What can you say about Dazzler? Few Marvel characters have as interesting a story about them as she does. She was created by committee to be a tie-in with the recording industry. She was originally modelled on Grace Jones before being modelled on Bo Derek. She almost made it to the big screen six years before Howard the Duck. Oh, and she will be appearing in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Entertainment Weekly confirms that a Fox casting notice that hinted the character would be the next film was indeed referring to Dazzler. The part is rumored to be a small one. Whether it will be “Psylocke in X-Men: The Last Stand” small–where the character essentially appears in the background–or “Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse” small–where there’s quite a bit more screen time but only a line or two thrown at it–has yet to be determined.
Dazzler was created in 1979 by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, writer Tom DeFalco and artist John Romita, Jr. The character was a mutant disco singer whose power was the ability to covert sound into light, which she used in her stage show. The character caught the attention of Casablanca Records, label to hot disco acts of the day such as The Village People, Donna Summer and Lipps, Inc. Casablanca wanted to showcase the character in an animated series where their clients would voice the supporting characters. Eventually, the series became a motion picture after Casablanca walked away, one that caught the eye of the Bo Derek, then hot off of her performance in 10. According to Jim Shooter, Bo Derek’s involvement in he project started a bidding war that only came to an end when the actress insisted her husband John direct the film. That scared all the investors off, and the Dazzler film died a slow death.
The character made her first comic book appearance in Uncanny X-Men #130, which came right at the start of the “Dark Phoenix Saga” in the comics, so her appearance in X-Men: Dark Phoenix would make sense. Taylor Swift was rumored to be playing the character, but it is unlikely that there will be any truth to the rumor.
More as it develops.
Hopefully the Hellfire Club as well.