Last week, after ‘The Avengers’ had only been in theaters domestically for one weekend, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that a sequel for the moneymaking Marvel mash-up movie was in development. However, no word on who would be helming the film accompanied the news. We can only hope that Joss Whedon comes back at this point, and if he does, he’s looking to bring more ladies to the party.
The ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, ‘Firefly’, and ‘Dollhouse’ creator is no stranger to strong, sexy, and sassy female characters, and he’s looking to bring more of his trademark character style to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a roundtable interview with Entertainment Weekly that included the director and his super team in its entirety, Whedon had this to say about female-led action flicks:
“Studios will tell you: A woman cannot headline an action movie. After ‘The Hunger Games’ they might stop telling you that a little bit. Whatever you think of the movie, it’s done a great service. And after The Avengers, I think it’s changing.”
As Black Widow herself, Scarlett Johansson, points out in the interview, the first time you see her character, she’s getting punched in the face. Then she proceeds to take down a group of thugs single-handedly. Things like this are exactly why Marvel Studios needs to keep Joss Whedon around to helm ‘Avengers 2’. Just like he changed the public perception of superhero movies, he can change the perception of women in action movies as well.
So what needs to happen before Whedon gets his way with more lady Avengers? Well, firstly, they need to sign him on to direct officially. Then, Marvel would need to introduce more of their female heroes in ‘Iron Man 3’, ‘Thor 2’, ‘Captain America 2’, and the rest of Marvel Studios’ phase two slate of movies. Sure, the world has already seen The Invisible Girl, the ladies of the X-Men, Elektra, and a few more, but all those are at different studios and off limits to the world of ‘The Avengers’ for now.
Now, this is the part where we ask for audience participation. EW weighed in and said that Scarlet Witch, Moondragon, Hellcat, and Mantis might make good additions to the team. In previous articles, I said that the Wasp, She-Hulk, and Miss Marvel could easily be inserted into the MCU. But what do you think? Which of Marvel’s femme fatales would you like to see on the big screen in the next few years? Maybe Agent Sharon Carter, a frequent collaborator of Captain America’s? Or Rescue, the armored alter ego of Pepper Potts? Or Hawkeye’s wife, Mockingbird? Let’s hear your suggestions in the comments!