David Tennant wants Jessica Jones’ Kilgrave back in the MCU

Cameron Frew
David Tennant as Kilgrave in Jessica Jones

David Tennant has admitted while it would be “difficult,” he’d love to see his Jessica Jones villain Kilgrave return to the MCU.

If we’re listing the best villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s some immediate frontrunners: Thanos, the big bad of the Infinity Saga, is a definite contender for the top spot; while veering into anti-hero status, Loki is an iconic character; and then there’s Black Panther’s Killmonger, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s Ego, and Thor: Ragnarok’s Hela.

Of course, that’s excluding the de-canonized Netflix shows, once the small-screen offshoots of the MCU before the Disney+ era of content. This includes Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, Jessica Jones, and their team-up series, The Defenders.

Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is another contender, but there’s one villain better than them all: Tennant’s Kilgrave, and the actor would like to play him again.

David Tennant wants “talented” MCU writers to bring back Kilgrave

Tennant first starred as Kilgrave in Jessica Jones Season 1, then haunted her throughout the next two seasons.

While Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and D’Onofrio’s Kingpin have returned to the MCU, it’s unclear whether we’ll see the other Defenders again – nor do we know if Kilgrave will ever come back.

During a recent appearance at Fan Expo Boston, Tennant was asked whether he could see Kilgrave return to the MCU given the multiversal madness at play after Doctor Strange 2.

According to @juleswritesblog, he said it would be “difficult considering how specific a character Kilgrave is, but that he’d be excited to see the ‘talented’ writers at Marvel try.”

Who is Kilgrave?

Kilgrave, inspired by Purple Man in the comics, has the ability to control people’s minds and command them at will. This came after his parents’ merciless experimentation from a young age to treat a neurodegenerative disease, somehow resulting in him gaining powers.

After a childhood of forcing his mum and dad to carry out “every childish demand,” he grew into an evil, cynical adult, controlling every aspect of his life – even those he loves, including Jessica Jones.

He’s also immensely wealthy, having amassed a huge fortune by theft in broad daylight. For example, he makes three high-rollers fold with a million dollars on the table during a poker game – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Jessica Jones is available to stream on Disney+ now.

About The Author

Cameron is Deputy TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He's an action movie aficionado, '80s obsessive, and Oscars enthusiast. He loves Invincible, but he's also a fan of The Boys, the MCU, The Chosen, and much more. You can contact him at cameron.frew@dexerto.com.