Since its origin with a short post-credits scene consisting of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) mentioning The Avengers, Marvel Studios' cinematic universe has grown into a massive blockbuster powerhouse with more than a dozen films - plus spinoff television series housed at both ABC and Netflix, with potentially more coming on other TV networks. Still, though heroes like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy have received live-action iterations, there are plenty of characters from the Marvel Comics mythos that fans hope to see join the MCU.
One of those fan-favorite characters is Doreen Green a.k.a. Squirrel Girl. A more outlandish and silly hero in Marvel's roster, Squirrel Girl has especially gained popularity in recent years due in part to the character's 2015 reboot from writer Ryan North and artist Erica Henderson titled The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Now, one of fans' top picks for fan-casting Doreen Green has admitted she has some interest in the character.
Speaking to Net-a-Porter while promoting her new film, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Anna Kendrick was asked which superhero - if any - she'd like to take on in a live-action capacity. She said:
“My brother sent me a Squirrel Girl comic because he thinks I should [play her]. I don’t know what Squirrel Girl does other than be half squirrel, but I could be half squirrel!”
Talk of Squirrel Girl potentially joining the MCU began back in 2014, when Marvel filed a trademark for the character - though that seems to have been the first step to launching the Unbeatable reboot. Still, the character has plenty of ties to heroes already established in the movie universe; Doreen was the nanny to Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' daughter and the rebooted comics storyline sees Squirrel Girl borrow tech from Tony Stark in order to take on Galactus.
Certainly, if Marvel is going to bring Squirrel Girl to life in the cinematic universe, Kendrick is the first choice for many fans - including us here at Screen Rant. Now, with Kendrick's own interest in the role, fans of the part-girl part-squirrel superhero may be one step closer to seeing their vision of Doreen Green on the big screen. Not to mention, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has said in the past that he would "love to do a Squirrel Girl movie."
That being said, given Kendrick's past work, it would only make sense to cast the actress if Marvel is giving Doreen Green her own movie - or her own TV series (though Kendrick is primarily a movie actress, there is an increasing trend of film stars committing to television roles). Still, who Marvel casts as Squirrel Girl likely has a lot to do with what the studio plans to do with the character - if they have any plans at all. Marvel TV has largely tapped into lesser known talent for the roles of its heroes: Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Adrienne Palicki as Bobbi Morse. Kendrick doesn't necessarily fit that bill given her name recognition.
So, if Marvel's Phase 4 were to include a Squirrel Girl movie, Kendrick may be the perfect casting choice in bringing together an actress recognizable to the average movie fan with a lesser-known, but beloved comic book character. However, if Marvel would rather go the route of a Squirrel Girl Netflix series (or a TV series at a different network), the studio may look for a different actress. But, this is simply speculation at the moment since Marvel has not made any official announcement of a Squirrel Girl adaptation - yet.
Next: 12 Underrated Female Superheroes Who Deserve Their Own Movies
We’ll keep you updated on Squirrel Girl as more information becomes available.
Source: Net-a-Porter