Aaron Taylor-Johnson had a one-and-done stint as Pietro Maxmiof, playing Marvel’s speed freak superhero in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Age of Ultron only. He was introduced alongside his onscreen sister, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda, aka the Scarlet Witch, but he didn’t survive till film’s end. But the actor is poised to return to the MCU, though it’s not as Pietro. It’s as one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains.
As per Deadline, Taylor-Johnson has been cast as the lead in Kraven the Hunter, a solo outing for the beloved anti-hero, who in the comics has brushed shoulders with Venom, Black Panther, and, of course, Peter Parker. Often depicted as big game hunter, he doesn’t like an easy defeat. Rather, he wants his adversaries to put up a good fight. The movie will be helmed by J.C. Chandor, of Margin Call, All is Lost, and A Most Violent Year, as well as the star-studded Netflix actioner Triple Frontier.
Does this make Taylor-Johnson the first actor in the MCU to play two characters? If so, it’s fitting. After all, he’s already played a character played by someone else. One of the most notable moments in WandaVision earlier this year was when Pietro paid an unexpected visit to Wanda’s home — where he was played by Evan Peters, who played the same character, under the name Quicksilver, in the X-Men films, back when Fox and Disney were separate entities, cranking out separate franchises. The Fox-Disney merger allowed for a fun inside baseball joke, but at least those who wished it was Taylor-Johnson who knocked on Wanda’s door know they’ll see be seeing him soon — or on Jan. 23, 2023, when the film hits theaters.
(Via Deadline)