Jessica Biel to Play Viper in ‘The Wolverine’

The Wolverine just got a whole lot sexier. Casting erupted for the next chapter in Wolverine's (as played by Hugh Jackman) saga earlier this week as the love interest and several (Japanese) villains were cast, and now James Mangold's film has picked up some star power in the form of Jessica Biel.

Biel will play Viper in next summer's blockbuster, according to Deadline. Viper, also known as Madame Hydra (she was raised and trained by terrorist organization HYDRA), is an assassin who began in the Captain America and Avengers universes and later went on to fight the X-Men.


There are two comic story lines involving Viper that could tie in to The Wolverine, which will be based on Frank Miller and Chris Claremont's Japanese story arc. At one point, Viper is asked to kill Mariko Yashida, daughter of the Yashida Clan (a Japanese crime family) and half sister to the Silver Samurai, who was an ally and alleged lover of Viper's. Mariko is mostly known as a lover of Wolverine's. Both Mariko and Silver Samurai will be major players in the upcoming film as played by Tao Okamato and Will Yun Lee, respectively.

Another story line involves Viper blackmailing Logan into marrying her so that she could establish her own criminal empire and become the dictator of Madripoor. It was later implied that she actually had feelings for him. So, it looks as if there might be a love square at work here.

Biel will boost her action resumé when she stars in Total Recall, which opens Aug. 3. The Wolverine is scheduled for release on July 26, 2013.