With the inception of the brand new DCU under the watchful eye of James Gunn, many DC characters have the chance to undergo yet another live-action adaptation, including Gotham City's plant-based supervillain, Poison Ivy. The character, who hasn't appeared in a live-action film since Joel Schumaker's much-maligned Batman and Robin, where she was portrayed by Uma Thurman, seems primed for a reboot with another talented actress taking the reins for the iconic character. Even more exciting is the prospect of seeing Poison Ivy finally find her place in the larger cinematic universe of the DCU and all the possibilities that come from belonging to such a franchise.
The future of the DCU remains uncertain after 2022, with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over DC's cinematic universe in October. The beginning of their reign saw the cancelation of several projects, the recasting of certain main characters, and a general course correction that the DCEU had sorely needed. With their new franchise plans, any character from DC's pantheon is fair game, including many who were neglected by the DCEU's seeming inability to focus on Gotham City and its various personalities. As a result, it seems likelier than ever that certain of Batman's Rogues Gallery, including Poison Ivy herself, will make their DCU debut in the near future.
Ana De Armas
After appearing in several major feature films in recent years, including No Time to Die, Blonde, and the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, Ana de Armas has proven to be one of Hollywood's fastest-rising new stars. Not long after her breakout role in Rian Johnson's Knives Out, de Armas began bagging role after role, adding a memorable twist to each film in which she appeared, proving rather quickly that she could steal the show even with a small role. Armas was particularly memorable in her appearances in Blade Runner 2047 and No Time to Die, proving to be a fan favorite in both films.
Ana de Armas has already proven that she has what it takes for an action-heavy role like Poison Ivy. In fact, some of de Armas's best projects have been action films. Her role as CIA agent Paloma in No Time to Die gave the actress a chance to show off her stunt work and martial arts chops, leading to more action-heavy roles in recent years. Her Ballerina film serves as a testament to the profitability of de Armas's action skills, providing her with the opportunity for a full-blown action franchise should the project succeed. Transitioning into an action-heavy supervillain role would feel like a natural next step for her.
Although Ana de Armas is primarily known for her heroic roles, the actress is certainly no stranger to playing more sinister roles. Her turn in Deep Water subverted Ana de Armas's heroic trend, allowing the actress to portray a truly troubled individual with a penchant for creating chaos wherever she goes, not entirely unlike the character of Poison Ivy. Transitioning from Deep Water's Melinda to Poison Ivy wouldn't be much of a stretch for the talented actress, who would certainly bring a memorable portrayal to an already iconic character, especially if the DC project in question adequately allows for her to shine in the role.
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer is one name that is often thrown around when discussing actresses who could bring Poison Ivy's next live-action rendition to life. Best known for portraying the almost-redeemable Villanelle in Killing Eve, Comer's breakout role has become the primary argument as to why she would make a perfect Poison Ivy. Comer's portrayal of Villanelle displays the actress's incredible talent, managing to convey the sheer ruthlessness and instability of her character while also bringing a surprising vulnerability to the role. Such qualities have often been present in various renditions of Poison Ivy's character and would be absolutely essential to crafting her next live-action adaptation for the DCU.
Despite reaping heavy praise from audiences and critics for her fan-favorite role in Killing Eve, Jodie Comer also has yet to attach herself to one of Hollywood's major franchises. Aside from a brief cameo as Rey's mother in the latest Star Wars film, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Comer has appeared in none of Hollywood's bigger franchises, including any dealing with superheroes. While this certainly isn't a necessity for anyone already working in the industry, attaching herself to a major franchise like the DCU can truly bolster Comer's burgeoning career, especially if she continues to appear as Poison Ivy throughout several projects in the cinematic universe.
Priyanka Chopra
The former Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra has truly made a major splash in the American film industry since making the leap over to Hollywood projects. The actress has already proven time and time again that she has major star power, most recently in her role as the potential Oracle replacement Sati in Matrix: Resurrections. The actress has, however, struggled to find a film or franchise that does justice to her talent, often finding herself in projects that fail either critically or financially despite turning in a worthwhile performance in each. Chopra is certainly in need of a memorable role in a film just as competent as she is.
The best argument for Priyanka Chopra's casting as Poison Ivy comes from her scene-stealing performance as the villainous business mogul Victoria Leeds in 2017's Baywatch. Despite the film's relatively poor overall quality, Chopra was immediately singled out for her compelling portrayal of the conniving and flirtatious villain, lending to the idea that she'd make a terrific supervillain. While Poison Ivy might be wasted in The Batman's world, Chopra's rendition of the character could have the chance to develop a relationship with the DCU's Batman over time, becoming the memorable villain that she was always intended to be while serving a more compelling arc than she has received in prior iterations.
Emma Stone
The Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone may be best known for her portrayal of lovable protagonists with whom the audience can identify, but her recent turn in Disney's Cruella proved to her fans that she is more than capable of turning to the dark side. No stranger to superhero films, having portrayed Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel, Stone very nearly returned in The Amazing Spider-Man 3 as the supervillain Carnage. While this plan never came to fruition, it is clear that the actress was always destined to take on a meatier role in a superhero film, possibly as the main antagonist therein.
Not only does Emma Stone possess many of the same physical characteristics as the comic book Poison Ivy, including their famous red hair, but the actress has also proven on multiple occasions that she can deliver a strikingly complex portrayal of virtually any character. Her unforgettable turns in La La Land and Birdman proved her incredible range as an actress, with 2021's Cruella further driving home the fact that Stone can even make a villain sympathetic. Furthermore, the confirmation that Emma Stone will return for Cruella 2 proves that audiences are ready for more villainous roles from the actress, serving her potential casting as the DCU's Poison Ivy quite nicely.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy is the perfect actress to portray a slightly younger version of Poison Ivy than has been depicted in live-action media before. The actress, best known for her appearances in Last Night in Soho, Split, and many other hard-hitting dramas, is quickly establishing herself as one of the strongest newcomer actors working in Hollywood today. Her very best roles in recent memory have been those that utilized her darker side. Furthermore, Anya Taylor-Joy's best new movie, The Northman, even saw her portray a morally ambiguous witch with powerful abilities, almost as a rehearsal for portraying the more sinister Poison Ivy in installments of James Gunn's DCU.
Taylor-Joy's entire career seems to be based on roles akin to that of Poison Ivy, playing a surprise villain in Last Night in Soho, a red-headed genius struggling with inner demons in The Queen's Gambit, and even a semi-antagonistic superhero in The New Mutants. Her career seems tailor-made to lead directly into a supervillain role as complex as Poison Ivy, especially now that she is delving further into the action genre with the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa. With her already impressive career and incredible acting chops, Anya Taylor-Joy would make a terrific addition to James Gunn's DCU as one of the major players in the new Gotham City.
