We mentioned back in August last year that Hulu had jumped aboard the Superhero train, picking up an adaptation of Marvel’s Runaways for pilot. Now they have announced the cast for the show, and they’re done a really good job matching people to their comic book counterparts!
Developed by Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz (The OC, Chuck) and Stephanie Savage (The OC), Runaways follows a gang of teens who, despite their dislike of each other, band together to face a common enemy… Their parents, who they discover are part of a super-villain group called ‘The Pride’. Upon learning their true heritage, some discover they have abilities, so set out with their new found powers (along with magical items stolen from their evil parents), to defeat ‘The Pride’.
Below is a list of the all new cast, along with character descriptions of the people they will be playing.
Rhenzy Feliz (Casual) – Alex Wilder.
Alex Wilder is a loud-and-proud nerd. Admittedly a bit of a loner, Alex spends much of his free time playing video games, but deep down, what he wants most is to reunite his group of childhood friends
Lyrica Okano (The Affair) – Nico Minoru
Nico Minoru is tough, intelligent, independent and embodies teenage angst. A budding “Wiccan,” Nico’s carefully crafted goth appearance isolates her from her peers and family, but maybe what she really needs is someone to talk to.
Virginia Gardner (The Goldbergs, Glee) – Karolina Dean
Karolina Dean has a model-perfect exterior, with a lot going on behind her professionally whitened smile. She is burdened by the lofty expectations and responsibilities put upon her by her parents. Underneath her veneer of privilege and perfection, Karolina is experiencing a newfound eagerness to explore her identity and pursue her own desires.
Ariela Barer (New Girl, One Day at a Time) – Gert Yorkes
Gert Yorkes is a purple-haired, bespectacled, contemporary riot grrrl. Never passing up a moment to stand on a soapbox, Gert sometimes wields her persona as a brash social justice warrior to mask her true feelings.
Gregg Sulkin (Faking It, Pretty Little Liars, Wizards of Waverly Place) – Chase Stein
Chase Stein is a lacrosse-playing, high school heartthrob. While many write him off as a dumb jock, Chase exhibits flashes of untapped brilliance in engineering, not unlike his wildly successful father.
Allegra Acosta (100 Things to Do Before High School) – Molly Hernandez
Molly Hernandez (name changed from Molly Hayes in the comics) is the youngest and most innocent member of her friend group, who is known for her peppy positivity and a deep yearning to belong.
So those are your Runaways! Comic co-creator and series exec Brian K. Vaughn commented on the casting, saying “I’m so excited for fans of the comic to watch this perfect cast of amazing actors, all of whom embody the spirit of their characters more than I ever could have imagined.”
Have to say, they seem to have done a really good job! Technically this is still only at the pilot stage, although Hulu have ordered additional scripts, so things look to be moving in the right direction. We’ll let you know when we hear more!