MCU Nova casting: the contenders who actually make sense

Marvel fans, brace yourselves – Nova is apparently on his way to the MCU, and yes, the rumour mill has already gone into overdrive over who should actually put on that silly helmet. Michael Waldron (the bloke who’s written everything from 'Loki' to 'Doctor Strange 2') is reportedly having a go at developing a Nova film. He’s down to write it, with the possibility of directing too, though as far as Marvel officialdom is concerned, it’s all at that lovely 'development stage' where things get announced and then quietly vanish half the time.

For those who haven’t lost their life to Marvel comics, Nova is basically a cosmic police officer, a member of the Nova Corps – think Star Wars but with more budget for glowing blue lights. Anyway, Waldron’s got a pitch in (and possibly a shortlist of his mates to cast), so, naturally, we’re back in fantasy casting territory. Let’s talk about the three front-runners whose names keep coming up, and why each one actually makes sense for once.

Three Faces Who Could (Plausibly) Be Nova

• Glen Powell: Honestly, if anyone’s nailed the Nova audition before it’s even started, it’s probably Glen Powell. He’s done action ('Top Gun: Maverick'), blockbuster cheese ('Twisters'), raunchy comedy ('Everybody Wants Some!!') and stuff your mum would watch ('Anyone but You'). More to the point, he’s co-created 'Chad Powers' on Hulu with Waldron himself, so they already know how to work together. Waldron has even said in public that Powell would be a good choice for Nova. If Waldron is truly writing and possibly directing, Powell’s clearly on speed-dial. No one would be shocked if he strolls into Comic-Con in a Nova suit next year.
• Dylan O'Brien: Now, Dylan O'Brien isn’t exactly a stranger to franchise juggernauts. He should probably get loyalty points at this stage. Star of the 'Maze Runner' series, with a fair bit of action on his CV ('American Assassin', 'Love and Monsters', 'Infinite') and plenty of comedy on the side. Let’s not forget 'Teen Wolf' (the series, not the Michael J. Fox classic), 'Not Okay', and whatever happened on 'Saturday Night'. His comedic streak gives him the kind of charisma Marvel loves. O'Brien’s had a strong performance earlier this year in Sam Raimi’s 'Send Help'. So yes, if Marvel want someone franchise-ready with both biceps and banter, this is his window.
• Dominic Sessa: Now here’s the wild card. Dominic Sessa made his splash in 'The Holdovers', which was his first ever film, and he came off looking like he’d been in the business for decades. He’s already lined up for another ensemble blockbuster ('Now You See Me: Now You Don’t'), where rumour has it he’s quite charming. Next month, Sessa stars in 'Tony', Matt Johnson's new biopic on the young Anthony Bourdain – which should offer a proper glimpse at whether he can handle a lead role under pressure. If 'Tony' goes over well, Sessa could be catapulted straight into superhero territory before he’s even had time to get weird about it.

Here’s something Waldron once said about Powell:
'Powell would be a good fit to play Nova.'

So yes, technically Nova still hasn’t been formally announced by Marvel, and as we all know, announcements and actual films don’t always go hand-in-hand in the MCU. But behind the scenes, casting moves quickly – and those three, for very real reasons, are at the top of most people’s lists. If Waldron’s film does move forward, expect this casting conversation to get a lot less hypothetical, very quickly.