‘She-Hulk’ Trailer Smashes its Way into the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand with the introduction of Bruce Banner’s (Mark Ruffalo) cousin, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), in the upcoming Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Following in the footsteps of other Phase 4 MCU series, Attorney at Law looks to be a unique spin-off with some beloved characters returning.
Jennifer is an attorney who has just been promoted to lead her firm’s superhuman law division. The promotion becomes more than she bargained for once she discovers that she has superpowers. The trailer offers no information about where Jennifer’s powers come from, and even die-hard MCU fans may not know. In the comic books, she gains She-Hulk powers after Bruce gives her a blood transfusion after an injury. Whether or not the series will follow the storyline from the comics is yet to be determined. The series appears to show Jennifer learning to master her powers with her cousin while she deals with the tragic superhero desire to live a normal life.
Ruffalo is not the only MCU alum to reprise his role on the smaller screen. Fans can look forward to seeing Emil Blonsky/the Abomination (Tim Roth) and Wong (Benedict Wong) as the series progresses. The remaining She-Hulk: Attorney at Law cast is filled by actors with a plethora of comedic roles under their belts, including Ginger Gonzaga (Living With Yourself, Space Force), Josh Segarra (The Other Two, Overboard), and Jon Bass (Baywatch, Miracle Workers). Musical theatre fans will also recognize Renée Elise Goldsberry from the smash hit (no pun intended) Hamilton.
Bearing the weight of the series is Emmy-award winning actor Tatiana Maslany. The Canadian made waves in 2013 as the star of the BBC series Orphan Black. The show ran for five seasons and centered on Sarah Manning (Maslany) as she learned that she was one of many clones who were the result of a science experiment gone wrong. She effortlessly portrayed a total of 17 clones with different accents, mannerisms, and affectations. Maslany’s performance finally earned her a highly deserved Emmy during the show’s final season.
If anyone is capable of stepping into She-Hulk’s 6-foot-7-inch superpowered frame, it’s Maslany. This is her first superhero outing, and she will benefit from having directors Kat Coiro and Anu Valia and head-writer Jessica Gao guide her along the way. Given the body of work that Coiro, Valia, and Gao have produced, it seems likely that the show will lean more toward comedy than action. Coiro and Valia have directed episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, Dead to Me, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Never Have I Ever, and more. Fans of the animated comedy Rick and Morty have Gao to thank for the infamous “Pickle Rick” episode.
Fans will have to wait a few more months for another glimpse of Maslany as She-Hulk. Hopefully, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will lean into the comedic talents of the creative team. One thing’s for certain – Jennifer is a lot more charming than her cousin Bruce. We might come to like her when she’s angry.