Credit: Marvel Studios, NetflixMarvel has long been a champion of representation and diversity.
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The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) actively embraces cultural representation and diversity by featuring superheroes and narratives that reflect a wide range of ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds — from Black Panther (2018) to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Under The Walt Disney Company, Marvel Studios, led by President Kevin Feige, has instituted some big changes following the impactful sacrifice made by Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Chris Evans passing on the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie’s Falcon/Sam Wilson.
The departure of most of the original Avengers has left room for new heroes to take center stage — and perhaps room for Devery Jacobs’ (Reservation Dogs) new MCU hero, Kahhori.
Now, Devery Jacobs is opening up about the possibility of joining the live-action MCU as Kahhori, the mega-powerful superhero from What If…? Season 2 who has Marvel fans talking. This news follows the explosive sixth episode of What If…?, “What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World?”, which saw the character front and center, posing tantalizing questions about a very different Multiversal MCU future.
Jacobs is, in fact, already joining the MCU as another live-action hero — Bonnie, in the upcoming Echo (2024) TV series on Disney+ (Disney Plus). Marvel Studios’ first-ever fully R-rated project set in the MCU, the Echo series will follow the character Echo (Maya Lopez) introduced in Hawkeye (2021).
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Speaking to Collider, Jacobs gives her two cents on the likelihood of her version of Kahhori coming to the MCU:
I have been really fortunate to play the character Bonnie in the new Echo series. I don’t know, they’ve brought other people back in multiple roles. So I leave that up to the higher-ups at the MCU. But I just love this character of Kahhori so much, and would love to be able to bring her to life, whether that’s live-action, or whether that’s through animation. I’ll always be there for that.
The voice cast of What If…? also includes notable actors such as Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter/Peggy Carter, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange/Strange Supreme/Stephen Strange, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Jeffrey Wright as Uatu the Watcher, and Alexandra Daniels as Captain Marvel.
Naturally, the question here is whether Marvel Studios would want Jacobs portraying two live-action heroes — but forgoing Jacobs’ iconic performance in What If…? would certainly be a mistake. Furthermore, finding an actress to portray the Mohawk culture and language accurately would also likely prove difficult. Seeing as Jacobs herself is aware of the MCU’s history of allowing the same actors to play different roles, it’s definitely a real possibility!
Do you think Marvel Studios should let Devery Jacobs reprise her role as Kahhori in the main MCU live-action movies? Share your thoughts in the comments below!