Captain America: New World Order - Alita star Rosa Salazar joins the cast as Diamondback
Captain America: New World Order has reportedly added a new cast member to its mix. According to a report from industry insider Murphy's Multiverse, Alita: Battle Angel star Rosa Salazar has joined the cast of the upcoming Marvel film starring Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as the supervillain Diamondback, aka Rachel Leighton.
Despite the report, Salazar's representatives and the actress herself are yet to comment on her reported inclusion in the film.
Salazar is not the only new cast member to join the film and the MCU. Murphy's Multiverse had earlier reported that WWE star and wrestler Seth Rollins had also joined the film as one of its antagonists.
Captain America: New World Order began principal photography in March, and filming is expected to conclude in June 2023. The upcoming MCU film remains one of the only Marvel films whose production was not affected by the ongoing Writers' Strike by the WGA (Writer's Guild of America).
Rosa Salazar's character in Captain America: New World Order explained
As mentioned above, Rosa Salazar will be essaying the role of Rachel Leighton, aka Diamondback, in Captain America: New World Order. According to the report from Murphy's Multiverse, she will also serve as a member of the Serpent Society, which is reportedly one of the antagonists of the film aside from Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross and Tim Blake Nelson's Leader.
In the comics, Rachel Leighton, aka Diamondback, first appeared in the Captain America comic series in Issue #310, which hit the shelves in October 1985. She was initially depicted as an enemy of the Star-Sprangled Avenger and a member of the Serpent Society, fighting the latter while she and her teammates were carrying out an assassination, only to later develop feelings for him, which led to her defecting from the Serpents.
Diamondback and Captain America then began dating after she helped him foil a Hydra takeover by Viper, aka Madame Hydra. However, due to siding with the hero, the Serpent Society voted for her execution, only for her life to be spared by her friends. She later joined forces with Black Mamba and Asp to create the group BAD GIRLS Inc., which would occasionally aid Captain America in several of the hero's adventures.
During the Civil War storyline, Diamondback aided Captain America and his anti-registration team in their fight against the government and the pro-registration heroes led by Iron Man. Following this, Diamondback briefly became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. before returning to her criminal roots as a member of Serpent Solutions.
It remains to be seen whether or not Rosa Salazar's Diamondback will have a similar origin and character arc in Captain America: New World Order and if she will serve as the rumored love interest of Sam Wilson's Captain America, as per the casting call description reported by industry insider Daniel Ritchman (Daniel RPK).
As per Daniel RPK, the casting call had specifically mentioned that the actress also had to be in her 30s. At the time of writing, Salazar is currently 37 years old.
Captain America: New World Order plot and cast details
Captain America: New World Order will serve as a continuation of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and will see Sam Wilson dealing with the mantle of Captain America after it was passed down to him by Steve Rogers.
Additionally, according to a report from Twitter scooper and leaker, Marvel Updates, the main storyline of the film will revolve around various world governments and factions fighting to claim control of Tiamut Island, which was created from the hand of the celestial Tiamut, the last seen in 2021's Eternals. The report further states that a new substance called Adamantium was birthed there.
The report also states that Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross will serve as the main villain of Captain America: New World Order and the film will see him come into conflict with Sam Wilson's Captain America, who will try to stop Ross, now the president of the United States, from claiming Tiamut Island by assembling a new team of heroes to stop him.
The following actors serve as the main cast of Captain America: New World Order:
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
- Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon
- Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley
- Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/Leader
- Shira Haas as Sabra
- Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
- Liv Tyler as Dr. Betty Ross
- Rosa Salazar as Rachel Leighton/Diamondback
Additionally, Xosha Roquemore and Seth Rollins have been cast in undisclosed roles, with Rollins reportedly playing a villain in the film.
Captain America: New World Order will hit theaters on May 3, 2024. The film will be directed by Julius Onah from a script written by Malcolm Spellman and Dulan Musson. Spellman previously served as a writer on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
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