“Kick-Ass” star Aaron Taylor-Johnson has finally worked out his schedule and closed a deal to play Pietro Maximoff, better known as Quicksilver, in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” an individual familiar with the sequel has told TheWrap.
Taylor-Johnson didn’t close his deal until Wednesday, as the “Age of Ultron” shooting schedule overlaps with his upcoming publicity tour for Legendary’s “Godzilla” reboot. That potential obstacle has been overcome and his availability to properly promote that creature feature and shoot the “Avengers” sequel is now ensured.
Marvel had no comment.
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Taylor-Johnson has been the frontrunner to play Quicksilver since June 7, when TheWrap first reported Marvel’s interest in the up-and-coming British actor.
Quicksilver is one of two new characters that director Joss Whedon is introducing in the sequel, along with the Scarlet Witch. They are twins whose father is Magneto, though the iconic “X-Men” villain will not appear in the “Avengers” sequel.
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Like DC Comics’ character The Flash, Quicksilver possesses superhuman speed, a fitting trait for Taylor-Johnson considering how quickly he has become one of Hollywood’s hottest young actors. The 23 year-old actor next stars in Legendary’s “Godzilla” reboot alongside Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Olsen, who will play the Scarlet Witch in the “Avengers” sequel.
Taylor-Johnson officially joins Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and James Spader in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which hits theaters on May 1, 2015.
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Johnson, who is coming off of Universal’s “Kick-Ass 2,” recently starred in Oliver Stone’s “Savages” and Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina.” He’s represented by WME, Hamilton Hodell, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and attorney David Weber.