MCU Reportedly Has an Open Casting for Richard Rider, Nova Role Could Go to a POC Actor

Marvel Studios has many projects in development, featuring both well-known and lesser-known comic characters. Despite Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum saying the studio would slow down to releasing 2 to 3 movies and 2 to 2.5 live-action shows per year, they continue to work on new ideas.

One confirmed project, ‘Nova,’ has been in development for years. It was first planned as a series, then switched to a movie, and now it looks like it’s returning to a series format.

Over six months ago, the head of Marvel Television confirmed that a ‘Nova’ live-action series is in the works. However, he added that just because a project is in early development, it doesn’t guarantee it will actually happen, following new studio guidelines.

Winderbaum also recently shared a positive update on the show, revealing that it has moved past the “early development” stage and is progressing well. He mentioned that the project is still in development but showed a lot of promise, especially in terms of its unique tone and vibe, which he described as “very cool.”

Now we don’t know much about the show itself as the plot has been under wraps, as well as which Nova it will focus on. Some rumors claim that it’s going to focus on Richard Rider and some that it’s going to focus on Sam Alexander. Industry insider Daniel Richtman recently published an interesting rumor. On his Patreon, Richtman stated that the casting is open and not limited to any specific ethnicity.

This means that the role is not strictly reserved for a white actor, and there is a possibility for a person of color (POC) to be cast in the role.

This doesn’t make that much sense considering that MCU already has a POC Nova at its disposal – Sam Alexander.

Aside from this casting rumor, the latest word is that the villain in the show will be Annihilus. Known for leading the Annihilation Wave that destroyed the Nova Corps in the comics, his presence signals high-stakes battles and strong connections to Nova’s comic book history.

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