Produced by Marvel Television, Runaways was one of a number of shows to end prematurely when Marvel Studios took charge of any and all MCU small screen offerings. Luckily, the Hulu series ended on a satisfying note, though fans remain optimistic that the team will eventually return either on the big screen or on Disney+.
Virginia Gardner played Karolina Dean in the show and made history by portraying the first gay superhero - alongside Lyrica Okano's Nico Minoru - in a live-action Marvel project.
Talking to us about her role in new thriller Fall, the actress confirmed she would be open to reprising the role should the opportunity come her way. Gardner also reflected on Runaways' cancellation and what it meant to her to be part of that groundbreaking LGBTQ+ couple.
"She was the first!" Gardner said about Karolina coming out in the series. "To be able to play the first openly gay superhero for Marvel was a dream come true. Lyrica and I, my girlfriend on the show, really pushed to explore that storyline because we felt it was so important that people have gay superheroes to look up to."
"It meant the world to us that we were given that opportunity to bring those really iconic characters to life," she continues in the video above. "It was so fun getting to fly on the wires, light up, and use all those superhero powers. It really is such a fun world to be part of."
"I would feel so fortunate to ever come back to that world. I think when the show ended, it was really wrapped up nicely and it was around the time a lot was changing with the Disney+/Marvel world. I think it all came to an end when it was meant to."
For years, there was talk of Marvel Studios developing a Runaways movie so, with any luck, these heroes are still on Kevin Feige's radar. The cast did a great job too, so if there are future plans for them in the MCU, we'd like to think the original cast will be given the chance to return.
Like everyone else, Gardner has moved on to other projects, including Fall. In that, she delivers a must-see performance, and you can check that out for yourselves as the movie is now available on Digital and hits Blu-ray and DVD on October 18 from Lionsgate. Check back here next week for our full conversation with Gardner and her co-star, Grace Caroline Currey.