Captain Marvel is a beloved character among MCU fans and Marvel comic fanatics.
The one-woman force of nature, Carol Danvers was the first female hero to have her own MCU project, and when it comes down to it, is one of the most powerful superheroes out there.
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With all of that said, we have a feeling even dedicated Marvel fans still have a lot to learn about this particular heroine.
So buckle up and get ready for blastoff! Below, we’ll look into 20 fun Captain Marvel facts you may not have known until now…
1. The Hero Was Cut From Projects Before ‘Captain Marvel’
Captain Marvel was originally meant to appear in two Marvel projects before her 2019 movie. The first was the Netflix show Jessica Jones (which at the time was not connected to the MCU). And the second was Avengers: Age Of Ultron.
For the latter, Joss Whedon actually went as far as to film sequences with a stunt double meant to represent Captain Marvel. But he later used Scarlet Witch instead.
2. Emily Blunt Was Sought For The Role
It’s safe to say Marvel has been after Emily Blunt since forever. She’s said to have been considered for the roles of Black Widow and Peggy Carter, and was at one point rumored to play Captain Marvel, as well.
Of course, Brie Larson wound up with the role (with Katheryn Winnick, Katee Sackhoff, Natalie Dormer, and Rebecca Ferguson also among those in the running).
3. There Was Originally A Kiss With Jude Law
This wasn’t just an idea, but actually a scene they filmed for Captain Marvel. Ultimately though, they decided to scrap it.
It’s unclear why, but we guess it might have sent mixed messages. Yon-Rogg (Law) kissing Carol would make for awkward workplace politics and a questionable relationship dynamic in a film aiming to empower women.
4. In The Comics, Captain Marvel Was In ‘Civil War’
Captain America: Civil War was released before Captain Marvel, meaning that even though Captain Marvel takes place earlier in the MCU timeline, the character wasn’t revealed in Civil War.
This is actually a stark contrast to the comics’ version of Civil War – in which Captain Marvel is quite active. She fought on Iron Man’s side, and was part of a faction known as the ‘Mighty Avengers.’
5. She Belonged to Many Superhero Teams
Speaking of the Mighty Avengers, some more fun trivia about Captain Marvel is that she has actually been attached to a few other superhero teams. Not exactly surprising in the sprawling, interconnected world of Marvel, is it?
Captain Marvel has worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. and NASA, and the U.S. Air Force, fought with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and been heavily associated with the Avengers and X-Men alike.
6. Captain Marvel Is An Alcoholic (In The Comics)
As fans of the comics will know, there are a lot of darker storylines that don’t make it to screen. And one is that in several Avengers and Iron Man comics, there are references to Carol Danvers turning to alcohol to deal with some traumas.
The good news is that she also recovers from addiction over time. We’re betting even this positive outcome won’t be making it into the MCU, though.
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7. She Is Also Known As ‘Warbird’
Captain Marvel’s identity throughout the comics and the MCU can be confusing (we’ll get into that below), but she does have one straightforward alter-ego: ‘Warbird’.
This is basically a codename she adopts when she rejoins the Avengers after losing her ‘Binary’ powers (basically celestial superpowers), but regaining her ‘Ms. Marvel’ powers.
7. Captain Marvel Was Meant To Shoot ‘The Mask’
Remember when Captain Marvel crash-lands in a Blockbuster store and blasts a cutout poster of True Lies? Some took this as a feminist statement (True Lies has some not-so-great depictions of women), and perhaps that’s just what it was.
But originally, Captain Marvel was going to destroy a poster of The Mask, ‘mistaking’ Jim Carrey’s iconic green face for a Skrull.
It would have been a funny scene, but Marvel was unable to use The Mask legally. (Apparently this is where Disney closes its checkbook??)
8. Captain Marvel Is Romantically Involved With Col. Rhodes
At this stage of the MCU, neither of these characters really come to mind when you think about romances. In the comics though, Carol Danvers spends some time in a relationship with James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes.
This romance has come to light in recent comics, and even resumed following Rhodey’s apparent death in ‘Civil War II’ (he’s apparently fine now).
9. She Also Works At ‘The Daily Bugle’
This is probably one of the more surprising Captain Marvel facts for those who haven’t read the comics. But yes, she does spend some time working at ‘The Daily Bugle’ under the one and only J. Jonah Jameson.
More specifically, a young Carol Danvers who had yet to discover her powers wrote for ‘Women Magazine.’ With J.K. Simmons having reprised his J. Jonah Jameson role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, perhaps we’ll soon see the paper assuming a bigger role on screen – with Danvers involved.
10. Captain Marvel Is Ms. Marvel, But Also Isn’t
Okay, so this one is confusing if you haven’t read the comics. In the MCU, we’ve met Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and (in a new Disney+ series) Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel as two distinct characters.
In the comics however, Carol Danvers went by ‘Ms. Marvel’ for years before adopting the Captain Marvel persona. This paved the way for a new Ms. Marvel in the popular Kamala Khan comics.
11. Her Greatest Nemesis May Be Rogue
Captain Marvel has made her share of enemies over the years, including some from the Avengers (she and Tony Stark had it out big time in the ‘Civil War II’ comics). But her greatest nemesis over time may just be X-Men standout, Rogue.
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The two characters have a tragic history, stemming from an early encounter in which Rogue defeated Captain Marvel, absorbed her power, and dropped her off the Golden Gate Bridge. The two have had numerous run-ins since.
12. Charles Xavier Has Healed Captain Marvel
Charles Xavier is one of those Marvel characters who seems to cross paths with everyone at one time or another.
After being defeated and robbed of her memories by Rogue, Captain Marvel is saved by Spider-Woman, who takes her to Professor Xavier. The professor then helps her to regain both her health and her memories – a subplot we’d love to see on screen!
13. Captain Marvel Wrote a Book Exposing NASA’s Secrets
Remember us mentioning Carol Danvers was a writer? Well, she didn’t just put that talent to use for the Daily Bugle. Danvers also wrote her own whistle-blowing, journalistic takedown of NASA at one point.
The space agency let Danvers go when she befriended Mar-Vell and gained superpowers – and apparently that didn’t sit right with her!
14. ‘Captain Marvel’ Was a First for Many Women in the MCU
Captain Marvel was the very first female-led Marvel superhero blockbuster. It’s famous for starring Larson in the titular role, for having a female director (Anna Boden, alongside Ryan Fleck), and for featuring a number of ‘girl power’ songs.
But did you know the film’s inclusive approach even extended to its musical score? Captain Marvel’s original music was composed by Pinar Toprak, who became the first woman behind an MCU score.
15. Goose The Cat Didn’t Exist
Throughout Captain Marvel, we’re treated to a few brilliant scenes featuring a cat named Goose (presumably after the Top Gun character, given the focus on aviation).
Believe it or not, there was no such cat! According to IMDb, Goose was played by four different cats named Reggie, Gonzo, Archie, and Rizzo.
What’s more, there’s no cat at all in Brie Larson’s scenes with Goose; the actress is allergic to the animals, so these scenes used puppets and effects instead.
16. Brie Larson Trained In Martial Arts
Want more behind-the-scenes Captain Marvel facts?
Brie Larson took what we might refer to as the Tom Cruise Approach when preparing for the superhero role. She trained extensively in martial arts, before starring in the movie. Reportedly, she learned wrestling, boxing, and judo in order to pull off combat sequences more believably.
17. She Also Got Her Own Callsign
Brie Larson didn’t quite take her training far enough to try her hand in a fighter jet cockpit. However, she did spend time with real pilots at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
The pilots gave Larson her very own callsign (which is the nickname a fighter pilot uses, like ‘Maverick’ or ‘Iceman’ from Top Gun). They called her ‘Sparrow.’
18. All Of The Suit Options In ‘Captain Marvel’ Have Meaning
There’s a scene in Captain Marvel where Carol Danvers and her friend Monica Rambeau try out different color schemes for the Captain Marvel suit.
Well, these color schemes aren’t random. Each one has meaning! The gold-heavy option is an homage to a Ms. Marvel outfit from comic books; and the red-and-yellow version is actually a reference to the DC superhero Shazam, who was previously called Captain Marvel.
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19. Brie Larson Didn’t Know What Her Credits Scene Meant
In the mid-credits scene after Captain Marvel, we see Captain America, Black Widow, Bruce Banner, and Col. Rhodes watching the pager Nick Fury activated before turning to dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. The device is a signal to Captain Marvel, who shows up and asks, “Where’s Fury?”
Interestingly enough, this moment was shot in total secrecy – even to Brie Larson. She delivered her line alone, with no information as to where her character was or to whom she was speaking.
Marvel was seriously determined not to let a single detail about Avengers: Endgame leak.
20. No One Says The Words “Captain Marvel” Until…
Strangely enough, despite the title of the film being ‘Captain Marvel’, no one actually uses this nickname in the character’s solo movie.
In fact, the name isn’t used at all until Spider-Man says it in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. This is somewhat fitting, as Captain Marvel will later come to Spidey’s aid in Avengers: Endgame.
21. The Movie Finally Explained Fury’s Eye
It was in Captain Marvel where we finally got an answer as to how Fury lost his eye. He once told Steve Rogers in Winter Soldier that it related to the last time he “trusted someone”.
Well, he kind of had it coming being obsessed with Goose the cat. Cats are notoriously fickle creatures, especially this alien-infested one. You might have had your eye scratched, but I wouldn’t take it personally Nick, Carol’s cat happens to hate everyone.
22. Comic Writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick Had a Cameo
In the movie, Carol passes a woman with bright red hair and stylish glasses as she’s getting off the subway. This is none other than comic writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick, who wrote for Captain Marvel between 2010 and 2015.
She is the woman who got Carol to take up the title of Captain Marvel in 2012 and was a driving force behind the persona we all know today.
When you dive into the nitty gritty details, comic history, and fun facts about Captain Marvel, it turns out she truly is a fun and fascinating character.
What else do you know about Carol Danvers? Let us know in the comments below!
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