Days ago the web blew up with the news that director Bryan Singer had signed up Evan Peters for X-Men: Days Of Future Past. While Peters is undeniably a cracking actor, it was the character he’s set to play that caused the ruckus. Just to mess with that intangible mindmap you’ve been plotting on your desktop about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Singer cast Peters as the mutant Quicksilver. The very same Quicksilver that Joss Whedon had recently announced was to appear in The Avengers 2.
It all boils down to rights, and essentially, Marvel AND Fox both have the right to bring Quicksilver and his sister, the Scarlet Witch. The sibling duo first appeared in X-Men comic #4 and later joined The Avengers, appearing in their comic series as well. Marvel’s Kevin Feige addressed the issue stating that each studio is well within their right to use the characters, however, the context in which they appear is rather specific. What he means is, if they appear in X-Men, the film cannot reference their time with The Avengers, and vice versa. Blimey.
The Avengers 2 director, writer and all-round oracle, Joss Whedon appeared last night on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. During the interview, Fallon attempted to prise out of Whedon any details concerning characters who’ll appear in the mega sequel. It seems like regardless of Singer’s brazen Tweet, Marvel and Whedon have not been deterred from including the two in the upcoming film:
“There are new characters. I’ve already said that we’re going to have a brother-sister team, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, who were great mainstays of The Avengers when I was reading the comics as a kid.”
Following the news that Peters will join the cast of X-Men: Days Of Future Past, it now seems definite that they’re still in the running for The Avengers 2. There has been considerable speculation concerning the possibility of a Marvel-Fox crossover but this seems unlikely. Fallon went on to ask if casting had commenced, to which Whedon replied:
“Not yet, we’re doing that now.”
If you cast your mind back to when rumours first circulated concerning Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, one actress came up as a possibility. According to rumours, Saoirse Ronan had been eyeballed by the studio. As news spread across the web, the actress was asked during an interview with The Mary Sue how she’d feel about the role:
“I have heard about it and yes, I would. Yeah, of course I would. I love Joss and I love those films, and I love his handle on them and how he portrayed these kinds of superheroes. I think it’s very different from what anyone else has done. So yeah, I’d love to be in it.”
Is this just a coincidence, or does the timing suggest that she could genuinely be up for the part? More importantly, what do YOU think of Saoirse Ronan joining The Avengers 2? Should the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver even appear, now they’ve been snagged for another franchise? Sound off in an eloquent manner below!