The Marvel Cinematic Universe is possibly the biggest movie franchise on the planet. We can certainly acknowledge that a crucial part of the worldwide popularity is thanks to the actors cast in the roles of now highly idolized heroes. How different would it be if Kevin Feige, among others, made different decisions during the casting process?
Updated August 27, 2023: If you love MCU characters, you'll be happy to know we've updated this article with even more great possibilities of what might have been with other actors.
The MCU has made such a prominent name for itself in the film industry that not a day goes by without hearing news related to it. It’s intriguing to wonder — in the same sense as the animated TV series What If...? — whether the franchise would enjoy the same amount of global success if other actors had won the coveted superhero roles. Here's a list of 15 actors who were almost considered for major MCU roles.
15 Sam Rockwell — Iron Man
Many may not know that before securing the role of Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, Sam Rockwell was encouraged by executive producer Jon Favreau himself to give it a shot and audition for the role of multi-billionaire hero Tony Stark. Even though everyone universally agrees that Robert Downey Jr. was born to play Iron Man, it's fascinating to wonder whether we would have had a different outcome if Rockwell actually got to audition.
People say that Iron Man 2 is the worst MCU movie because of its rubbish villain and the retread of the first movie, but all collectively admit that Rockwell aping Downey Jr.'s performance is the crowning achievement of the movie.
14 Daniel Craig — Thor
Chris Hemsworth has been Thor for over a decade now. It is hard to imagine anyone else in the role. However, according to Screen Rant, Marvel indeed approached Daniel Craig about playing the beloved superhero, but the James Bond actor, of course turned it down — naturally to focus on 007. This was in 2008 when the project was first announced and even before they had a director onboard.
It's certainly fun to imagine Craig in the legendary attire with even larger muscles than the ones he developed for Bond. Given Craig's scene-stealing turn in Knives Out (not to mention its highly anticipated sequel) and his acclaimed hosting gig on SNL, it's clear he possesses the comedic chops to take on the role — especially for the installments once Waititi took over.
13 Ryan Gosling - Doctor Strange
The quest to find Doctor Strange was one of Marvel's most difficult. Marvel Studios had a long list of actors they considered. One of the most interesting is Ryan Gosling. At the time, he was famous for his roles in films like The Notebook, Half Nelson, and Drive. The actor reportedly was a top pick for the studio but nothing was ever worked out.
Interestingly, at the same time, Warner Bros. and DC were trying to court him to play the Joker in Suicide Squad. That part eventually went to Jared Leto, who was also on Marvel's shortlist for Doctor Strange actors. Gosling has since expressed interest in playing Ghost Rider for the MCU.
12 Saoirse Ronan — Scarlet Witch
Saoirse Ronan was the prototype actress for the role of Scarlet Witch before they turned to Elizabeth Olsen, according to Joss Whedon, who directed Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, the actress unfortunately passed on the opportunity to star in Avengers: Age of Ultron and went on to make the critical hit Brooklyn. Despite the fact that Olsen has become one of the franchise's favorites, people are curious as to why Ronan turned down such a highly sought-after role. It appears that the decision has only strengthened her humble reputation.
11 Emily Blunt — Black Widow
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Emily Blunt was indeed the top choice for the role of Natasha Romanoff, but she sadly couldn't take it because a contract committed her to Gulliver's Travels. For the longest time, fans thought that Blunt rejected the role, but in an interview with Howard Stern, she admitted it was heart-breaking for her to pass on the opportunity. Her husband, John Krasinski, would also be considered for a major MCU role that would have seen the real-life couple as the leader of The Avengers.
10 John Krasinski — Captain America
John Krasinski is one of many actors who auditioned for the role of Steve Rogers, before Chris Evans snatched it from his hands. Years later, per BuzzFeed, Krasinski jokingly reminisced losing confidence upon spotting a ripped Chris Hemsworth at the audition and admitted that he would have never done as great as Evans playing Captain America. It's almost impossible to imagine someone else as the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan, but it's certainly an interesting idea to consider.
9 Liam Hemsworth— Thor
Thor was almost played by another Hemsworth. Chris Hemsworth admitted in an interview that his brother, Liam Hemsworth, was almost cast for the role. In fact, he made it until the very final rounds of casting. Chris said that: "He (Liam) was one of the first people who got right down to the wire on getting the part so, I don't know, I could cross paths with him. That will be fun," referring to the possibility of sharing the MCU screen with his brother in the future. Liam Hemsworth was rejected because of his youthful looks, which opened the way for his older brother to reaudition and land the role.
8 Tom Cruise — Iron Man
Because of Downey Jr.'s rocky past, Marvel producers were extremely reluctant to cast him as Iron Man, hence the endless number of stars, such as Tom Cruise, who got offered the role. Cruise turned the offer down because it didn't feel right to him. It's a daring take on the final outcome, but many argue that there would be no MCU franchise if Cruise got cast instead. Some even play with the idea of throwing Cruise as Iron Man into the Multiverse to see how it would work.
7 Amanda Seyfried — Gamora
Amanda Seyfried's reason for not playing the part of Gamora has to be the most hilarious one yet: she simply didn't want to be green because it would have been too much work. She also thought that Guardiands of the Galaxy would bomb at the box office. Of course, she was quite far from being right, since the movie grossed $772 million worldwide as of August 2014.
6 Glenn Howerton - Star-Lord
It is hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Star-Lord other than Chris Pratt, yet Glenn Howerton almost played the role. The It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star was James Gunn's second choice to play the role. Howerton has since emerged as a rumored candidate for Mr. Fantastic in Fantastic Four and Lex Luthor in James Gunn's upcoming Superman: Legacy film, so there is a chance he will join a superhero franchise yet.
5 Alison Brie - She-Hulk
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While it is unknown if Alison Brie was ever considered for the role of She-Hulk in the MCU, reports of the project revealed that Marvel Studios was looking for an Alison Brie-type to play the main hero. This means they might have considered her, and she passed on the project or were using the actress as a prototype role for what they were going for but did not approach her. The part eventually went to Tatiana Maslany, who has been one of the best new additions to the MCU. It is still interesting to imagine how the franchise might look with Alison Brie breaking the fourth wall.
4 Timotheé Chalamet — Spider-Man
Do you ever wonder what the world would be like if Timothée Chalamet played Spider-man instead of Tom Holland? The British actor has become so recognized for his role in the franchise that it's nearly inconceivable to imagine someone else in his place. Chalamet confessed that he totally blew the audition in 2015. Following the recent premiere of Spider-man: No Way Home, however, the current cast discussed that Chalamet would make the perfect Harry Osbourne a future Spider-Man film.
3 Karen Gillan — Sharon Carter
Karen Gillan initially auditioned for the role of Sharon Carter in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. To be completely frank, there are some definite similar facial features that Emily Van Camp and Karen Gillan share. Casting director Sarah Finn must have had a clear vision in her head straight away upon seeing Gillan because she has come to prove herself as irreplaceable as Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
2 Zooey Deschanel — The Wasp
According to the book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Zooey Deschanel was Joss Whedon's top choice to play the Wasp. Producer Jeremy Latcham admitted that Whedon got very into writing Van Dyne's character. However, once they got the confirmation that Johansson would reprise as Black Widow, they eventually dropped the idea entirely. Had Deschanel played The Wasp in the MCU and she took the role of Black Widow on the team, the entire MCU would likely look very different.
1 Joaquin Phoenix — The Hulk and Doctor Strange
Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most celebrated actors working today, so it makes sense that Marvel Studios wanted him to star in one of their films. The actor was first approached about taking over the role of the Hulk from Edward Norton in The Avengers, but the part went to Mark Ruffalo instead. They then approached him again about playing Doctor Strange, and was Marvel's number one pick for the role.
However, the actor turned it down because of the responsibility and commitment that might come with signing such a multi-film contract with the MCU. He also chose to move ahead with smaller movies and give them all his full attention. Phoenix is a picky actor when deciding the roles to play, and his rejection of the role is no shock to those who truly know him. He would later go on to play the role of The Joker in the 2019 film, in which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.