Daisy Ridley Would Be Perfect As These Marvel Characters
With the massive success of popular properties like "WandaVision," "Loki," "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," and "Hawkeye," one thing has been made perfectly clear: the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't going anywhere. While not every Phase 4 project so far has excelled with flying colors, most of the MCU's post-"Endgame" films and Disney+ streaming series have been well received by both fans and critics alike — while continuing to bring in big bucks.
Winning at such a consistent rate probably makes it lot less stressful to plan out future installments for the super-powered franchise. In fact, Marvel head Kevin Feige and company have already mapped out MCU projects through 2023. While some will involve the return of pre-existing fan favorite characters, it also opens the door for potential new heroes to enter the fray. As always, the promise of new heroes leads to extensive fan casting.
While the wish lists of prospective new MCU additions vary by person, there's one actress in particular who just might check off more boxes than her competition: Daisy Ridley. The "Star Wars" starlet possesses A-list looks and incredible acting chops, is young enough to ensure years of sequels and future appearances, and has already proven her ability to headline a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Although she's already been heavily rumored as the front runner for one spidery superhero, there are tons of Marvel heroines that Daisy Ridley could bring to life. Let's explore.
Ridley would love to play Spider-Woman
In August of 2020, news broke that Olivia Wilde had signed on to direct a secret Marvel-Sony film. This announcement set the internet ablaze with speculation as to what Marvel character the talented actress-director might be bringing to the big screen, but there was one pretty unanimous prediction: Spider-Woman. In the comics, Spider-Woman, aka Jessica Drew, was a genetically enhanced Hydra agent who, after being ordered to kill Nick Fury, decided to switch sides and join S.H.I.E.L.D. Over the years, Jess has been a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, a S.W.O.R.D. agent, an integral member of several Avengers teams, and, perhaps most impressively, a mother. She can truly do it all.
As anticipation for a possible Spider-Woman film mounted, fans started wondering which actress would be a good fit for the role. Enter Daisy Ridley, fresh from playing Rey for the final time in 2019's "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" and possibly on the hunt for her next big role. With extensive experience in a popular action franchise, there's no reason why she couldn't seamlessly slip into the MCU. Digital artist ApexForm took it one step further on Instagram, creating an impressive rendering of what Ridley could look like as Jess Drew.
Ridley apparently hadn't heard about all the fan chatter until author Sariah Wilson informed her, but according to Wilson, she would be extremely interested in the opportunity should Marvel ever come calling: "OMG, I would love to play Spider-Woman."
She fits the Brand
Although nothing has come to fruition on the Spider-Woman front as of yet, Ridley isn't necessarily tied down to just that one superhero role. When speaking to ComicBookMovie, she discussed how much she enjoyed "WandaVision," and how she'd be more than willing to join the MCU should the right role come along: "To be particularly in that world, which is ever-shifting and reimagining itself, would be very exciting." Ironically, there's a chance that a great part for Ridley was hinted at in the final moments of "WandaVision" — that of S.W.O.R.D. director Abigail Brand.
In the comics, Brand is a half-alien, half-mutant who is almost always involved when Earth faces extraterrestrial threats (which is all the time). With her green hair, hot hands, and major boss woman energy, she's a significant figure in the cosmic side of the Marvel universe. Throughout the years, she's fought alongside several of Marvel's most notable heroes, especially Captain Marvel.
Brand also played a pivotal role in 2008's Secret Invasion storyline, where she frees Reed Richards from a Skrull ship before returning to Earth to join the Avengers' final battle with the shape-shifting aliens. Given that the MCU's "Secret Invasion" series will debut on Disney+ in the near future, it's possible that Abigail Brand will be introduced as a key player. At 29 years old, Daisy Ridley is the perfect age for the young commander, and with some green hair dye, she could really look the part. Skrulls be warned.
She'd make a smashing Smasher
Isabel Kane is one of the newer heroes to enter the Marvel universe, making her first appearance in Jonathan Hickman's 2012 run of Avengers comics. An astronomy major from rural Iowa, Izzy returned home to take care of her dying grandfather and inadvertently discovered a strange pair of goggles on her family's farm. The goggles wound up being the Exospex of a Smasher, a prestigious member of a galactic law enforcement group called the Imperial Guard. When Izzy put them on, she acquired the powers of a Smasher and became a Subguardian of the Imperial Guard. Eventually, she was recruited by Steve Rogers and proudly accepted a role on his new extended Avengers team.
While seeing her link up with the Earthbound Avengers at some point would be undoubtedly cool, perhaps Izzy's true MCU potential lies in the stars. A small town farmer's kid from Midwestern America becoming a legendary space adventurer? Sound like anyone you know, Peter Quill? The origin stories of Kane and Quill certainly share a lot of similarities, so they would understandably hit it off should they ever cross paths in a future "Guardians of the Galaxy" sequel or spinoff. Who knows, maybe Smasher could even fill the Gamora-shaped hole in Star-Lord's heart.
Should Kane's Smasher eventually appear in the MCU, Daisy Ridley's name should be at the very top of the casting department's list. Something about her playing an intergalactic force for good just seems to work...no idea why.
Daisy's a Dazzler
When she was assembling her Grammy-nominated 35th studio album, 2016's "Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway," legendary actress and singer Barbara Streisand reached out to a handful of Hollywood's finest performers to pitch in with their pitch-perfect pipes. The list included proven vocal talents like Jamie Foxx, Hugh Jackman, and Anne Hathaway, but Babs also called upon a lesser known chanteuse: Daisy Ridley. "I took a chance with Daisy and it paid off," Streisand said. "She can sing."
Having someone like Streisand vouch for Ridley's vocal abilities definitely indicates talent, making her a superb choice to play Dazzler if and when Disney decides to bring the X-Men into the MCU. In the comics, Dazzler, whose real name is Alison Blaire, is a mutant who can convert sound vibrations into powerful beams of blinding light. This obviously comes in handy when fighting bad guys with her fellow X-Men teammates, but that's not all she uses her powers for. She's also an extremely gifted singer who became a pop sensation by incorporating her light beams into her concerts. She's like a one-woman laser show.
As it turns out, Ridley isn't only a talented singer -– she's also a pretty solid rapper. In 2019, Ridley went on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and had the crowd going crazy when she slayed Lil' Kim's verse from "Lady Marmalade." Throw some colorful strobe lights into that impromptu performance and you'll have a glimpse of what Ridley could look like as Dazzler.
Hi, Felicia
In November, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" producer Amy Pascal had Marvel fans going crazy when she confirmed that Peter Parker wouldn't be hanging up his Spidey suit anytime soon, saying, "We are getting ready to make the next Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Marvel ... This is not the last of our MCU movies."
While potentially getting Holland's Spider-Man back for more outings is a treat, this news is equally exciting because of the doors it opens for other characters to enter the MCU. Spidey arguably has the best rogues' gallery of any superhero in history, so seeing some of his infamous foes on the big screen is an exhilarating prospect. One such villain is Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat.
In the comics, Black Cat was an expert thief who crossed webs with the wallcrawler on several occasions. Although she started off as one of his adversaries, Felicia acquired feelings for Spider-Man as their relationship blossomed, eventually transforming into more of an anti-heroine than an antagonist. One of Spidey's most notable romances, Felicia is even one of the few people to learn his true identity.
Although Felicity Jones first played the role in Sony's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," Daisy Ridley would make a purr-fect selection to take over as Felicia Hardy in the MCU. She has the physique to pull off the sleek black costume, and she already has chemistry with Holland after the two co-starred in 2021's "Chaos Walking." All she needs is a platinum wig.
From lightsaber to Psi-Blade
If you're going to play a Jedi in the "Star Wars" universe, you'd better be able to skillfully wield a lightsaber. In order to ensure that Rey was a believable swordswoman, Daisy Ridley put herself through intensive "lightsaber school," telling Vogue that her training included making "eight thwacks one way, eight the other, eight up, eight down." It sounds tiring, but all the hard work certainly paid off — Rey's fight sequences were some of the finest scenes in her three "Star Wars" entries. But who says her swashbuckling days are over?
Ridley's masters degree from lightsaber school makes her a consummate candidate to play Betsy Braddock, one of the most intriguing characters in Marvel lore. Although Olivia Munn played the role in 2016's "X-Men: Apocalypse," Braddock actually has two notable superhero identities in the comics: psychic X-Men slasher Psylocke, and cockney Captain America, Captain Britain. You could honestly make the case that Ridley would perfectly fit either version.
Whether she's fighting as Psylocke or Captain Britain, Braddock often fights with a telekinetic katana called a Psi-Blade, which would be a pretty seamless transition from the last time Ridley had to wield a neon laser sword on camera. Also, Betsy is British in the comics, like Ridley in real life. With the look, the experience, and the accent all accounted for, Ridley would be a match for whatever version of the character the MCU should choose to adopt.
She'd be perfect in Tigra's fur
There weren't a lot of female superheroes featured in their own solo comics in the 1970s. Ever the progressive thinker, Stan Lee took steps to eradicate this trend by creating a handful of female leads that would hopefully help women feel more represented. One of these characters was ex-cop Greer Grant, who the world would eventually come to know as Tigra.
Tigra is one of the more underrated characters in Marvel lore. By using a mysterious Cat's Head Amulet, Greer transforms into a cat-human hybrid with enhanced feline abilities, including fangs, claws, and super strength. Through the years, she has been a constant presence in Marvel comics, teaming up with the likes of Spider-Man, Moon Knight, and the Fantastic Four. She's a founding member of Hawkeye's West Coast Avengers team, as well as a teacher at Avengers Academy.
With a number of the original "Avengers" stars having bid adieu to the MCU, it's as good a time as any to inject some new faces into the team's roster. With the right casting, Tigra could be a worthy addition to join the ranks, and perhaps Daisy Ridley is exactly the person to fill her fur. While fans didn't exactly rave about Kristen Wiig's half-feline metahuman, Cheetah, in "Wonder Woman 1984," this is the MCU we're talking about. If they can turn a walking tree and a talking raccoon into household names, there's no reason they couldn't make Ridley a big hit as Tigra.
The Jessica Jones connection
Kevin Feige recently confirmed that Charlie Cox could return to the MCU as Daredevil, who he played in three seasons of the Netflix series of the same name. With Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin also popping up in Disney+'s "Hawkeye," just how many of Marvel's Netflix shows are going to play a role in the future of the MCU? Will we eventually see Finn Jones' Iron Fist, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, and Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, too?
While there are rumors that Ritter could resurface as the tough-as-nails PI in the "She-Hulk" series hitting Disney+ in 2022, the actress sure made it sound like she was done playing Jones in an interview with TV Line back in 2019. "Do I think I'll play her again? I don't think so," Ritter said. "I feel good about closing the door." If Ritter is indeed out, Daisy Ridley could be an excellent replacement to take on the part.
Ridley shares a lot of physical features with Jones in the comics, leading some fans to pitch her for a recast version of the role, but she also shares a different kind of connection with the character. In the comics, Jessica suffered from intense PTSD after being brainwashed by the heinous Purple Man, requiring months of therapy to overcome it. Becoming an overnight celebrity due to "Star Wars," Ridley also sought out therapy to cope with her overwhelming fame. If she could channel that experience into the role of Jessica, Ridley could really deliver a believable performance.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
An X-cellent X-23
With the rights to the X-Men returned to Marvel, fans are anxiously awaiting the moment that mutants make their way into the MCU. Arguably the most popular mutant, Wolverine has been at the forefront of that discussion, with speculation taking place as to which actor should supersede Hugh Jackman. What if the right actor is actually an actress?
The MCU has demonstrated that they aren't interested in unnecessary backstory. For example, Tom Holland's Spider-Man entered the fray in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," with no explanation of the character's renowned origin. We all know about the infamous spider bite, or how Uncle Ben died — why waste screen time with what fans have already seen? Considering that Jackman's Wolverine has popped up in nine films to date, you could argue that his character needs no introduction, either.
So why not jump right into the middle, à la Holland's Spider-Man, and instead introduce Laura Kinney, aka X-23, Wolverine's clone. It'd be a fresh take on the character, who in the comics eventually takes up the Wolverine mantle herself. It also buys Marvel time to potentially explore Logan's role in a later film.
Should Disney go this route, Daisy Ridley would kill as X-23. She's got the look and build, and she reportedly has an intimidating personality, not unlike the adamantium-laced assassin. She also went to a boarding school in her youth, and Laura is often affiliated with Avengers Academy, which is essentially a boarding school for kids with powers.
Ridley's ripped
Although the mixed reception of 2017's "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi" split the rabid fan base into fragments, there's one thing that everyone should be able to agree on: Daisy Ridley looked the part of action star. With a focused diet and disciplined training regiment, the English actress had Rey looking more gym rat than Jedi. In short, Ridley got ripped.
Staying in such incredible shape keeps Ridley's name at the top of the casting list for some of the more muscled female superhero roles, which are only increasing in the MCU. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster will become the Goddess of Thunder in "Thor: Love and Thunder," Tatiana Maslany is going green for She-Hulk in her own Disney+ series, and the "Captain Marvel" sequel will feature three different super-powered women. Girl power in comic book movies has never been more prevalent.
Perhaps the toughest heroine in Marvel history is actually not a household name at all. Thundra, a genetically enhanced clone from the future, was bred to be the strongest woman on the planet. In the comics, Thundra was sent back in time and inadvertently crossed paths with the Fantastic Four. She eventually switched sides and helped the Four, even developing feelings for The Thing over time.
With the MCU's rebooted "Fantastic Four" in the works, perhaps Thundra could be a great character to explore. Daisy Ridley has proven that she can get shredded to play it.
A vampire heiress
One of the biggest twists in 2019's "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" was the revelation that Rey, assumedly the galaxy's last remaining Jedi Knight, was actually the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine. In the film's final battle, Rey had to defeat her own (rotting) flesh and blood in order to save the Resistance. Ironically, there's a potential character in an upcoming MCU installment that, should Daisy Ridley choose to play her, would yet again see her pitted against a nefarious family member: Lilith Drake, the daughter of Dracula.
While most people are familiar with Dracula from Bram Stoker's timeless 1897 novel, comic book readers know that there is also a version of the bloodsucking baddie in the Marvel universe. With an enormous legion of vampires at his beck and call, Drac has plagued Earth's mightiest heroes for centuries; however, his greatest adversary is everyone's favorite sword-swinging Daywalker, Blade, who just so happens to have his own MCU movie starring Mahershala Ali in the works.
Should the upcoming "Blade" reboot feature Dracula as the main antagonist, it makes sense that his daughter could be involved, too. In the comics, Lilith despises her father, who banished her and her mother from Transylvania when she was an infant. Perhaps she forms an uneasy alliance with Ali's Blade to take down dear old undead dad, clearing the path for her rise to power in future MCU movies. A Vampyric Daisy Ridley squaring off against the Avengers? Sign us up.