In the aftermath of her possession by the demon ninja Ogun, she grows up quickly. Taking on the codename Shadowcat, she becomes a formidable fighter. For a while, she even ends up in space and becomes Star-Lord, temporarily taking over the codename and responsibilities of her former fiancée, Peter Quill, played in the MCU by Chris Pratt.
Then there's Callisto — who, yes, was previously played in "X-Men: The Last Stand" by Dania Ramirez — an extremely tough mutant who's a beautiful woman covered in scars. The eyepatch-wearing Callisto forges an alliance with Storm after the two face off and fight over the leadership of a group of sewer-dwelling mutant outcasts known as Morlocks. Sure, it's a strange part, but Stewart hasn't ever shied away from offbeat material.
Finally, what about Black Cat? Sure, Felicia Hardy is basically Spider-Man's answer to Batman's Catwoman, but she's very cool. If Gerwig could concoct a brilliant "Barbie" movie based on a doll, she could certainly craft a compelling narrative based around a jewel thief with the power to curse those who cross her with bad luck.
When will people stop asking actors about the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
If you step back from this entire scenario, though, it feels egregiously weird that anyone is asking Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart if she'd do a Marvel movie — particularly when you consider the current state of the MCU. For a long time, it felt like every single working actor found their way into the superhero-filled universe somehow, from two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (who showed up as the villainous Hela in "Thor: Ragnarok") to legitimate Hollywood legend Robert Redford (who appeared in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," also as the villain). These days, superhero movies aren't really thriving as a genre, and a number of actors involved in them have been pretty open about looking for outs whenever possible.
After playing Wanda Maximoff — also known as Scarlet Witch — throughout several movies and a television show, Elizabeth Olsen was pretty blunt about the fact that the MCU kept her from pursuing smaller, potentially more challenging projects (like Yorgos Lanthimos' strange romance "The Lobster"). Dave Bautista, the man behind Drax the Destroyer, seemed relatively relieved to end his run after "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," which points to a larger problem about the monopoly that an MCU role places on an actor's career.
Kristen Stewart is an incredibly busy performer; she's one of two American actors to win a César (basically, the French Academy Award), and she's currently working on her feature film writing and directing debut, "The Chronology of Water." Unless Greta Gerwig comes knocking — which feels unlikely due to her "Chronicles of Narnia" commitments — Stewart seems super unlikely to don a supersuit any time soon.