Marvel announced today that Doctor Who’s David Tennant will play Kilgrave, the villain at the heart of their upcoming Netflix series A.K.A. Jessica Jones. Also known as the Purple Man, Kilgrave is a key antagonist in Jessica Jones’ superhero past, as he is responsible for the trauma that makes her leave behind her crimefighting career. (While the character’s name is spelled Killgrave in the comics, the press release refers to him as “Kilgrave.”)
Executive producer/showrunner Melissa Rosenberg (who served as showrunner on Dexter and wrote a few episodes of The WB’s Birds of Prey) shared her excitement at seeing Tennant play the Purple Man:
I’m so honored and excited by the prospect of David inhabiting this multifaceted character. He can deliver the most heart-wrenching moment to the driest of lines, and all points in between. He’ll make Kilgrave a truly original villain.
Marvel’s Head of Television (and another Executive Producer on the series) Jeph Loeb added,
Anyone familiar with David’s work knows he brings an incredible level of dedication to any role he inhabits, a level we knew we would need from the man playing Kilgrave. While most know him for his roles as a hero, we can’t wait to unleash a whole new side of this talented actor.
A.K.A. Jessica Jones will stream on Netflix sometime in 2015.
Images: Warner Bros, Marvel Comics
