Entertainment

Is This the Next Female 'Avenger'?

by Sam Rullo

There will be a few new members of the ultimate superhero team in The Avengers 2, with mutants Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch joining the crew. There have been rumors swirling about Saoirse Ronan of The Host and Atonement playing the Scarlet Witch, but according to Bleeding Cool, the actress passed on the role and director Joss Whedon already has someone else in mind — Elizabeth Olsen. The 24-year-old actress is the younger sister of Full House stars and '90s royalty Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, but made a name for herself with impressive turns in Martha Marcy May Marlene and Liberal Arts.

If this news is true, and Olsen accepts the role, it would be her first major film. And by major, I mean major. She could be going from critically acclaimed indies to a record-shattering, fandom-fueled blockbuster. Of course, that might not be what she wants, especially considering how seriously she's being taken as a respected actress. (Then again, Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., has picked up two Academy Award nominations during his career.) But playing the Scarlet Witch would allow her to have something in common with her sisters, since the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are twins in the Marvel comics.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron isn't slated for release until 2015, but hopefully we'll hear some more official casting news soon.