Brie Larson’s Best Role Is As A Supervillain, Stream Right Now
Brie Larson played Envy Adams, and did her own singing, in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, streaming now on Peacock.
Brie Larson may be best known for her role as Captain Marvel, the Marvel Studios superhero. But one of her best roles is as the villainous Envy Adams in Edgar Wright’s mind-melting adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Though the movie was a box office bomb, it has become a cult classic, and it is streaming now on Peacock.
Adapted from the graphic novels by Canadian writer and artist Bryan O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs the World is a psychedelic film experience. The film makes no attempt at realism, embracing the style of its source material and blending graphic elements from comic books and video games into its live-action footage.
Brie Larson jumps into the film as the scene-stealing Envy Adams, the lead singer of the hit indie band The Clash at Demonhead and the ex-girlfriend of the film’s title character, played by Michael Cera. Larson joined the Scott Pilgrim cast in early 2009 and was announced alongside other high-profile additions to the film, including Brandon Routh and Chris Evans.
The comic book film was released in 2010, coming along in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was packed with actors who either had or would go on to play superheroes. Brie Larson and Chris Evans became Avengers, Brandon Routh had already played Superman, and Aubrey Plaza has her Marvel debut on the horizon.
The film is full of high-octane music contributed by popular artists, including Beck and Metric, the latter of which was the model for The Clash at Demonhead. The group also contributed their own song, “Black Sheep”, to be performed by Demonhead.
Brie Larson, a trained singer, gave her own vocal performance of the song in the film in order to imbue the performance with the sinister character of Envy Adams. She modeled herself as a caricature of Emily Haines, Metric’s lead singer. When Larson delivered her live performance of the song while filming Scott Pilgrim, she said she found ways to move her body she did not know she was capable of.
Despite a cast of talent like Brie Larson, Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and many more, Scott Pilgrim failed to land a punch at the box office. The film, which carried a production budget of about $85 million, earned just shy of $50 million during its theatrical run.
Those who saw the film, however, recognized its value. A cult following has formed around the film, with many viewing it as a transmedia masterpiece. Its hyper-stylized look and sound make it a unique piece of cinema that holds an important place in the history of the medium.
Brie Larson has skyrocketed since her role in Scott Pilgrim. The actress, director, and producer appeared in 21 Jump Street (written by Scott Pilgrim co-writer Michael Bacall), won an Oscar in 2016 for her role in Room, battled monsters in King Kong: Skull Island, and became a superhero in 2019’s Captain Marvel.
Now Brie Larson bounces from mega franchises like Marvel and the Fast Saga to smaller, more dramatic stories, such as Just Mercy and her upcoming Apple series, Lessons in Chemistry. Larson has been acting since the late 1990s, but Scott Pilgrim was a turning point in the star’s career that has seen Larson become one of Hollywood’s most successful women.
Brie Larson just finished what she called a transformative experience as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival. In a vague but exultant post on Instagram, the actress shared that the inspiration she felt watching and discussing the festival’s finest films will profoundly impact the future course of her career.
Brie Larson has a lot in the works, including her next superhero outing in this fall’s The Marvels. She is also attached to lead a spy thriller series. One of the most intriguing projects on Larson’s lineup is the anime adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs the World.
Larson will return to voice Envy Adams in the series. She will be joined by the vast majority of the film’s original cast, who will reprise their roles in this expanded take on the graphic novel series.
Bryan O’Malley had not completed the Scott Pilgrim books when the movie was made; the film was based primarily on the first entry in the artist’s series. Edgar Wright, Michael Bacall, and O’Malley forged their own ending for the film, but were unable to incorporate material from the comic book finale.
Now Brie Larson and her co-stars will bring audiences a new take on Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Most view Larson as an Oscar winner and superhero, but to the few and the proud Scott Pilgrim fans, Brie Larson will always and forever be the badass rock chick from one of the most underrated films of a generation. Her unforgettable take on Envy Adams is streaming now on Peacock.
