Surprising Casting News

[lynnenne]

Hello, and welcome to your weekly discussion post! Sorry this is a day late. This week's topic is about the upcoming Disney+ series, WandaVision. Aside from having one of the dumbest titles ever, Marvel announced some casting spoilers:

"The show will also feature Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. You might remember the character from Captain Marvel; played in that movie by Akira Akbar, Monica is the daughter of Carol Danvers' best friend, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch). In the comics, Monica eventually takes on the title of Captain Marvel herself after she gains powers when she is exposed to extra-dimensional energy." (TV Guide)

I loved Monica in Captain Marvel, and I'm excited to see her again. I previously had little interest in Wanda's or Vision's stories, but this might be enough to make me tune in. Since they're re-casting the role, it's safe to assume that we'll be meeting a grown-up Monica, roughly 20 years after the events of CM. I doubt they're going to make her Captain Marvel right away, though, since the MCU already has one of those (and she's awesome!). And I'm curious to see how they connect Monica's story to Wanda and Vision, since I don't think either of those characters has ever met Captain Marvel, or knows who she is.

What would you like Monica's role to be in this series? And do you think we'll see her mom, Maria?
 

Comments

[luthienberen]

I also loved Monica in Captain Marvel so seeing her grown up would be fantastic.

Considering Marvel has only just kicked off with Captain Marvel with Brie Larson (who I adore in the role), I agree with you that series will probably focus more on Monica in relation to Wanda and Vision.

Since Monica has experience with alien contact, I hope that aspect is developed with perhaps Monica becoming an important contact between Earth and the worlds beyond ours. :D

At any rate, I hope she has her own role and storyline. Having Maria in the series would be splendid - though I hope in that case we get glimpses of the Maria & CM friendship! I find it hard to believe that Carol wouldn't contact either Maria or Monica at all.

[lynnenne]

Since Monica has experience with alien contact, I hope that aspect is developed with perhaps Monica becoming an important contact between Earth and the worlds beyond ours.

Oh, that would be cool! And make me even more interested in the series.

[slippy]

I previously had little interest in Wanda's or Vision's stories, but this might be enough to make me tune in.
Same, it feels like some exec or writer was being pretty clever here. It's pretty out of left field which makes it interesting even if you're not interested in Monica already (which I totally am).

Teyonah Parris also looks like a good casting facewise. She works as older Akira Akbar.

[lynnenne]

It's pretty out of left field which makes it interesting even if you're not interested in Monica already (which I totally am).

Yes, I can't help but wonder what sort of role Monica will play in the story. It's unexpected but intriguing!

[snickfic]

I love Monica in the comics, but it's going to be weird for me to see her grown up in the MCU after meeting her as a child. I also have very little interest in Wanda or Vision, like you, and I wish they were introducing her in an installment I cared more about!

So IDK, this is very much a wait-and-see development for me. I hope she'll be awesome!

[lynnenne]

I wish they were introducing her in an installment I cared more about!

Yeah, same here. I don't mind Wanda so much, but Vision bores the crap out of me and their relationship is kind of a snooze.

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

MCU Vision has very little screentime and most of that is AoU zingers and whomping, CA:CW and fate accompli Love on the Run in Infinity War. They've got more depth for a given value of Soap Operas in 616 but that can't do much for what's on screen MCU.

Is Wonder Man cosmic? (I've only sort of read some with him and Lore is So Involved.(tm)

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

I wonder if they do power her, they settle on one of her other superhero names and just make that the initial and final moniker for MCU.

[lynnenne]

I wasn't aware she had more than one superhero name! Were there several incarnations of Monica in the comics?

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

I'm not clear on all the ins and outs; she's not been in the collections I've read (I need to figure out which titles she's in, only way to navigate the library) but basically she had musical monikers. She'd taken Captain Marvel in honor of Captain Mar-vel when Carol was still Ms. Marvel and then there was a series of her conceding names because some other storyline wanted which ever but couldn't call shotgun before Monica had worn it in print. I think that's all in prior to the 1999 Omnibus?

Maria got a bit of an update with the timeshifting since Monica was an adult about the same timeframe as the MCU Top Gun tribute.

So, with the Lore pruned down Because, they have several choices and the opportunity to do right by her. Saying they even go the powered route in the show. They might instead relaunch her in the comics powered for tie-in synergy.

[glitteryv]

NGL, I had no plans to watch Wandavision because I legit can't stand Vision after AoU (which is a movie I tend to avoid altogether to begin with). It seems, however, that Disney-Marvel's doing the most for me to tune in cuz the fact that we're getting Randall Park, Darcy Lewis, AND grown-up!Monica Rambeau is totes making me cave in. XD

I want to see her with her powers, maybe as Darcy's friend (?). Deffo want her to be front and center and not having a couple of walk-in scenes. Since there's nothing anyone knows about the show itself (aside from it being weird and setting up something that will be resolved in Dr. Strange and MOM), I can't think of anything specific for Monica Rambeau to being involved in.

It does make me a bit sad that we won't see (?) child or teenager!Monica since she was one of the highlights in the Captain Marvel movie. OTOH, in the comic book canon, I know that Monica Rambeau was Captain Marvel for a period of time too.