[Update: Aaron Taylor-Johnson confirms talks with Marvel and discusses character.]

Over the last two weeks Marvel Studios has managed to keep fans' attention away from recent news regarding The Avengers 2, by having them speculate over the series of high profile casting announcements for James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy which begins shooting later this month in London. Names including John C. Reilly, Glenn Close and Benicio Del Toro have distracted from that fact that both Marvel and rival studio Twentieth Century Fox are currently planning on confusingly using two of the same characters in their biggest respective franchise films over the next two years.

Joss Whedon first revealed his intention to introduce Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch during the red carpet of the Iron Man 3 world premiere and after confirming they are included in his first draft of The Avengers 2 screenplay, Bryan Singer one-upped him by announcing he's going to use at least of them first in next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past. The studios sharing the characters and bridging continuities doesn't seem to be in the cards.

The Wrap has the scoop which indicates that Marvel Studios and writer-director Joss Whedon are already looking to cast the new "brother-sister act" joining Earth's Mightiest for The Avengers 2, which begins filming next February, and that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the frontrunner for the role.

Aaron Johnson Ripped Kick-Ass 2

No other shortlisted names are known but whether or not Johnson lands the part, if the news is true that he's at least a contender it does mean that any hopes of Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Studios working together to share certain characters are shattered. Bryan Singer has Evan Peters playing Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past and Joss Whedon may or may not have Aaron Johnson play Quicksilver in his Avengers sequel. There's still no word on who could be playing Scarlet Witch in either cinematic universe and we don't even know if that character is part of Days of Future Past, although it would be strange for Singer to include one child of Magneto, but not the other.

Another interesting oddity is that it's Matthew Vaughn - the man behind X-Men: First Class and the story of Days of Future Past - who was responsible for helping launch Johnson's career in his own comic book movie, Kick-Ass, which of course has a sequel coming out later this year. It's therefore an odd choice for Whedon to grab someone who's just coming off of playing the titular hero in two comic book films, especially when the brand power behind The Avengers can be used to introduce another unfamiliar star who can be signed for a super-long-term deal with Marvel Studios.

_____

Iron Man 3 is currently in theaters, Thor: The Dark World on November 8, 2013, Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2014The Avengers 2 on May 1, 2015, Ant-Man on November 6, 2015, and Doctor Strange sometime after that.

Let me know on Twitter @rob_keyes who you think Marvel should cast as Quicksilver!

Source: The Wrap