In 2019, we will finally get a cinematic version of Captain Marvel, with Brie Larson playing Carol Danvers. The Danvers version of Captain Marvel has always been the much more interesting version of that character, but there was a Captain Marvel before Danvers (well, technically, there were a few but this is getting too complicated already). The original Marvel version of Captain Marvel was a Kree named Mar-Vell who went through a few iterations during the late ‘60s and ‘70s before finally being killed off in the early ‘80s. (Then he was brought back again, but not really. Ah, comics.)
Anyway, the original Captain Marvel has his fans, but it’s safe to say he never truly became a mainstream Marvel character. (I’ve tried to read some of these older comics and, yes, they can be a little, let’s say, dry.) But kind of tucked away in all the exciting Captain Marvel movie news is the fact that Jude Law will be portraying Mar-Vall in next year’s film.
Ahead of the release of Avengers: Infinity War, we spoke to Marvel Studio head Kevin Feige about Mar-Vell’s presence in the 1990s set film and what his role will look like. And even to Feige, like a lot of comic book fans, the original Captain Marvel is still kind of a mystery.
“I knew some about him,” says Feige, “but it was definitely Carol Danvers who was most interesting to us and why we choose her.”
But, as Feige says, Mar-Vell will play a role when it comes to Carol Danvers’ origin story. But don’t expect it to be exactly like it went in the comic books.
Feige continues, “But as that character connects to the origin of Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel? We’re pulling from some of that for inspiration.”
So, if you happen to be one of the few but dedicated Mar-Vell fans out there, well, you’re in luck. He will play a role in Carol Danvers’ origin, but, thankfully for the rest of us, this is Carol Danvers’ story.
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