We recently learned which young actors will play the members of The Runaways in the Hulu series, but now ten more stars have been cast as the team's parents. A criminal organisation that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe, learning that their mothers and fathers were secretly villains is what led to The Runaways assembling in the first place, so expect this lot to play a key role here.
"This cast is an abundance of riches," Executive Producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage said in a joint statement a little earlier today. "We are so excited to have assembled our PRIDE, though for the fate of humanity we should be very concerned…" Comic co-creator and series executive consultant Brian K. Vaughn added: "Marvel’s Runaways has enough great actors to support two shows, but I love that this project contains multiple generations of incredible talent all in one story."
So, who is playing who and how do they connect to each member of the team? Here's the breakdown:
Kip Pardue (Ray Donovan) is Frank Dean, a former teen star who rode a short-lived movie career and is now teeming with insecurity. Floundering in his professional career as an actor, Frank is seeking to renew purpose in his life while being a father to Karolina.
Ryan Sands (The Wire) is Geoffrey Wilder, a man defined by the gruelling path he’s taken to achieve his self-made success. A hulking presence, Geoffrey can effortlessly shift from approachable father to intimidating strategist with his son Alex.
Angel Parker (The Strain) is Catherine Wilder, a successful lawyer, who is deliberate and calculating in both her words and actions. But when it comes to her family, she’s fiercely loyal and a loving mother to her son Alex.
Brittany Ishibashi (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows) is Tina Minoru, a perfectionist "tiger mom." In her professional life, she is a brilliant innovator and ruthless CEO. Emotionally, she is less confident, often shying away from difficult conversations with her daughter Nico and careful to avoid explicit displays of her feelings.
James Yaegashi (Madame Secretary) as Robert Minoru is a gentle and brilliant beta, the Woz to his wife’s Jobs. Warm and feeling, Robert sometimes struggles with being married to a woman who so forcefully barricades her emotions while caring about Nico.
Kevin Weisman (Alias) is Dale Yorkes, a beardy, dad-core bioengineer. Incredibly science-minded, he has a deep love for his family but oftentimes falls short at knowing the right things to say to Gert.
Brigid Brannagh (True Colors) is Stacey Yorkes, an absent-minded and professorial bioengineer. Perpetually dawning Birkenstocks and a messy bun, Stacey utilises a progressive approach to her parenting style to Gert.
Annie Wersching (24) is Leslie Dean, a complicated beauty, is a poised and skilled leader. Clear-minded, focused, and charismatic, Leslie draws in devoted allies and followers who are taken by her success and charm, particularly with her daughter Karolina.
James Marsters (Angel) is Victor Stein, an engineering genius who may just save the word from itself. Electric cars, space travel; the military and NASA both look to him for answers. As a father to Chase, Victor has lofty expectations for his son, and when they aren’t met, his retribution can be fierce.
Ever Carradine (Goliath) is Janet Stein, a perfect PTA mom. Harbouring a brilliant mind of her own, she has made deep sacrifices for her husband’s world-changing career. Though she hides it for the wellbeing of her son Chase, Janet longs for more from her life.
Phew, that's quite a list! It's rare that we get a mass casting announcement like this, but Marvel and Hulu are clearly moving forward very quickly on The Runaways. There are some great names here (it should be particularly fun seeing Marsters back on the small screen), and chances are that the bulk of the cast has now been found. What do you guys think of these latest additions? Let us know below...