At least one or two Marvel Studios casting directors must be serious Whovians.
After former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston took on the role of lead villain Malekith in the upcoming Thor sequel Thor: The Dark World, along comes word that former Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan has been cast in James Gunn's adaptation of Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Hollywood Reporter announced that Gillan will be "the film's lead female villain," although the specific character has not been revealed. In 2012, Gillan left the role of Scottish companion Amy Pond on Doctor Who after playing the character for two and a half seasons. The 25-year-old actress will soon appear in the movies Oculus, co-starring Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff and The List, co-starring Once Upon a Time's Jennifer Morrison.
Guardians of the Galaxy is targeting a late-June shoot in the United Kingdom and has made several other casting moves recently. Glenn Close was recently announced as playing "a leadership role in the Nova Corps," an intergalactic police force in the Marvel Universe. John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Rhomann Dey, a character that essentially serves as a liaison between the Guardians and Earth, reporting to S.H.I.E.L.D. about the group's movements.
Other members of the cast include Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Michael Rooker as Yondu, and Lee Pace as the film's unnamed villain.
Guardians of the Galaxy is scheduled for release on August 1, 2014.