With just a month to go until Netflix releases their long built-up and anticipated The Defenders crossover, actress Sigourney Weaver had a chance to hint at more details about her mysterious villain Alexandria, including her complicated and interesting relationship with the super powered foursome.
For a worthy adversary to go up against the likes of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, Marvel and Netflix needed to cast someone with the same level of prowess and intimidation as the heroes have skills and courage. Sigourney Weaver’s track record as a legend of the science fiction genre, stemming from her major roles in films like Alien, Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, and Avatar, gives her an aura around her casting that can be matched by few other actors in Hollywood today. Just looking at her filmography, you get the sense that the Defenders are in trouble, and that’s before most of the details about her character have been revealed.
We know that Alexandria has some kind of ties to the evil ninja organization the Hand that have given Daredevil and Iron Fist some problems in the past and that she’s a smart and “in charge” kind of villain. We also know that the series revives Elodie Yung’s Elektra, who was killed at the end of Daredevil season 2 and has been brought back to life as a dangerous killing machine.
At San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, Weaver was able to vaguely discuss her character’s motivations and her relationship with The Defenders, establishing a potentially fascinating back and forth between the heroes and villains of the series only separated by an idealistic sense of heroism:
As is the case with a lot of great villain and hero pairings, it appears that Alexandria has a great deal of respect for her adversaries, as Weaver has said that the character may have worked with the Defenders in a different world. It’ll be exciting to see Weaver play a villain on this scale, as while she’s shown quite the range in her films, her notoriety as famous heroic protagonist Ellen Ripley makes any sort of villain role playing against type for her.
Well, I suppose I want to run the world. But I think [Alexandra] feels very close to doing what she wants to do. Unfortunately, these four young people have very idealistic ways of looking at things, including my business. And I think in an alternate universe, she would hire them and make them work for her, but, of course, they’re idealistic, which is a pain. And I have to take steps to reduce their impact, which is why I bring back Elektra.
The Defenders screened its first episode at Comic-Con on Friday, with stars Charlie Cox, Weaver, Yung, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, Deborah Ann Woll and showrunner Marco Ramirez in attendance. The second trailer was released to the public shortly after, with the whole series of The Defenders premiering on Netflix on August 18th.
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Source: Sigourney Weaver
