Julia Garner was already earning much acclaim from critics and audiences alike for her role in Netflix’s Ozark cast, which has earned her two Emmy Award wins so far. Now, after leading her own miniseries on the streaming platform in the title role of Inventing Anna, the extremely versatile, Bronx-born, 28-year-old actress is really beginning to take the world by storm. Success like this, especially at this point in an actor’s career, usually means that upcoming superhero movies are likely the next step.
Of course, if Garner does accept a role in any upcoming Marvel movies, it will not be her first comic book movie since she appeared opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For in 2014. However, it could lead to an opportunity to see her lead her own big screen blockbuster, which I think she may be due for by now, or even her own Disney+ exclusive Marvel series, which we already know she would kill in. So, for whenever that moment arises, we have a few Marvel characters in mind for her to play, starting with one that bears an ever slight similarity to her best-known role to date.
Hepzibah
As previously mentioned, Julia Garner really first began to receive mainstream attention for her performance on Ozark as Ruth Langmore - a Missouri native who makes up for being the youngest member of her notorious family of petty criminals by also being the smartest and deadliest. The role very subtly reminds me of a Marvel character who also has a bit of a criminal reputation, but not anywhere on Earth, that is.
Since her birth name is unpronounceable in any language, this member of the athletic, skunk-like alien race Mephitisoids refers to herself by the Hebrew name Hepzibah. She has been known to fight alongside the X-Men, which is one way that Garner could make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, but her current claim to fame is being a part of a crew of space pirates called the Starjammers, who would be a great group to replace the Guardians of the Galaxy as the franchise’s main connection to the cosmos.
Outlaw
A Marvel character who, in retrospect, has a bit more in common with Ozark’s Ruth Langmore is Inez Temple, who also goes by the name Outlaw - an alias that fittingly reflects her signature cowgirl aesthetic and Texas roots. This mercenary often tends to collaborate (and, sometimes, even share a bed) with Deadpool and also has an enhanced healing factor in common with him, in addition to super strength and durability due to a genetic mutation.
We already know from her performance on the aforementioned Netflix series that Garner would be able to nail the unapologetically bold and deadly persona required to play this character, who I think would be really fun to see share the screen in the next Deadpool movie opposite Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a mouth. Not to mention, she already has natural blonde locks and has also demonstrated on Ozark her ability to put on a flawless Southern drawl.
Rogue
That Southern drawl would also come in handy if Julia Garner were cast in the MCU’s forthcoming X-Men movies reboot as Rogue. Now, to be clear, I have always admired Academy Award winner Anna Paquin’s performance as the energy absorbing mutant, but also recognize that her portrayal as a shy, insecure teenager does not quite hold a candle to her original depiction from the comics as a spunky thrill-seeker with a take-no-crap attitude.
Again, with all due respect to Paquin and to the original live action X-Men movies franchise, I believe that fans deserve the more faithful interpretation of Rogue that they have demanded for years and I believe that Garner has all the right spunk and charisma that would finally bring it to life in a most satisfying fashion. All she needs is a trip to the salon to pull off the character’s iconic hair do.
Boom-Boom
Now, on the other hand, if Julia Garner would rather not undergo any physical transformations to play an X-Men movie role, especially after all Jennifer Lawrence has been through as Mystique, I can understand that. Luckily, I have another heroic mutant in mind that would not require her to do much of anything about her appearance because she is, pretty much, a dead ringer for the character already.
Also known as Boomer, Doctor Madame McSplode, or Meltdown to name a few, Tabitha Smith goes by Boom-Boom in reference to her mutant ability to create and project balls of plasma she calls “time bombs” for their truly explosive effect. That, I believe, is reason alone to give her a spot in an upcoming X-Men adaptation, and the idea of casting Garner in the role only makes it all the more exciting.
Luminous
If Julia Garner does eventually join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it will actually not be the first time she shares the screen with a star of the franchise. The actress made her feature film debut in the 2011 drama, Martha Marcy May Marlene - which focuses on a young woman, played by Elizabeth Olsen, who struggles to move on after just barely escaping the abusive cult she was a part of. I have interesting idea that would allow Garner to reunite with the WandaVision cast member in the MCU.
In addition to her brother (Pietro “Quicksilver” Maximoff), in the comics, Wanda “Scarlet Witch” Maximoff actually has a sister… well, sort of. Luminous, as she is called, is actually a clone created by the High Evolutionary from the DNA of both Wanda and Pietro that resulted in a highly powerful and dangerous being with abilities rooted in witchcraft and reality warping as well superhuman speed that even exceeds the endurance levels of Quicksilver. Now, I am not entirely sure how Marvel Studios would figure out a way to incorporate this bizarre character into the continuity, but for the purposes of the dual powerhouse talents of Garner and Olsen reuniting, I think it is worth trying.
On the other hand, if you have seen the titles on Julia Garner’s filmography - including We Are What We Are or the strong sci-fi miniseries Maniac - perhaps she is more suited to star in some upcoming DC movies by this point. Either way, Hollywood is lucky to have her.
