Will Rachel McAdams Be The Next Marvel Heroine?

After an endless stream of male-focused superhero movies, it appears as if the female superhero is finally about to get her moment in the spotlight. The latest in lady superhero news is a doozy — according to a slip by a lead Daredevil writer, Rachel McAdams might play The Night Nurse in the upcoming Doctor Strange flick.

Superhero movies have seen an expanding female audience over the past decade and the success of female leads in superhero movies (Scarlett Johansson's success as The Black Widow in The Avengers and subsequent triumph in the blockbuster Lucy is one such example) has spawned a number of female-driven superhero productions that will roll out over the next few years.

Many Daredevil fans have speculated that Rosario Dawson's character, Claire Temple, is based off of Marvel's Linda Carter a.k.a. The Night Nurse in the popular Netflix series. A key Daredevil writer let slip in an interview with /Film that Dawson's character was indeed based on The Night Nurse but her name had to be changed for the Netflix series because Marvel's film department had other plans for a cinematic depiction of Linda Carter.

Any big screen depiction of the Night Nurse will be preceded by a slew of other notable female heroines. The CBS television series Supergirl hits the small screen in October 2015, followed by the release of Wonder Woman in 2017 and Captain Marvel in July 2018. Netflix is also working on a Jessica Jones series starring Krysten Ritter of Breaking Bad fame, while the CW will be releasing a series called iZombie which focuses on a part-zombie med student, brought to you by Rob Thomas, the showrunner who gave us Veronica Mars.

Though you have to wait a bit before getting your lady superhero fix, you can spend your time waiting for the release of these super TV shows and films by beefing up on your comic knowledge, starting with the lovely Night Nurse, a fierce heroine who would be perfectly embodied by the talented Rachel McAdams.

Her 'Power' Lies In Her Intelligence and Compassion

The Night Nurse is not your typical superhero; her abilities don't transcend the realm of the supernatural. Her main attributes are her expert medical training (Night Nurse is a registered nurse and eventually becomes a trained medical doctor). It is her intelligence, compassion, and ambition that make her a force to be reckoned with.

She Sacrifices Love For Her Career

In the comic series, Linda Carter falls in love with a businessman named Marshall Michaels who gives her an ultimatum — either abandon her career and marry him or he will walk away from the relationship. Linda, being the strong woman that she is (and a general protester of controlling douchebags), lets Michaels walk and wholeheartedly dives into her career.

She Was Created To Draw In a Female Audience

In the 1970s, the character of The Night Nurse was created by Marvel in an attempt to create a trio of characters that appealed to women. As part of this female-friendly ploy, Marvel brought on Jean Thomas, the wife of Marvel writer/editor Roy Thomas, to pen The Night Nurse character.

Other Superheroes Make Prostitute Jokes About Her Name

A running joke in the comic series is the suggestive nature of Linda Carter's pseudonym. Dr. Strange is said to express a dislike for referring to Carter by her alias, as it "sounds to be the title of an adult film." Carter responds to this quip by retorting, "'Night Nurse ' is just catchier than 'Night General Practitioner.'" Looks like Linda has a bit of a sense of humor. You go, Linda.

She's A Feminist Icon

The Night Nurse is all about independence and girl power. She's not about to roll over and play dead for any man who tells her what to do. She becomes legendary due to her sharp wit and expert medical knowledge. She's a great role model in the superhero world and Rachel McAdams would easily embody this empowering character.

Images: Giphy (5)