Elizabeth Olsen – ‘Avengers’ Bound?

Another day, another rumor.  Online murmurs are ultra sensitive to the teensiest bit of information about The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Joss Whedon’s second time at bat behind the camera in the Marvel cinematic universe.  Slivers of the story, characters and casting decisions have been teased and glossed about, the latest being confirmation from Nick Fury himself, Samuel L. Jackson, stating that actress Elizabeth Olsen is on board in the role of Scarlet Witch, which jives with earlier reports that the actress was in advanced negotiations for the role.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Jackson said, “I know we’re shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen, but I don’t know what she’s doing, if she’s on the inside or the outside. I haven’t seen a script.”  Mere conjecture or fact.  The powers that be at Marvel haven’t officially announced the casting, but Deadline reports that a deal is being set forth, with an anonymous source stating it, “just a matter of formality before it’s done.” Reportedly, Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, Hanna) was initially offered the part of Scarlet Witch but turned it down as Whedon announced earlier this year that he was adding the brother-sister characters of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to The Avengers sequel; Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) appears to be set as Quicksilver.

If this indeed turns out to be true, it would mark a major coup for the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley.  After netting terrific reviews in her breakthrough 2011 Sundance hit Martha Marcy May Marlene (for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress), she has appeared in the films Peace, Love & Misunderstanding opposite Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, Liberal Arts, and horror film Silent House.  This fall she will appear in the biographical festival hit Kill Your Darlings opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan, as well as Oldboy, the American remake to the 2003 South Korean cult favorite.  Olsen also has Therese upcoming, an adaptation of the Émile Zola novel Therese Raquin opposite Jessica Lange which debuted at the recent Toronto Film Festival, as the Godzilla update headed to theaters next summer.