Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) phase 4 has introduced us to a whole slew of new and exciting characters. We have been acquainted with the Eternals, Echo, Agatha Harkness, Yelena Bulova, Shang-Chi, and Xu Xialing. Plus, we’ll soon be introduced to Moon Knight, and potentially Blade, in Disney Plus’s Moon Knight. Now, another highly anticipated character will be making his MCU debut: Nova.
The news that Marvel is developing a Nova project was first reported on March 24th, 2022. While sources have reported Marvel’s plans for a future Nova project, Marvel itself has not officially confirmed the news. The project is reportedly set to be written by Sabir Pirzada, who has written 2 episodes for the upcoming Moon Knight series.
Nova is a popular name in the world of Marvel comics and is one that many cinematic fans have likely heard tossed around for phase 4. Here is everything that we know so far about Marvel’s Nova project.
Who is Nova?
Marvel’s Nova project will center around the superhero Nova, otherwise known as Richard Rider. Nova was given his official origin story in the 1976 comic book titled, The Man Called Nova #1.
As a teenager, Rider was recruited to the Nova Corps by Rohmann Dey, the Nova Prime, or highest-ranking official. Hence, Rider is given the powers of the Nova Centurions, which include flight, superhuman strength, speed, and durability. Similar to the Centurions, he gains his power from an energy source known as the Nova Force. Rider calls himself Nova and uses his newfound powers to become a superhero. His journey sees him fighting against supervillains, and even teaming up with the likes of Spider-Man and Thor.
Furthermore, Rider is a defender of the planet Xandar, which is the capital of the Nova Empire. Rider aids in fighting for the Xandarians in their war against the Skrulls. He also fights in Xandar’s Annihilation War, however, he is the only Centurion to survive after Annihilus wipes out the Nova Corps.
Nova in the MCU
Nova himself has not yet appeared in the MCU, however, the Nova Corps certainly have. The Nova Corps is an intergalactic military/police force that hails from the planet Xandar. They are also space explorers, and the organization polices all of the known universe.
The Nova Corps made their MCU debut in the 2014 film, Guardians of the Galaxy. The Corps make their appearance when Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) attempts to sell the Orb to Xandar. However, this leads to him and the rest of the Guardians being detained by the Nova Corps. The Nova Corps change their tune, however, when Ronan’s (Lee Pace) ship, Dark Aster, targets Xandar. Hence, the Nova Corps, the Guardians, and the Ravagers all join forces to confront the Dark Aster.
What’s more exciting, however, is that Guardians of the Galaxy actually already introduced Rider’s recruiter, Dey. In the film, Dey is portrayed by John C. Reilly and holds the rank of Corpsman. After his arrest of Star-Lord, and the battle against the Dark Aster, he is promoted to Denarian. This means he has just two more ranks to climb until he reaches Nova Prime. Considering that the Nova Corps and Dey have already been introduced, Rider could easily fit into the MCU timeline and could make his entry through the Guardians of the Galaxy film series.
Additionally, Nova could also be connected to Marvel’s upcoming Secret Invasion series. Nova defended Xandar from the Skrulls, and likewise, defended Earth during its Skrull invasion. Since Secret Invasion will be exploring the infiltration of Skrulls on earth, this series would also offer an entryway for Nova.
What is Marvel’s Nova project?
Per Deadline, sources have confirmed that a Nova project is in development, however, the nature of the project is unknown. As we know, Marvel has recently delved into the small screen with their miniseries on Disney Plus. This means Nova could either be a feature film or TV series. With WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki receiving such high praise, it wouldn’t be surprising for Nova to get his own series.
Additionally, Nova could also be another of Marvel’s cinematic projects. Many of Marvel’s phase 4 releases have already been announced, but it remains to be seen what lies beyond that. Marvel may continue to produce phase 4 or start a whole new phase 5. Either way, Nova could easily be a feature film in Marvel’s cinematic future.
When can we expect Nova?
Unfortunately, Nova has not been officially confirmed by Marvel or Disney. Therefore, it’s hard to say when Nova will make an appearance. And Marvel already has three films slated for 2023—The Marvels, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The next film after that is slated to be an untitled Fantastic Four film. Thus, if Nova is a feature film, it will likely not be released until 2024 or later.
Similarly, Marvel’s 2022-2023 series are filled up pretty well, too. Ironheart, Armor Wars, and an untitled Wakanda series will follow the late 2022 release of Secret Invasion. Since Marvel has been releasing more series than films per year, this could potentially open room for a Nova series in late 2023. However, since Nova hasn’t been confirmed by Marvel, or started production, a late 2023 or 2024 release is likely the earliest fans can hope to see it, regardless of the project’s nature.
With this being said, we mentioned Nova has ties to some of the upcoming projects, so Nova himself could potentially make his first appearance earlier in another MCU project, such as Guardians of the Galaxy 3 in 2023, or even in Secret Invasion in 2022.
Who will be in Marvel’s Nova?
So far, sources have only confirmed Nova’s projected writer, Pirzada. No actors have been tied to the series. However, the members of the Nova Corps who have appeared in the MCU could potentially make a reappearance. After all, Reilly’s Dey made quite an impression, and considering that his character is very vital to Rider’s story, it would make sense for him to reprise his role.
Meanwhile, Irani Rael (Glenn Close) also appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy. She appears as the Nova Prime during that time period. The stern, yet thoughtful, woman, who defended her people and understood the Orb’s power, made an excellent leader. Hence, Close is an actress who fans would certainly enjoy seeing reprise her role, too.
While some of the familiar Nova Corps might figure into the series, the rest of the cast is a mystery. Nova’s youthful age in his origin story, however, favors a younger actor for his portrayal. Aidan Gallagher, Dylan O’Brien, Ryan Potter, Logan Lerman, or Asa Butterfield are all young, talented actors who could potentially take on the role. Also, there are pre-existing rumors that Marvel was eyeing Dunkirk’s Fionn Whitehead for the role of Nova.
While the cast and other specifics of Nova are fairly ambiguous, fans should stay tuned for future updates on Marvel’s newest project. Who’s your dream actor in the role of Nova? Let us know in the comments!
(Via Deadline; featured image: Disney)
