Hollywood currently plays host to multiple notable action heroines, including names like Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Daisy Ridley (Rey), and Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen). However, one should never forget the woman who largely paved the way for women kicking butt on the big screen: Sigourney Weaver. As Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise, Weaver proved that women could fight dangerous enemies just as well as any male hero could, and stood front and center of several iconic moments in action film history.
Not content to rest on her Alien laurels, Weaver has remained active in both film and TV in the decades since Ripley's heyday, starring in hits like Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, and Avatar. While it's still uncertain when - or even if - Weaver will ever reprise her signature role of Ripley, she's certainly never at a loss for work. She's signed on for James Cameron's upcoming Avatar sequels, provided a voice for Pixar's Finding Dory earlier this year, and even returned for a small role in Paul Feig's Ghostbusters reboot.
The latest high-profile production to acquire Weaver's services is Marvel's The Defenders, the eight-episode miniseries culmination of the individual Netflix seasons starring street-level NYC heroes Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). Weaver will play a villain in the miniseries, although more information on her role has yet to be revealed. As excited as many fans were to learn of Weaver's casting, it seems like The Defenders' cast might be even more so.
In a recent interview with the San Antonio Current, Cox expressed how happy he is to be sharing the screen with an actress of Weaver's caliber:
"You know, when she came on stage with us at New York Comic Con, I wanted to say, 'In Hell’s Kitchen, no one hears you scream.' I don’t think it gets better than Sigourney Weaver. I think we are immensely lucky to have her. It’s a testament to shows like Daredevil and Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. The quality of those shows have drawn someone of her caliber, which is very exciting for us. I can't wait to read it and have a scene with her. It’s one of the experiences I’ll probably remember for the rest of my career."
That is obviously quite high praise for one actor to receive from another, but it makes sense, as the stars of The Defenders are all young enough that they likely grew up watching Weaver's Ripley smack around Xenomorphs and hold her own in a verbal joust with Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman. In that light, it's quite understandable why Cox would be geeking out at the thought of working with her.
Of course, The Defenders is still a ways off, as Luke Cage only recently debuted on Netflix, and Iron Fist is still yet to come. In fact, The Defenders hasn't even received a definite release date yet. Still, if there's one actress who can pose a believable threat to the four heroes that make up the titular group, it's the badass woman behind Ellen Ripley.
Daredevil seasons 1 and 2, Jessica Jones season 1, and Luke Cage season 1 are now available on Netflix. Iron Fist will premiere on March 17, 2017, with The Defenders expected later in the year. Premiere dates for the newest seasons of Jessica Jones, The Punisher, and Daredevil have not yet been announced.
Source: San Antonio Current