Mary Elizabeth Winstead played the character of Huntress in the DCEU’sBirds of Preymovie, but despite the film’s stylish flair and subversive storytelling, audiences were ultimately left wanting a lot more from the character.The film was met with a fairly divisive critical reception: while some critics praised the film for breaking free from the conventions of the superhero genre, the majority agreed that it was too messy, uneven, and uninteresting to really leave an impression. AlthoughBirds of Preyworks great as a team-up movie, the project failed to make waves.

However, in the years sinceBirds of Prey’s release,Mary Elizabeth Winstead has done a great job of proving just how much she was underutilizedin the film. She’s released some hugely underrated action movies, taking audiences by surprise with her dynamic stunts and fierce performances every single time. She’s beginning to cement herself as a real action star, butBirds of Preydidn’t quite recognize the actress’ potential. It’s unlikely that Winstead and the otherBirds of Prey will return in the rebooted DC universe, so the franchise may have wasted her forever.

Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco and Jurnee Smollett-Bell stood together in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

The Two Characters Are Very Similar

Netflix’Katemay have slipped under many audience’s radars, but it’s undeniably one of the streaming service’s most stylish and interesting action movies to date. In the film, Winstead plays a ruthless assassin who’s fatally poisoned during her mission and given 24 hours to enact revenge on the organization that’s set her death in motion.It’s an extremely tense and bloody narrativethat’s brimming with high-octane set pieces, and much of its engagement is thanks to Winstead’s captivating performance.

What Happened To The Birds Of Prey After Their DCEU Movie

Following its release in 2020 debuting a new team of vigilantes, what happened to the DCEU’s Birds of Prey and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn?

Katedelivers on all the potential that was missed inBirds of Prey: it puts Winstead at the center of the story and allows her to fully let loose in this brutal, violent story of revenge and frustration.Katewas described as a copy ofJohn Wickupon its release, and while there are certainly similarities between the two projects, the comparison is somewhat reductive.Katehas a fresh and original style, blending blood-pumping action with neon-soaked visuals and elements of comedy that prove how well she could’ve nailed the precise tone ofBirds of Preywith more screen time.

Birds of Prey DCEU Poster Image

The Movie Should Have Opened More Action Movie Doors For Winstead

Katewas just the beginning of Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s action career - the project immediately proved that she was capable of leading this fierce story without too much help from the supporting cast, which is something she’s never really done before.The actress has a commanding screen presence, and her dedication to the stunt work and action set pieces was exactly what a brutal film likeKateneeded.

Although the project was dumped fairly unceremoniously on Netflix, it quickly developed a large fanbase and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.

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Kateproved not only that there’s space in Hollywood for violent, standalone, female-led action projects like this, but that there’s even a demand for them. Although the project was dumped fairly unceremoniously on Netflix, it quickly developed a large fanbase and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. With a more focused release strategy and perhaps a theatrical run,Katecould have been the huge hit that kick-started Winstead’s action career followingBirds of Prey.

Kate

Cast

An action crime thriller, Kate follows the titular character, a skilled assassin at the height of her game. But when she makes a careless mistake and compromises an assignment targeting a member of the Yakuza while in Tokyo, she discovers she’s been poisoned with a deadly serum that slowly kills her from the inside out, giving her less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers. As her body swiftly deteriorates, Kate forms an unlikely bond with the teenage daughter of one of her past victims.