Squirrel Girl has assembled her squad – and not a moment too soon.
Set to headline Marvel and Freeform’s upcoming New Warriors, USA Today has blown the lid off the half-hour action-comedy series to identify the five costumed crusaders who will be rubbing shoulders with Doreen Green in 2018. Ordered straight to series just over a fortnight ago – it’ll join fellow Marvel show Cloak and Dagger on the network’s burgeoning slate – we know that writer-producer Kevin Biegel (Cougar Town, Scrubs) is attached to pen the script, with the option to serve as showrunner still on the table.
In tandem with today’s reveal, Jeph Loeb, executive producer and head of Marvel Television, spoke to USA Today about what makes Squirrel Girl and Co. so unique, stating that the New Warriors are “the eager, hopeful-for-a-brighter-tomorrow group that also have the wry, sardonic, life-is-hell attitude that makes them uniquely Marvel.”
As if that wasn’t enough, we also have confirmation of the five crusaders on board for the series: Mister Immortal, Night Thrasher, Speedball, Microbe and Debrii. You’ll be able to find detailed bios for each hero down below, beginning with Doreen Green (AKA Squirrel Girl).
Squirrel Girl is the spunky fangirl and “wonderful heart of the show” with acrobat skills, superhuman strength and a cool squirrel tail, Biegel says. (She can also talk to critters including her sidekick, Tippy Toe.) “She is openly hopeful and earnest and sweet and optimistic, but smart and very determined that she can make a difference, too. She knows she’s great and if you’re not going to get on board with her, she’ll leave you in the dust.”
Craig Hollis (Mister Immortal)
The squad’s resident troublemaker and lothario, this guy can’t die — or at least that’s what he says — and is equally cocky and grumpy. “Craig is a little more jaded and saying things aren’t as rosy and the world isn’t as hopeful as you make it out to be,” says Biegel.
Dwayne Taylor (Night Thrasher)
The masked dude is a local celebrity with his own YouTube channel but no actual superpowers. His parents were killed when he was younger, though he worries about his family’s wealth ruining his street cred. “Dwayne is the one who’s enterprising and really trying to figure out the business side of this entire thing,” Biegel says, “but at the same time he really does care about justice.”
Robbie Baldwin (Speedball)
A guy whose childhood was spent watching Quinjets take off from Avengers Tower, Speedball has the knack — though maybe not the greatest aim — for tossing kinetic balls of energy. Although immature and impulsive, “Robbie has these noble aspirations, but can’t quite figure out which one to pursue,” Biegel says.
Zack Smith (Microbe)
A big guy with a sizable heart, Microbe communicates with germs, giving him telepathic-like qualities, though he leans on his pals to find extra confidence. “Zack literally is just looking for a connection: ‘Hey, maybe I can find a group of people I can hang out with,’ which is totally part of who you are in your 20s,” Biegel says.
Deborah Fields (Debrii)
Not only is she a low-level telekinetic trickster who has experienced serious personal loss due to the actions of superheroes, Deborah is also a proud, witty lesbian. “It’s not all about ‘Hey, I relate to the show because I want to have a squirrel tail,’ but ‘Hey, this is the story about someone who’s out as a lesbian and maybe it’s not that easy,’” Biegel says.
Casting is still underway for Freeform’s New Warriors series, and if Marvel’s handling of Runaways is any indication, the studio will likely announce the full ensemble in one fell swoop. Until such a time as when we have that casting round-up for you to peruse, USA Today also unveiled some artwork of Squirrel Girl and her newfound allies. Check it out below and let us know what you think.
