Ronda Rousey’s ‘Captain Marvel’ Role: Could This Be Her Breakout, Or Marvel’s Biggest Mistake?

Ronda Rousey’s Captain Marvel role was the subject of a recent fan campaign, and though it hasn’t been confirmed, it’s met with some conflicting opinions.

Ronda is clearly more than just an MMA fighter, and she’s not afraid to step off the stage for other endeavors. As recently reported by the Inquisitr, she even accepted a U.S. Marine’s invite to an upcoming ball on December 11, proving that she’s capable of more than looking and acting tough. There have been a few times that Rousey showed this on the big screen.

The UFC champion first showed off her fighting skills outside the octagon when she was cast in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables 3. Unfortunately, the film didn’t live up to expectations, allegedly due to the PG-13 rating instead of the R rating that its predecessors received.

Next on Ronda’s film resume was Furious 7, where she had a major credit despite having been in the movie for maybe less than 10 minutes total. Vin Diesel’s 2015 blockbuster was a huge success, though the death of co-star and friend Paul Walker may have had something to do with it.

The Road House remake will be Rousey’s first chance to show us whether she is capable of handling a lead role.

So far, Ronda Rousey’s acting career hasn’t had much of a chance to go anywhere. A role as Captain Marvel could be her big break, finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Disney bought the rights to Marvel’s films, there hasn’t been a major flop yet. Even the low points (The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 3, for example) were successful enough to make us want more.

.@RondaRousey may play the next iconic @Marvel superhero: http://t.co/GJNWoq7O1W (via @vibe_viva) pic.twitter.com/ui5LQSBiKl

— VibeMagazine (@VibeMagazine) October 6, 2015

According to reactions from some fans, Ronda might be the one to finally give Marvel its first bad film. Fusion has stated that while she’s a great athlete, she’s not right for the part. However, like most of her opponents, this isn’t stopping Ronda Rousey, who is rallying for it, according to Cinema Blend. Captain Marvel has been considered her ideal role by others, most likely based on her physical build.

One problem with the idea of an athlete playing that role is that Captain Marvel’s powers have nothing to do with being physical. After acquiring her powers, she can fly and manipulate cosmic energies, not necessarily be a better fighter. While hand-to-hand combat might be a prerequisite as an Air Force pilot, much of what they’re known for is sitting in the cockpit. The aircraft does most of the fighting.

Marvel President Kevin Feige recently said he loved the idea, according to Digital Spy, though he hasn’t officially endorsed it.

“I love it. That happens occasionally, and I think that’s a testament more to the strength of the characters.

“Going back to my early days at Marvel, there were always various people campaigning to be Wolverine.

“I guess that was pre-Twitter and pre-Internet days, but still for some reason would pop up in Wizard Magazine. Wizard Magazine would always have ‘this person wants to play this role!’ It’s a testament to how great the characters are that it appeals to such a wide range of talented, talented people.”

Technically, Ronda Rousey’s Captain Marvel role hasn’t been set, and Kevin Feige refuses to say if she is the one he’s planning to cast. The film is two years away, after all, and also a possible time commitment she might not be ready for if she is to maintain her MMA status.

There is also the fact that athletes breaking into major theater roles have rarely been considered great actors. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dwayne Johnson have both been given a lot of major roles, but neither has really proven his ability to take a role that helps us forget who’s playing the character. The only athlete who has successfully become a film character in recent years was WWE star Dave Bautista, whose role as Drax the Destroyer helped give Guardians of the Galaxy its natural humor.

While Ronda Rousey being cast as Captain Marvel wouldn’t be the first time Marvel has successfully cast an athlete as a character, Drax wasn’t exactly central to the story in GotG. Ronda would have a lot to prove not only as an athlete on film, but as a central female role, the first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It really all comes down to one question: Can Ronda Rousey act the part, or is Captain Marvel better off with someone else in the title role?

[Feature image via Theo Wargo / NBC / Getty Images]