Annette Bening Joins Captain Marvel Cast in Secret Role
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Movies News Captain Marvel
Four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening is finally adding a superhero movie to her esteemed filmography. Bening is joining Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (dir. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck), per THR, the first woman-led film from Marvel Studios. The film—arguably the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most important, behind only the Infinity War follow-up—began production in March, is currently shooting in and around Los Angeles, and will also shoot in Louisiana.
Oscar winner Larson stars as Carol Danvers, an Air Force pilot whose DNA fuses with that of a Kree alien after an accident, instilling her with extraordinary powers, including flight, superhuman strength and durability, and the ability to fire concussive bursts of energy with her hands. Infinity War’s post-credits scene teased the character, who may appear in the follow-up, but her solo movie is set in the ‘90s, long before the events of any of the Avengers films.
Also starring in the film are Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn (who will reportedly play its villain, the leader of the Skrulls) and Gemma Chan (Humans), along with Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace, who will reprise their Guardians of the Galaxy roles, and Samuel L. Jackson, who is expected to appear as Nick Fury. DeWanda Wise was also attached to the film at one point, though she has since exited due to scheduling conflicts with her Netflix series, She’s Gotta Have It.
Anyway, back to Bening: For now, all that’s known about her character is that she is a scientist. Multiple reports maintain that she is expected to play Carol Danvers’ mother, although that character was not a scientist in the Captain Marvel comics.
True news: Annette Bening joining CAPT MARVEL; being told she would be playing Danvers’ mother
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) May 9, 2018
Others have speculated that Bening may portray Helen Cobb, Danvers’ Air Force mentor from the comics, a pilot who served as a guiding force in Danvers’ life.
So Annette Bening is joining Captain Marvel in a secret role! My guess? Helen Cobb! Carol’s Air Force mentor and excellent supporting character created by the amazing @kellysue#DoYouEvenComicBookpic.twitter.com/X9TKsuYnCD
— #kamalakorp (@agentfitz777) May 9, 2018
Basically, there is no shortage of possibilities, but we have very little to go on at the moment. One thing is plain to see: An actor of Bening’s stature is sure to play a substantial role, especially seeing as how she’s making her first foray into superhero movie territory. Certainly, she wouldn’t do so unless this was a character she’ll be able to sink her talented teeth into.
Bening landed Best Actress Oscar nods for her performances in 2000’s American Beauty, 2004’s Being Julia and 2010’s The Kids Are All Right, plus a Best Supporting Actress nom for 1990’s The Grifters. Her most recent starring roles include Mike Mills’ Oscar-nominated 20th Century Women, period drama Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool and Warren Beatty’s Rules Don’t Apply. She can next be seen in CIA drama The Torture Report alongside Jon Hamm and Adam Driver, and Anton Chekhov adaptation The Seagull opposite Saoirse Ronan, which opens tomorrow, Friday, May 11.
Captain Marvel, on the other hand, doesn’t open until March 8, 2019. Stay tuned.