UPDATE – We assumed that Pom Klementieff is playing Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and it turns out that we were right! Deadline claims that they have told that the French actress is indeed playing the female superhero!
James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has added the not-so-well-known French actress Pom Klementieff to its cast roster! The actress who played a character named Haeng-Bok in Spike Lee's 2013 flick Oldboy is set to play an unspecified role in the sequel to last year's surprise blockbuster that grossed no less than $774 million.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pom will be playing "˜one of the new key roles' in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The site also suggests that Marvel Studios conducted "˜a wide search' for the particular role she will be playing in the movie, which called for "˜an Asian actress'. They also did chemistry reads for "˜several rounds'.
Even though we don't have much details on Pom Klementieff's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 role, but it is undoubtedly going to be a big break for the actress in Hollywood since she is still a new face here.
Pom Playing Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2?
What could be the role of Pom in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? While trying to solve that puzzle, two points in the details - A KEY ROLE and SEARCH FOR AN ASIAN ACTRESS – strongly direct us towards one particular Marvel female superhero! And that is MANTIS - a half-Vietnamese, half-German character introduced by Marvel Comics in the early 1970s.
In the comics, she has been member of Guardians of the Galaxy as well as The Avengers. And she has had ties to Vision (played by Paul Bettany in the MCU), Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and the Kree (involved in the first installment of Guardians of the Galaxy). Plus, Pom showed her MARTIAL ART SKILLS in Oldboy - something in which Mantis is a GRANDMASTER!
On the next page - an Academy Award winning actor passed on lead villain role of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2!
Matthew McConaughey Rejected GOTG Vol. 2 Villain Role!
Matthew McConaughey - the actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club - gave the thumbs down to the offer of playing the big baddie in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2! That's what Variety revealed while reporting Pom Klementieff casting confirmation. According to site, the studio and the director were both interested in casting McConaughey as the villain of the sequel but it was the actor who "˜passed' it.
They also suggest that the search for the villain of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is "˜in progress' at the moment. Their sources have claimed that the studio is likely to make a final decision "˜in coming weeks'. The sequel is expected to kick off its filming in the first half of 2016.
Either the script or the villainous character of the sequel must have seemed unimposing to Matthew McConaughey as he stated earlier this year to Variety that he is "˜SURE OPEN' to play a Marvel or DC role if "˜the story and character' look convincing. He also claimed then that he had read script from either of the comic book giants' film franchises!
If Marvel couldn't impress him, can DC? Don't forget that his name has been linked more than once to Hal Jordan role of DC Extended Universe's Green Lantern Corps! But so was Chris Pine's name and he ended up being cast as Wonder Woman's love interest Steve Trevor! So, we can't be sure!
Share your views on Pom Klementieff's casting and Matthew McConaughey's rejection. And STAY TUNED for all the latest updates from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
