5 Film Franchises That Should Consider Adding Tatiana Maslany

By Dustin Rowles | Lists | November 27, 2013 |

By Dustin Rowles | Lists | November 27, 2013 |

Rumors are swirling that the incredibly talented Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany recently screen tested for the next Terminator film, and while I had previously been of the opinion that the series should leave bad enough alone (the last two installments have not only been mediocre to bad, but have underperformed at the box office), I could actually see myself getting excited for a Terminator 5 with Tatiana Maslany as a young Sarah Connor. In fact, that’s kind of amazing. She has all the ass-kicking ability that Linda Hamilton had, and (as much as I hate to say it), more raw acting talent (and a sense of humor that Hamilton lacked). If anyone can inject new life into the series, it’s Maslany (the other choices, Emilia Clarke and Brie Larson, are not as strong; Clarke doesn’t have the gravitas, and Larson should stick to indie films, where she thrives).

But where else might Maslany be well suited? Perhaps, J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars franchise? However, it’s hard to know what kind of role she could play. I’d hate to see her reduced to any kind of princess character, but she could bring to the series a strong, female villain, or if they decided to take female character to the dark side a la Anakin Skywalker, Maslany might fit the bill. She may, however, be better suited to a smaller but integral role, because I’d hate to see her typecast.

The Fast & Furious franchise finds new ways to inject adrenaline into their series with every installment, and while the addition of The Rock was a masterstroke, the franchise needs a new female to challenge the flow of testosterone (Gina Carano was a nice addition to the last movie, but she was sorely underused). I could definitely see Maslany playing both sides of a heist, and launching her car over a cliff, perfectly through an open helicopter door, and safely onto the roof of a building on the other side. Someone make this happen.

Why Maslany hasn’t been mentioned as a potential character in the Marvel world yet is beyond me, though she might be perfect as the title character in the new Netflix Jessica Jones series. It’s a one-off series that probably wouldn’t interfere with Orphan Black in the short term, and may set her up to appear in the third The Avengers movie in the long-term. Failing that, maybe she could be considered for the part of Janet Van Dyne in Ant Man, which has a comedic edge to it, and Maslany has demonstrated great comedy chops in both Orphan Black and Parks and Recreation.

Finally, I would love nothing more than to see Maslany in a future James Bond installment as a spy or a villain or anything with a sinister edge (except a Bond girl, because Maslany would never be a Bond girl). Can James Bond lose? Because he would lose to Maslany.

In the meantime, season two of Orphan Black returns in April. Here’s a quick teaser.