Taraji P. Henson fighting Wolverine is the battle we never knew we needed.
The popularity of comic book and superhero movies continues to grow. With that comes actors, musicians, and pop culture icons wanting a piece of the pie. Who wouldn’t? It’s a lucrative career move. Now that it isn’t just movies (as DC and Marvel continue to expand into TV and streaming), you’re going to see more actors announcing that they want in.
Recently, the terrific Taraji P. Henson threw her name in the hat. While on A Little Late With Lilly Singh, Henson said she definitely love to play “a superhero villain because they last forever and goddamnit I need my franchise movie, I need that check.” This writer appreciates her honesty. He also thinks she’d be a great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Is Taraji P. Henson playing Wolverine’s next villain?
That’s not even the best part. Taraji P. Henson knows who she wants to play. Unfortunately, she would say who but she did assure viewers that she “found the perfect character.” As for why she wouldn’t say, she joked that she didn’t “want nobody beat [her] to it” and that she wanted to have her “meeting with Marvel first.”
This makes sense. This could be a villain that’s flying under the radar. If she mentions who it is, this could lead to Marvel Studios looking to casting someone else for the role that she wants. Sometimes it’s best to keep ideas close to the chest. Nonetheless, that won’t stop this writer from speculating who she wants to play.
Who could Taraji P. Henson play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
When the news came out that Taraji P. Henson wanted to play a villain and fight Wolverine, this writer was excited. Henson is an actor with so much range. When she gets into the roles where she’s showing anger and intensity, there aren’t many that do it better than she does. And this makes the mental image of her playing a villain that’s going to punch Wolverine in the face an incredible thought.
There are a lot of people in the Marvel Comics Universe that hate Wolverine. Some of them are well-known like Sabretooth. Others aren’t as popular. So who could she play? Here are some options.
Mystique
Mystique was the first Marvel character that this writer thought about when he heard Taraji P. Henson wanted to play a villain. She’s a villain that has tormented Logan’s life longer than she’s been attacking the X-Men. They dated for a little while and have tried to kill each other as well. Both of her attempts to take him out were unsuccessful.
If Taraji P. Henson wants a character that will fight Wolverine but also have some longevity, this could be the one. Mystique is the perfect role for Taraji because, whoever plays Raven Darkholme will have to have range and Taraji has that in abundance. And, for anyone even thinking of pointing out that that she’s not the right skin color to play her, Mystique’s skin color is blue.
Romulus
Romulus is the enigmatic being that’s been behind Wolverine’s suffering his entire life. He’s pulled Logan’s strings like a puppet in the shadows and Logan didn’t even know it. A villain that needs to be part of Wolverine’s life in the MCU, Romulus doesn’t have to be male. In fact, Taraji P. Henson could be an amazing Romulus. She’s played devious on more than a few occasions. This would be a piece of cake for her. She would get to have her extended time as a villain and later beat the living daylights out of Logan when they eventually fight. Yes, it would be another flawless casting.
Strikeforce X
Wolverine has had a lot of enemies in his life but this group could’ve been the ones to take him down. Strikeforce X had Wolverine’s healing factor, heightened senses, and unbreakable adamantium bones. Instead of the unbreakable claws, theirs were retractable green laser claws. Killing one of them took everything Logan had. In order to beat them, he had to get a helicopter and use it to drown them in the ocean.
This role may not give Taraji P. Henson the long term franchise role that she’s craving, but it gives her something else: She’ll get an iconic cinematic fight that people will never forget.
Logan’s battle with their leader was brutal, bloody, and intense. Henson could play this leader and end up being involved in the most savage and memorable fight in MCU history.
Spiral
Spiral isn’t a Wolverine villain, per se. She is, however, one of the X-Men’s most dangerous enemies. Not someone to be messed with, she has six arms and she can use swords in all of them at the same time. Not only is she an incredible fighter, she’s also a skilled magician.
Taraji P. Henson could easily play Spiral and add more attitude and personality to her. She wouldn’t just be the villainous Mojo’s lackey. She’d be his partner – someone that Mojo knows that he can’t replace.
Miss Sinister
Miss Sinister isn’t Nathaniel Essex. She’s yet another result of one of his experiments. When he died in Messiah Complex, Miss Sinister was born.
She’s a powerful telepath that almost made Daken (Wolverine’s son) one of Sebastian Shaw’s lackeys. It wasn’t just Wolverine and Daken she was after though as she also tried tracking down and taking on Laura Kinney (X-32/Wolverine).
A woman of expensive taste and a need for control, it would be great to see her arrive in the MCU. Miss Sinister is only Sinister in name. She may experiment and have telepathy like him, but she doesn’t seem quite as obsessed – a small, but distinct difference. It would be great to see Taraji P. Henson portray her. In fact, it’d be an unexpected, but welcome role for her – one that she would absolutely nail.
Do you think Taraji P. Henson would be a good addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? If so, who would you cast her to play and who do you think she has in mind? Let us know in the comments below!