Marvel Actors Who Auditioned For Other MCU Roles

 

At this point it's almost like every single big-name actor in Hollywood is linked to a specific comic-book. Superhero or villain In the movies. The luckiest of them land a role in the MCU, which for all intents and purposes is the king of a hill when it comes to superhero movies. Certain actors were lucky enough to land the role of a lifetime, while others had to deal with getting told no and probably venturing over to DC or something. Then there's a small group of actors who auditioned for a role in the MCU and got it only not the role they were auditioning for. The MCU is we know and love it today could have been very different if Disney had made some different casting choices, a lot of actors you're familiar with seeing in Marvel movies now actually tried out to play a different role. Can you imagine what things would have been like if Chadwick Boseman was someone other than T'Challa or if another one of the Avengers played the part of Captain America. Strapped in because I am about to go over a slew of different Marvel actors who tried out for different roles.

Chris Pratt as Captain America:

It's tough to imagine now because everyone knows Chris Evans is Captain America and Chris Pratt  is star-lord but those weren't the original plans, Pratt originally auditioned for the role of Captain America several years before he landed the role of Peter quill, again this was a while before guardians of the galaxy eventually came to fruition while Pratt was still just getting started on parks and recreation. He had yet to appear in any dramatic roles either such as “Moneyball” or “zero dark thirty”, he didn't land the part but he made enough of an impression to remain on the mind of the casting director Sarah Finn. Who recommended him to guardian’s director “James Gunn” for the part of star-lord. It's a good thing that things worked out this way because Pratt's hilarious personality went way better with the Peter quill character and Chris Evans as clean-cut wholesome imaged paired perfectly with America's hero Steve Rogers.

Chadwick Boseman as Drax:

Well this certainly would have altered the character a little bit wouldn't it. We all know Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa the black panther but did you know that he actually originally auditioned for a different role. Yep he first tried out for the part of Drax the destroyer in guardians of the galaxy. Of course the role ended up going to Dave Bautista who's done a wonderful job with a character. Boseman is a great actor and I'm not so sure his style would have mached well with the silly borderline comedic tone of the Guardians movie and the Drax character. Boseman was probably upset when he didn't get the part, s eeing as he was just coming off a leading role in 42 as Jackie Robinson's. Ultimately it all worked out for the best, he didn't get to play drax but he ended up in the MCU regardless only with a leading role in a massive blockbuster movie. We can't help but wonder what the Drax character would have been like if Bozeman got the part, It would certainly be weird but nowhere near as weird if Dave Bautista played T’Challa.

Lupita Nyong'o as Nebula:

While on the subject of black panther actors who almost played other parts did you know that Lupita Nyong'o originally auditioned for the role of Nebula!!, that first guardians of the galaxy movie would have been way different. That's right Nyong'o originally tried joining the Marvel Universe much sooner than her debut in Black Panther as Nakia. She had just finished her future Oscar-winning role in 12 years of slave and was looking for her next project. Ultimately she didn't get the part as it went to Karen Gillan, but that worked out for all parties because Nyong'o was one of the highlights of Black Panther.

Karen Gillan as Sharon Carter:

 

Speaking of Nebula that's not even the role that Karen Gillan originally auditioned for her first attempt at joining the MCU was a Sharon Carter in Captain America the Winter Soldier. She had met with Marvel and auditioned to be the captain's new love interest. At the time she was wrapping up her time on Doctor Who as the character Amy Pond, ultimately Gillan didn't get the part as it went to Emily VanCamp instead in hindsight that worked out better for Karen Gillan, also whats the deal with Marvel's casting process. Karen Gillan wanted to play Sharon Carter but instead they gave her Nebula, Lupita Nyong'o wanted to play Nebula so instead they gave her Nakia, is it just a never-ending process of moving someone over to the next available role.

Tom Hiddleston as Thor:

This one is probably the most awkward one to think about on the whole list. Tom Hiddleston is famous for playing the role of Loki, Thor's mischievious and sometimes downright evil little brother. He plays such an iconic role it's almost uncomfortable to think about Hiddleston playing the part of Thor. That is most certainly what almost happened though. When Hiddleston went in for his audition for the movie he was trying out for the lead role. Marvel did some screen tests with him and even had him sport blond hair and hold the famous hammer Mjolnir. Of course they eventually went with Chris Hemsworth for the role but Hiddleston left such a lasting impression that they brought him aboard is Loki instead. He's since proven to be a fan favorite and one of the most integral parts of the MCU.

Sebastian Stan as Captain America:

 

This is another one that just feels icky to visualize/ we all know and love Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier. He's Captain America's best friend, but things would have been vastly different if he was Captain America. When it came time to audition for Captain America the First Avenger, Stan wanted the role. Casting director Sarah Finn felt that he was bringing too much darkness to the delivery that just wasn't right for the role of the Cap. Still she was impressed by what she saw and suggested Stan played the role of Bucky Barnes in their next Captain America installment. And the rest was history.

 

Anthony Mackie as Mandarin:

The role of Sam Wilson has been famously portrayed by Anthony Mackie. He's certainly one of the most iconic heroes, but did you know that Anthony Mackie originally intended on playing a bad guy? His first audition happened prior to being cast as Falcon when he screamed tested for the role of the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. The role would ultimately go to Ben Kingsley which really makes me wonder what the casting call looks like, Speaking of Falcon that role almost went to someone entirely different as well. While Anthony Mackie was auditioning to play the Mandarin, it was Michael B Jordan who was auditioning to play the Falcon fortunately he wouldn't get the part and would go on to join the MCU as the iconic role Erik Kill Monger in Black panther. While Michael B Jordan probably would have been great in the role of Falcon as well it was probably for the best, in fact that wasn't even Jordan's first time appearing in the Marvel Universe in 2015 he played the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four. A movie that was a historical failure. While it was a Marvel movie it didn't exist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe that we know today. And it's a good thing people barely remember that Fantastic Four movie.

 

Jake Gyllenhaal as Doctor Strange:

 

Jake Gyllenhaal has wanted to be a part of the MCU for quite some time. And it makes sense he's a bona fide A-list actor with some serious acting chops. Why shouldn't he land a prominent role in the largest movie franchise of all time. Seemingly every big-name celebrity under the sun plays a corresponding superhero, It almost didn't make sense the likable popular good guy Jake Gyllenhaal didn't have one. According to reports he was very close to playing the role of Dr. Strange of course that part would eventually go to Benedict Cumberbatch, who did an absolutely wonderful job. Gyllenhaal is a great actor but there's no telling if and how we could have tops Cumberbatch's masterful performance. And don't feel too bad for jakey boy either, he ended up getting his MCU part portraying the role of Mysterio in spider-man far from home. Whether or not we'll see him in that role on the big screen again is still up in the air.