In a new interview with The Direct, Dakota Fanning, who has been heavily rumored to be joining the MCU franchise, was finally asked if there is any truth to her supposedly joining the iconic superhero property. However, the 32-year-old star made it clear that there hasn’t been any accuracy to those reports, saying, “There hasn’t been, no,” while making it clear that she wouldn’t be down to explore the MCU down the line.
Fanning added in her response that “I would be totally open to it,” while explaining how she has been seeing some of the rumors online, “Sometimes I’ll see [rumors] on Instagram. I’m like, I need to call my agent to see what’s going on.” She concluded by stating that as of right now, “no, there hasn’t been any truth to those thus far.”
Who Was Dakota Fanning Speculated To Play In The MCU?
It was previously rumored as early as 2022 that Fanning had joined the MCU franchise, which at the time, sparked theories that she was up for roles in projects like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, likely for Sue Storm, as Marvel Studios was working on their reboot for Marvel’s First Family. But once Vanessa Kirby was cast as the iconic heroine, that possibility went out the window.
Many actors are constantly rumored to be up for a role in the superhero genre, whether it is for DC or Marvel. That is why it’s not too much of a surprise that Fanning became another popular star to become the target of fake casting rumors. The actress has had a short time with the comic book world, though, as she voiced Wonder Woman when she aged from an adult to a child in the Justice League Unlimited episode, “Kid Stuff.”
Why Dakota Fanning Joining The Marvel Cinematic Universe Won’t Happen Anytime Soon
Despite her response, even if she were to join the MCU timeline, it will not be possible for it to happen in the near future. At the time of this story’s publication, Fanning is already lined up for multiple projects that will be keeping her occupied, including the untitled thriller TV show that she is set to headline from showrunner Alex Cary, while she will also executive produce the series, which has been fully greenlit by Apple TV.
But her busy work schedule doesn’t stop there, as Fanning also has two major projects in pre-production stages with the movies Alma and The Nightingale. She will star and executive-produce The Nightingale alongside her sister, Elle Fanning, with filming expected to begin this year.
As Fanning’s movie and TV career keep expanding, a gig from Marvel Studios could be years away, and even then, it would have to be for the right part. Currently, the MCU is focusing on finishing The Multiverse Saga, as well as their remaining Phase 6 projects, meaning new major characters aren’t debuting until Phase 7 at the very earliest.
The next release for the MCU will be Daredevil: Born Again season 2, debuting its first episode on March 24 on Disney+, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the first theatrical entry for the franchise on July 31. Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 17, while the VisionQuest TV show and Punisher MCU Special Presentation have yet to get 2026 release dates.
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Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors