SPOILERS.
Joss Whedon has already said that he plans to introduce more women into Marvel’s cinematic roster over the course of Phase Two, because 1) he’s Joss Whedon and 2) women are severely under-represented on the cinematic superhero front. I remember reading an Entertainment Weekly interview with Whedon back when THE AVENGERS was first about to release, and he was asked why he kept writing strong female characters into his work. He responded with something along the lines of “because you have to keep asking me that question.”
To which I grinned and thought “touche,” because he is sadly right. But if today’s rumor is true, the change he has spoken about enacting may already be well on its way to fruition. French actress Stephanie Szostak (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, R.I.P.D.) joined IRON MAN 3 a ways back, but her exact role was never specified. Since then, two “inside sources” have contributed to the rumor mill surrounding her presence, one source simply saying that “fans will go crazy” over who she is playing while the other outright stating that she is none other than Janet van Dyne, aka the woman who eventually becomes the Avenger known to readers as Wasp.
While I doubt we’d see Szostak in costume if this rumor turns out to be true, there are still plenty of movies left between IRON MAN 3 and THE AVENGERS 2 in 2015 in which we might see van Dyne become the true heroine fans of the comics know her to be. I’m thinking ANT-MAN specifically, as Henry Pym and van Dyne are connected on many levels and would provide a fascinating and human dynamic to the greater team relationship in AVENGERS 2. I’m seeing shades of SERENITY and “Firefly” here, and I like it. I like it a lot.
But what about you?
This is a still from the IRON MAN 3 trailer featuring Szostak and Downey Jr.
And this is a picture featuring Szostak by herself, because… because yeah.