‘Captain America 2’ Leading Lady Short-List, Plus Potential Black Widow Cameo

Production on Captain America: The WinterSoldier is underway, and while early casting information has shed light on the sequel’s characters and plot, many are wondering who will be cast opposite Chris Evans as his leading lady.

With Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter written out (though according to The Avengers deleted scenes, the character isn’t dead, just old), who will play Captain America’s leading lady in Marvel’s sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger? Early casting reports have put Anthony Mackie opposite Evans as “The Falcon,” it’s pretty much a given that Sebastian Stan will return as the villain, and a cameo for Scarlett Johansson’s “Black Widow” hasn’t been ruled out, reports the NY Post. The short list for Winter Solider‘s leading lady shows some definite promise for the role of Steve Rogers’ potential love interest.

Though nothing is yet confirmed, Deadline reports that directors Joe and Anthony Russo have drawn up a list of five actresses that they’d like to see opposite Chris Evans. They are: Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey), Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four), Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) and Alison Brie (Community).

Given Brie’s history with the directors from their work on Community, the cute and quirky actress seems to be a given for a big-screen leg-up, but what’s most promising about this short list is that all of these actresses are extremely talented without having completely broken into the “household name” mainstream yet. Imogen Poots is arguably the only clear lead ahead of the rest, having starred in several big-screen, big-budget films already, but we have to admit our intrigue at the possibility of Emilia Clarke landing the role: Especially if the character will be Captain America’s occasional comic book girlfriend, Sharon Carter. An agent of SHIELD, the Russos could neatly tie continuity together by making Sharon the granddaughter of Atwell’s Peggy and attempt to preserve her inherent English-ness.

But like we said, it’s all speculative at this point.

Captain America: The Winter Solider will see release in 2014, following a similar schedule to Marvel’s “Phase One,” In which Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Thor saw release prior to The First Avenger before all of the heroes suited up for The Avengers. In “Phase Two,” Iron Man 3 hits first on May 3, 2013, Thor: The Dark World comes next on November 8, 2013, and then The Winter Solider in 2014 before the potential (and hopeful) release of The Avengers 2 set hypothetically for May 1, 2015.

Who do you think should play the leading lady in Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Sound off!