Well, this came out of nowhere! Marvel announced today that they've found their Runaways, and the first group of young actors who will be playing the show's key team members has now been revealed.
A brief synopsis has also been revealed, though it doesn't reveal much beyond what comic book fans will already know about the heroes. "Every teenager thinks their parents are evil," it reads. "What if you found out they actually were? Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe–their parents." Sounds good!
So, who is playing who? Well, here are the actor and character details from Marvel and Hulu.
Rhenzy Feliz (Teen Wolf) is Alex Wilder is a loud-and-proud nerd. Admittedly a bit of a loner, Alex spends much of his free-time playing video games, but deep down, what he wants most is to reunite his childhood group of friends.
Lyrica Okano (The Affair) is Nico Minoru–tough, intelligent, and independent–embodies teenage angst. A budding “Wiccan,” Nico’s carefully crafted goth appearance isolates her from her peers and family, but maybe what she really needs is someone to talk to.
Virginia Gardner (Goat) is Karolina Dean. She has a model-perfect exterior with a lot going on behind her professionally whitened smile, but is burdened by the lofty expectations and responsibilities put upon her by her parents. Underneath her veneer of privilege and perfection, Karolina is experiencing a newfound eagerness to explore her identity and pursue her own desires.
Ariela Barer (New Girl) is Gert Yorkes, a purple-haired, bespectacled, contemporary riot grrrl. Never passing up a moment to stand on a soapbox, Gert sometimes wields her persona as a brash social justice warrior to mask her true feelings.
Gregg Sulkin (Faking It) as Chase Stein is a lacrosse-playing, high school heartthrob. While many write him off as a dumb jock, Chase exhibits flashes of untapped brilliance in engineering, not unlike his wildly successful father’s.
Allegra Acosta (100 Things to do Before High School) is Molly Hernandez, the youngest and most innocent member of her friend group, is known for her peppy positivity and a deep yearning to belong.
So, not a group of familiar faces then, but Marvel had to find youngsters to fill these roles, so big names weren't exactly expected. Both this and Cloak and Dagger now seem to be moving ahead at a pretty fast pace, and it will be interesting to see if Hulu looks for some bigger names to play the villainous parents of these characters. The press release promises more announcements are coming.
"The fun and chemistry that this group of talented actors create is wonderful and we’re so excited to bring these beloved characters to life," said Jeph Loeb, Executive Producer and Head of Marvel Television. Runaways comic co-creator and series executive consultant Brian K. Vaughn added, "I’m so excited for fans of the comic to watch this perfect cast of amazing actors, all of whom embody the spirit of their characters more than I ever could have imagined." What do you think of this cast?