Kate Bishop’s western adventure reminds me of another Hailee Steinfeld movie
The Marvel Cinematic Universe took us to 1872. The wild west had some of our favorite characters and brought Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) the family reunion he was looking for. But the episode also put Kate Bishop in an interesting genre.
In the season 3 episode titled “What If…1872?,” we got to see Kate and Shang-Chi teaming up together. But Kate Bishop being in a western story is one that is very familiar for fans of Hailee Steinfeld. Her theatrical debut was in the Coen Brothers adaptation of True Grit in 2010. Then, at the age of 13, she gained critical acclaim.
In the episode, Kate is a cowgirl and is working with Shang-Chi to try and find the Red Hood. The two are met with fellow outlaws, a train situation, and a young boy the two have to protect. It is a perfect merging of what we love about western movies and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it is made that much sweeter by having Steinfeld back in the western world. If anyone was going to fit in an old timey western, it would be Kate Bishop. And I’d argue that Clint Barton would also have been amazing in this universe!
But it really was special to me to have Kate in this episode. Seeing Kate Bishop as a cowgirl really brought me back to my love of True Grit.
True Grit had a young Steinfeld going up against Jeff Bridges as the two became unlikely companions in the film. Knowing their Marvel connection is that much funnier now. That and Josh Brolin being in True Grit as well. But what both this What If…? episode and True Grit does is show us how good Steinfeld is at being in a western!
Hailee Steinfeld fits perfectly in a western
It isn’t easy being in a western. For the most part, we’ve moved away from the standard telling of them. We’ve modernized the genre with things like Yellowstone or movies like Hell or High Water but a classic western is few and far between now. Steinfeld though really fits in with the tone of a western and I loved seeing Kate Bishop take it on.
As is always the case with What If…?, these are stories I wish I could see in live action. I think a team-up between Kate and Shang-Chi would be great but throwing Marvel characters in the wild wild west? That sounds like perfection. At least we have it here with “What If…1872?” but I do think one thing is clear: Hailee Steinfeld should be in more westerns!
If we want to bring the genre back in a big way, who better to lead the charge than Steinfeld? Is this my way of trying to get her back in a True Grit like film? Yes but I’d just more westerns in general. I wouldn’t say no to Steinfeld and Bridges teaming back up together though. For now, we have this beautiful episode of What If…? and True Grit to appreciate.
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