Storm Doesn't Need Black Panther for Validation, She's Been Around Longer Than Him: Alexandra Shipp

Sophie Turner-starrer Dark Phoenix is all set to hit the theaters in June this year. The press tours of the film have begun and the star cast has been interacting with media to promote the movie. At the press tour of X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Alexandra Shipp, who portrays superhero Storm in X-Men films, took a sly dig at the makers, saying her character has little to do in the franchise, reports IndieWire.

During the event, the 27-year-old actress was asked about her reaction to the merger of 20th Century Fox with Disney, the parent company of Marvel Studios. In her response, Shipp said, "I would and I wouldn't because Storm barely has anything to say as it is. I don't know about (the other actors) but like we never talk. So it would be really nice if we weren't piled into yet another jam-packed cast, in which you only see me in the back of the shot like f***ing sasquatch."

Likewise, when quizzed about the on-screen romance and marriage between her character and Black Panther, the actress said that Storm doesn't need Black Panther's validation and instead she would prefer a stand-alone film on Storm.

"No! No, I don't think Storm needs T'Challa, and I think she needs her own movie. It doesn't have to be me, it just needs to be made. A woman does not need a man in order to give her validity and she has also been around longer than him," Shipp said.

While it has not been shown in the films yet, but as per comics, T'Challa (Black Panther) meets and falls in love with an apparent orphaned teen Ororo Munroe, who grows up to become the X-Men member Storm.

Talking about Dark Phoenix, in the film, the X-Men have two missions. Firstly, saving Jean and their breaking family, and secondly, combat the aliens trying to evade the planet and galaxy by weaponising Jean. Torn in between her friends and her new powers, Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is going to have a tough summer.

The trailer of Dark Phoenix was released in February and going by it, the old school Jean Grey we knew as the calm, mature and the peacemaker has completely changed. The mutant with telepathic and telekinetic powers has become fiercer and uncontrollable. Her quest with the aliens and the conflict within Jean is apparent to lead the film.