Following stand-out turns in Netflix's Squid Game and Disney+'s The Acolyte, South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae might be set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
According to scooper MTTSH, Jung-jae is in talks for an undisclosed MCU role.
We don't have any details on who he might be in line to play, but there's a chance it isn't any one specific hero or villain. Kevin Feige has been known to reach out to actors he's keen to work with without having a particular character in mind, and it's also possible that Jung-jae was given a choice of several different roles.
This isn't actually the first time the actor has been rumored for a Marvel part, as there was some talk of him being in negotiations to play Mr. Negative in Sony's SSU last year (nothing ever came of it, of course).
The Acolyte proved to be one of Lucasfilm's more divisive Star Wars shows, but most fans would likely be in agreement that Jung-jae's Jedi Master Sol was a standout.
While speaking to Vanity Fair about season 2 of Squid Game - which is currently streaming - Jung-jae reflected on the backlash the show received from certain fans, with some cast members being subjected to racist, homophobic and misogynistic abuse online.
“My feelings were hurt,” he admitted. “Especially for Leslye Headland—her feelings must have hurt a lot. I can only have faith that racism will end someday, even though it’s going to be hard.”
Lee added that he is optimistic that viewers will revisit The Acolyte down the line, and may gain a new appreciation for the High Republic Era-set tale. “For some work, it takes time to gain traction, and I have strong hopes that people will like it as time passes."
Sol was killed off in the finale, and likely wouldn't have been back for a second season, anyway, but there were a number of plot threads and character arcs left unresolved, including the much-discussed live-action introduction of Darth Plagueis.
Are there any Marvel Comics characters you'd like to see Lee Jung-jae suit-up as in the MCU? Drop us a comment down below.
In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.
The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.
Headland also directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102). Directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) round out the directing duties on the series.