One of the things fans have asked for more of from the DC Extended Universe is stories in the magical realm. Marvel Studios has seen great success with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. While Zachary Levi’s Shazam hasn’t been interwoven on a bigger scope as of yet, he has shown there is potential for DC to explore and compete.
It’s why people are chomping at the bit to see The Rock’s Black Adam unleashing hell later this year. However, one key hero who’s garnered a lot of traction on the animated front over the decades has been Zatanna. And make no mistake, while some would assume it’d be tough to find the right person for the Zatanna film that’s currently in the scripting stage, Warner Bros. already has the perfect candidate in Jenna Ortega.
Ortega is one of the more popular teen actors around at the moment, not to mention she’s super-diverse. Given Zatanna’s story, which is dark but has levity as well, Ortega’s range would match. It’s shown in Netflix’s You as Ellie, a hot-headed teen who fell into Joe’s murderous web, and Scream, where she played Tara, someone who had to help her inner-circle take the new Ghostface down.
Ortega is no stranger to the horror realm, starring as the Dream Widow in Studio 666. However, it’s in HBO’s Fallout she shone best. Distributed by WB, she played Vada, a teen who fell into depression after struggling to cope with death in her family, trying hard to find light amidst all the grief. It was a truly powerful, emotive performance where she tinkered with drugs and lashed out at the world, leaving critics and audiences certain that she’ll be winning awards in the next few years.
WB would be smart to capitalize on such talent as she could be for the DCEU, whether it’s rebooted or not, what Tom Holland is to Marvel Studios. Ortega’s following and the love gen-z has for her aside, she’s the ideal age to build a franchise around and would follow through on WB believing in young women in lead roles — per Sasha Calle taking on the role of Supergirl in The Flash.
It’d also increase the diversity factor of the DCEU stable, which is something millennials would especially take to. More so, it’d freshen up Zatanna’s story as a teen dealing with the loss of her dad, Giovanni, and then entering this supernatural world of adults. It’d be more marketable and allow for expansive stories on teen love, how to cope with seniors in the Justice League and Doctor Fate telling her what to do, and what such a youngling needs to do to find her place in the world.
That way, Zatanna has more depth and purpose to her, moving away from just being a romantic interest to prop up John Constantine. Ortega’s casting could even create an avenue for a younger, hipper Justice League Dark, rather than the overly-macabre team the comics often depict, which would add an extra dimension to the DCEU’s horror-scape. Ultimately, she has the chops to tote a franchise and create a tentpole, and it’s easy to see her giving attitude to the adult heroes when the time comes but still earning her keep in the field.
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