Over the last decade, Marvel’s superheroes have become an even bigger cultural phenomenon than they were before the studio began making movies. But later this year, things will get spooky as Marvel Studios’ Halloween Special on Disney+ explores the horrifying side of the MCU. While details about the Halloween Special have been scarce, Deadline is reporting that The Nevers‘ leading lady, Laura Donnelly, has been cast to play a major role.
Marvel has yet to publicly announce this project, and the studio was characteristically silent about whom Donnelly will portray. That said, there are many possible horror heroines who could fit the bill. During Marvel’s ’70s horror comics craze, Lilith, Satana, and Jennifer Kale were introduced as supporting characters. However, Deadline speculates that Donnelly will play Nina Price, Marvel’s Vampire by Night. Despite the implications of that title, Nina is not a true vampire. Instead, she is a vampire/werewolf hybrid whose otherworldly nature only emerges after sunset.
Besides Donnelly, the only confirmed actor for the Marvel Studios Halloween Special is Gael Garcia Bernal. He is expected to play Jack Russell, a man cursed by his family’s legacy to become a werewolf. Jack was also the star of Marvel’s Werewolf by Night comic book, and the uncle of Nina Price.
One of the most significant aspects of the Werewolf by Night comic is that it introduced Marc Spector, a.k.a. Moon Knight. Oscar Isaac is headlining the Moon Knight series on Disney+, which will debut later this year. It’s possible that Moon Knight could feature the first MCU appearance of Bernal, but so far, that’s simply speculation.
Regardless, the MCU’s push into the realm of the supernatural has already begun. The post-credits scene of Eternals featured a vocal cameo by Mahershala Ali as Blade. That scene also featured Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman, moments before he embraced his destiny as the Black Knight. Presumably, that scene will be revisited in the upcoming Blade reboot film, which is expected to begin filming later this year.
Marvel Studios’ Halloween Special is expected to debut in October. However, a start date for filming has not yet been announced.
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