UPDATE - In a report from
Deadline, it is suggested that Klementieff is indeed playing Mantis, with the publication stating they have it under good authority that this is the case. We’re still waiting for official word from Marvel Studios.
With a release set for 2017, the ball is starting to roll on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that relative unknown Pom Klementieff is the first new member to join the highly anticipated sequel, cast in an unknown, yet key, role. Chosen after Marvel Studios conducted a wide search for Asian actresses to take on the mystery role, Klementieff is best known for her work in French cinema, but this won’t be her English language debut as she played a small part in Spike Lee’s Oldboy remake.
While her role is unknown at this time, there will no doubt be a lot of speculation of who she will play. While there is an array of female characters tied to the Guardians for James Gunn to choose from, fans can make a good case for Klementieff to play Mantis, a former member of the Avengers and a major player in the new incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy the movie is based on. Imbued with a wide array of powers ranging from telepathy to mastery of the martial arts, the half German/half Vietnamese Mantis was raised from childhood by a sect of Kree (the alien race Ronan the Accuser belonged to) priests to one day give birth to the Celestial Messiah, “the most important being in the universe”. While Gunn has said we will see Peter Quill’s father in the sequel, he has also gone on record as saying the theme is ‘fathers’, which could mean one of the Guardians (Quill. It has to be Quill) becoming father to the Celestial Messiah playing a part in the sequel.
Of course, we know nothing concrete at this stage, so this is all speculation until we hear something official.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 comes our way May 5th 2017.
