By A few months ago Freeform formerly known as ABC Family announced that they had ordered a 10 episode season of Marvel’s New Warriors sight unseen. At first it was exciting to me as I’ve heard nothing but great things about the comic series but when I thought about the type of shows Freeform ran I started to get a little worried. Thankfully the news of the series cast and the general feel that the show looks to follow helped alleviate some of the worry, also the lovely Milana Vayntrub being involved helped just a little bit as well.
The New Warriors will follow a group of young super heroes who are still learning to use their powers be they incredibly useful or seemingly little more than a modern day Dazzler. The team is led by the ever chipper Squirrel Girl who will be played by Milana Vayntrub of This is Us and @Midnight fame. The role has been a highly coveted one with multiple popular actors vying for it including Anna Kendrick, Mae Whitman, and Stranger Things Shannon Purser.
Joining Vayntrub will be Freeform veteran Derek Theler who will play Mister Immortal, a self-professed immortal who has yet to prove that he will indeed outlive the heat death of the universe. Theler who just got off of a six season starring role on the Freeform sitcom Baby Daddy hasn’t been in much else but if the execs at Freeform are willing to trust him with another starring role they must be confident in his abilities.
Filling out the rest of the Warriors will be Jeremy Tardy, Calum Worthy, Matthew Moy, and Kate Comer. Tardy who has a supporting role in Dear White People will play Night Thrasher, a skilled martial artist and acrobat who is just a little too full of himself. Callum of Austin and Ally fame will portray Speedball who mixes cocaine and heorin to kill bad guys throws erratic balls of kinetic energy. Moy will be Microbe who in the comics is actually a mutant that can control microorganisms but in this iteration will only be able to communicate with them. Finally Comer will be Debrii, a low-level kinetic as well as an openly gay woman which flies directly in the face of fellow Freeform broadcasted 700 Club so that dichotomy of viewers should be interesting to watch.
From what little news the recently rebranded channel is putting out, it looks like they are trying to be a light-hearted alternative to the dark and soon to be darker Marvel Cinematic Universe movies while still being a part of the canon. The characters that are present in the show all look to be a little more vulnerable and comedic than their comic counterparts and honestly that seems like a good thing because I think the world could always use a bit more comedy. Also since the events of Civil War already happened I don’t expect the first season to end with the entire cast dying in front of a filled school, so that’s good. The New Warriors will premiere on Freeform in 2018 and will be joined on the channel by the previously announced Marvel property Cloak and Dagger.
[via Hollywood Reporter]