If a new rumor is to be believed, Krysten Ritter may reprise her role as Jessica Jones for Marvel Studios' upcoming She-Hulk series on Disney+.
This rumor comes courtesy of noted industry scooper Daniel Richtman, aka DanielRPK. While this, like all rumors, should obviously be taken with a grain of salt until some sort of official confirmation is given by Marvel or Disney, it should also be noted that Richtman has a fairly reliable track record with his scoops.
Ritter starred as the eponymous character of Marvel's Jessica Jones on Netflix, which ran for three seasons from 2015 to 2019. She also appeared in the Netflix limited series Marvel's The Defenders -- a crossover between Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Of course, Netflix infamously canceled the entirety of its Marvel lineup, with the on-screen future of the streaming giant's licensed Marvel characters remaining up in the air ever since.
Due to the nature of Netflix's contract with Marvel/Disney, the rights to these characters were to remain with Netflix for two years following their respective series' cancellation. This is particularly noteworthy, as Jessica Jones was canceled alongside Marvel's The Punisher in February of 2019, meaning, in theory, the rights could default to Disney as early as next month. That being said, while Jessica Jones was officially canceled in February 2019, the show's third and final season did not drop until a few months later in June. At any rate, however, Disney should regain the rights to the character sometime this year. Meanwhile, She-Hulk isn't expected to premiere on Disney+ until 2022 at the earliest.
Rumors of Krysten Ritter potentially returning for She-Hulk come not long after reports surfaced of Daredevil star Charlie Cox potentially reprising his role as Matt Murdock for Marvel Studios' third Spider-Man film. On that note, Daredevil was canceled by Netflix in November of 2018, meaning the rights have likely already defaulted back to Marvel/Disney. DanielRPK explains that the only two Defenders he expects to return under the Marvel Studios banner are Ritter's Jessica Jones and Cox's Daredevil, though he also expects Vincent D'Onofrio to return as Daredevil antagonist Wilson Fisk.
Interestingly enough, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige was asked about the possibility of Netflix-era Marvel shows like Jessica Jones or Luke Cage making a comeback in a recent interview with Deadline. Feige played coy on the matter, saying, "I've been at Marvel long enough to never say never about anything."
Notably, Ritter echoed this sentiment in 2019. While the actor expressed doubt that she'd ever play Jessica Jones again following her show's conclusion, she also said she'd love to return to the role should the opportunity arise. "I would play [Jessica Jones] again in a heartbeat -- she's the coolest character ever and I love her!" Ritter wrote. "Hey, you never know what the future holds. As for now I'm so proud of the long run and the deep character work I got to do. It's been a dream and never say never!" At this stage, however, fans will simply have to wait and see what, if anything, comes of these rumors.
Developed by Jessica Gao, Disney+'s She-Hulk stars Tatiana Maslany and Mark Ruffalo. The series has yet to receive a premiere date.
Source: DanielRPK, via ComicBook.com