Two years ago, Jessica Chastain said that she’d “love to do a superhero movie” and expressed her regret over not getting a chance to play Black Widow. She even told The Guardian that she’d “want to wear a…cool costume with a scar on my face, with fight scenes. That’s what I’d love.” And today, Chastain got her wish as she signed on to star in and produce the adaption of Painkiller Jane—her very own comic book movie!
The first report of Chastain’s new deal originated at Deadline, and the news was quickly confirmed by Painkiller Jane co-creator, Jimmy Palmiotti. In 1996, Palmiotti and artist Joe Quesada created the character for their indie company, Event Comics, and is one of the few creations from that company to have broken out into multiple comic book series from different publishers (as well as a TV movie and a television series starring Kristanna Loken as the title character).
While Painkiller Jane is more of a vigilante than a superhero, she does have an amazing healing factor that makes her almost impossible to kill. As originally presented in the comics, her full name is Jane Vasko, and she was an undercover police officer who was badly injured in an explosion before gaining her superpower under enigmatic circumstances. Jane earned her nickname because of her constant use of painkillers; which she relies on to dull the incredible pain of every injury that she receives. That also accounts for the excessive bandages that she wears to keep herself from bleeding out.
No doubt, part of the appeal for Chastain may be the nuance that comes with the character. In addition to her external injuries, Painkiller Jane also carries around a lot of internal conflict, too, often resulting in a lot of death and destruction behind her. Painkiller Jane is no typical comic book heroine, but she has endured in the industry for 20 years—and we’re eager to see what Chastain can do with Jane on the big screen.
Are you excited about seeing Chastain star in the Painkiller Jane movie? Take aim, and share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Images: Columbia Pictures/Event Comics/Dynamite Entertainment
