When Captain Marvel formally joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’ll be bringing a very respected actress with her. News broke on Wednesday that four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening has been cast in Captain Marvel, which is set to hit theaters in a little under a year. However, who Bening is playing remains a mystery, for now.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news about the casting on Wednesday afternoon, and Variety followed suit with sources of their own. Bening, 59, is perhaps best known for her roles in the mobster movie Bugsy and American Beauty, though some Sopranos fans might recognize her from the very notable cameo she had on the classic HBO show.
She’ll join Captain Marvel’s star Brie Larson in the upcoming movie, though it’s unclear what relationship she’ll have to Carol Danvers. Variety says she’ll likely play Carol’s mother, while THR reports that “scientist” is part of the character’s description. In the comics, Carol’s mother is not traditionally a scientist, but it’s possible that the MCU version will be a little different.
Captain Marvel will also star MCU newcomers Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, and Gemma Chan. Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace will make their return to the franchise, since the 1990s setting of Captain Marvel places the events of the movie before their characters’ deaths in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, 2019. Ant-Man and the Wasp is next on the MCU’s slate of films, as its set for a July 6 premiere.
