User blog:ClockworkFirefly/Who Could Have Been: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Dieu Puny…

Hello and welcome to the third installment of Who Could Have Been! This is the episode I’ve been waiting to do since I started this series. Today I shall take on the highest grossing if not one of the most successful franchises of all time, The Marvel Cinematic Universe!

Due to the large amount of important superheroes and supervillains in the MCU, I’ll be doing each installment separately rather than just a specific character.

So sit down, buckle your seatbelt, and grab a snack as we dive right into The Marvel Cinematic Universe!

Iron Man:

 * When Iron Man was in pre-development, Marvel had many talks with Tom Cruise about playing the role of Tony Stark. Ultimately, Cruise declined after having creative differences with Marvel despite being interested in the part. Nicolas Cage also admitted to be interested in the part as well.


 * Hugh Jackman was offered the role of Tony Stark (No, I’m not joking)


 * Sam Rockwell and Clive Owen were considered for the role as well by director Jon Favreau. Sam Rockwell would later go on to portray Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2.


 * Timothy Olyphant read for the part of Tony Stark directly one audition before Robert Downey Jr.


 * Rachel McAdams was Jon Favreau’s first choice to play Pepper Potts, but turned it down for unknown reasons. She’d later be cast as Christine in Doctor Strange.

(I dunno if I sound odd for saying this, but I really would've loved to saw Tom Cruise as Iron Man. I feel like he had the charisma and offbeat humor to play the part extremely well. Nicolas Cage, Hugh Jackman, and Clive Owen don't seem as good of choices to me in my opinion. I could maybe see Timothy Olyphant and maybe see Rachel McAdams as Pepper).

The Incredible Hulk:

 * David Duchovny was a front-runner for the film before Edward Norton's casting as Bruce Banner. Dominic Purcell was rumored for the role of Bruce Banner


 * Louis Leterrier wanted Mark Ruffalo for the role of Bruce Banner, but Marvel insisted on Edward Norton. Ironically, Ruffalo would go on to replace Norton as Banner in future Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.


 * Eric Bana was asked to reprise his role of Bruce Banner, but he turned it down.

(Being a big fan of The X-FIles, David Duchovny would've been kickass to see as Bruce Banner. Dominic Purcell looks like a freaking criminal when I got to see a picture of him. I'm honestly glad they didn't go with Eric Bana again because I'm not the biggest fan of the 2003 Hulk movie)

Iron Man 2:

 * Emily Blunt was set to star as Black Widow but had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts with Gulliver's Travels (2010). Gemma Arterton, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Natalie Portman, Eliza Dushku, and Angelina Jolie were also considered for the role with Dushku actively campaigned for it.

Al Pacino was considered for Justin Hammer while Downey suggested Justin Theroux for the part.


 * Tim Robbins was considered to play Howard Stark, Tony's father.

(If I was the casting director, I'd really like to see Eliza Dushku due to her performances in Dollhouse and Buffy specifically. Emily Blunt might've been okay along with Natalie Portman and Gemma Arteton, but I cannot see Jessica Alba or Jessica Biel playing it though. Al Pacino and Tim Robbins would've been intriguing additions as well).

Thor:

 * Daniel Craig was Marvel's initial choice for Thor but ultimately turned it down due to his commitments to the James Bond franchise.


 * During early production stages, Brad Pitt, Channing Tatum, and even Triple H were considered for the role of Thor.


 * Chris Hemsworth, Charlie Hunnam, and Alexander Skarsgard were Marvel’s final three candidates during the screen-test phase. Joel Kinnaman and Kellan Lutz also screen-tested as well.


 * Let's not forget that blue-eyed, blond-haired, 6'2", classically trained Tom Hiddleston originally auditioned for the role of Thor, even going so far as to put on 3.5 stone (that's 49 lbs!) of muscle for the part. He didn't get the role of Thor, but things turned out pretty okay for him regardless.


 * Charlie Cox auditioned for the role of Loki. He didn't get the part, but still joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe several years later as Daredevil.


 * Jim Carrey was a long-time favorite and candidate for Loki while Josh Hartnett was interested in playing the role.


 * BRIAN BLESSED was originally slated to play Odin.


 * Zachary Levi and Stuart Townsend had both been offered the role of Fandral before Josh Dallas took over. Interestingly, Levi would replaced Dallas as Fandral for Thor: The Dark World.

(When I first heard of the Thor casting process, Charlie Hunnam was my first pick for Thor due to his acting credentials and his performance in Sons of Anarchy. Alexander Skarsgard was my second choice for looking like a fucking perfect candidate for the role. I do think Kellan Lutz would've been okay, but there's another role I'm more keen to see him in. Charlie Cox and Josh Hartnett sound like good Loki picks on paper, but I'd be curious to see how they'd work on film. Jim Carrey would've been weird to see along with a Triple H or Brad Pitt Thor. Daniel Craig I think is a bit too old for Thor and Joel Kinnaman and Channing Tatum don't scream Thor either. Finally, BRIAN BLESSED would've been awesome as Odin).

Captain America: The First Avenger:

 * Will Smith and Sam Worthington were the top choices at one point to play Captain America and both of them even had brief meetings about the role.


 * John Krasinski was very close to actually being cast as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to a successful screen-test. Krasinski himself decided to decline due to him not feeling right for the part after meeting Chris Hemsworth wearing the Thor costume.


 * Garrett Hedlund, Channing Tatum, Scott Porter, Mike Vogel, Wilson Bethel, Chad Michael Murray, Michael Cassidy, Chace Crawford, Derek Theler, and Jensen Ackles were on the final shortlist for the role


 * Ryan Phillippe, Kellan Lutz, and Alexander Skarsgård carried out auditions for the titular role before Chris Evans ultimately won the part.


 * Alice Eve, Gemma Arterton, and Keira Knightley were considered for the role of Peggy Carter while Emily Blunt turned down the role.


 * Sebastian Stan originally auditioned for the role of Captain America, but was given the role of Bucky Barnes.

(Not wishing to sound racist, but no Will Smith Steve Rogers. However, Sam Worthington had potential to be a great Captain America. I like John Krasinski a lot but like he said, I didn't think he was right for the part. I don't know some of the actors in the shortlist, but I do know Sebastian Stan, Garrett Hedlund, Scott Porter, Wilson Bethel, and Jensen Ackles sounded like okay picks. However, out of all the actors, my original pick for the MCU Captain America was Kellan Lutz. In my opinion, Lutz had the look and the overall feeling of Steve Rogers. Skarsgard once again would've been my back-up pick and Phillippe might've been alright. I feel like Hayley Atwell did a perfect job as Agent Carter, but maybe Alice Eve or Emily Blunt would've been good second choices).

The Avengers:

 * Edward Norton was originally set to reprise his role from The Incredible Hulk, but negotiations between him and Marvel Studios broke down.


 * Joaquin Phoenix was suggested as a possible candidate for Bruce Banner after Norton left the part.


 * Jensen Ackles and Josh Holloway were both considered for the part of Hawkeye before Jeremy Renner was cast.


 * Morena Baccarin, Jessica Lucas, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead screen-tested for the role of Maria Hill before Cobie Smulders was cast.

(I was initially saddened that Edward Norton wouldn't play Banner again until I saw Ruffalo's great portrayal in The Avengers. A big maybe if Joaquin Phoenix could play a good Bruce Banner. Jensen Ackles would've been my choice to play Hawkeye if Jeremy Renner said no. Finally I have no clue who Jessica Lucas is, Morena Baccarin and Mary Elizabeth Winstead sound like really good Maria Hill's if Cobie Smulders said no.)

Iron Man 3:

 * Jude Law was considered for the part of Aldrich Killian before the casting of Guy Pearce.


 * Gemma Arterton, Diane Kruger, and Isla Fisher were considered for the role of Maya Hansen. Jessica Chastain was cast, but she dropped out, due to scheduling conflicts


 * David Tennant was rumored for the role of The Mandarin before Ben Kingsley was cast. Tennant would later be cast as Kilgrave in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Jessica Jones.

(Jude Law could've been such an intimidatingly interesting Killian and I do wish they went to him first. Isla Fisher and Jessica Chastain sounded like decent Maya Hansens in my opinion. Oh dear god, David Tennant would've been fucking sensational as The Mandarin and hopefully not Trevor Slattery).

Thor: The Dark World:

 * Mads Mikkelsen was originally cast as Malekith the Accursed, but left due to commitments to the TV series Hannibal.

(I think Mads Mikkelsen would've been pretty good as Malekith, but I'm happy to see him as Kaecillius in Doctor Strange).

Captain America: The Winter Soldier:

 * Anna Kendrick, Felicity Jones, Imogen Poots, Teresa Palmer, Alison Brie, Emilia Clarke, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jessica Brown Findlay were all considered for the part of Peggy Carter before Emily VanCamp was cast.


 * For Crossbones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kevin Durand, and Josh Holloway all screen tested.


 * Michael B. Jordan read for the part of The Falcon before Anthony Mackie was cast.


 * Alec Baldwin was reportedly offered the part of Alexander Pierce, but turned it down due to his wife’s pregnancy at the time.

(Anna Kendrick, Felicity Jones, Teresa Palmer. Emilia Clarke, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead all sounded like fantastic Peggy Carter potentials. I'm not too fond of Frank Grillo's Crossbones and I do wish they either casted Nikolaj Coster-Waldau or Josh Holloway. If I was in the casting room, Michael B. Jordan would be cast the second he walked in, but I do enjoy Anthony Mackie's portrayal. Finally, Alec Baldwin sounds kinda weird in a Marvel Movie in my opinion).

Guardians of the Galaxy:

 * Joseph Gordon-Levitt screen-tested and was offered the part of Star-Lord, but turned it down to film Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.


 * Joel Edgerton, Eddie Redmayne, Jensen Ackles, Lee Pace, Wes Bentley, Jack Huston, Cam Gigandet, Sullivan Stapleton, Logan Marshall-Green, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Lowell, James Marsden, Jim Sturgess, Aaron Paul, Michael Rosenbaum, Glenn Howerton, and John Krasinski all screen-tested for Star-Lord with Eddie Redmayne and Glenn Howerton being the runner-ups for the role.


 * Olivia Wilde turned down the role of Gamora, while Gina Carano, Rachel Nichols, and Adrianne Palicki auditioned.


 * Jason Momoa was offered the role of Drax the Destroyer, but turned it down to avoid being typecast in action roles. Ironically, he went on to be cast as Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Brian Patrick Wade, Isaiah Mustafa, and Djimon Hounsou were considered for Drax as well.


 * Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, H. Jon Benjamin, and David Tennant were considered to voice Rocket Raccoon.


 * Hugh Laurie and Alan Rickman were considered for a role which was rumored to be Yondu.

(My first choice when I heard of the Star-Lord candidates was Eddie Redmayne because I felt like he could play a really good Star-Lord. However, some of the potentials like Aaron Paul, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Rosenbaum, James Marsden, and Glenn Howerton sounded like very good picks as well. Gina Carano or Adrianna Palicki were also candidates I was keen in seeing as Gamora. Dear fucking Moses, Jason Momoa as Drax would've been the most badass choice ever in this movie. Jim Carrey and David Tennant sound like good Rocket Raccoon picks in my head, but I'm not sure how'd it be in the movie. Finally, Hugh Laurie would've been a hilarious Yondu.)

The Avengers: Age of Ultron:

 * Saoirse Ronan and Sasha Pietersen were considered for The Scarlet Witch while Lindsay Lohan auditioned (Yes, you read that right).

(Saoirse Ronan would have been a good potential for Scarlet Witch, but I have no clue who Sasha Pietersen is. By the way Lohan. no.)

Ant-Man:

 * Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ewan McGregor were in the running to play Ant-Man with Levitt being the second choice for the role if Rudd declined. Adrien Brody expressed some interest in playing Ant-Man as well.


 * Marvel's first choice for Hank Pym was Steve Buscemi, but he turned it down due to a scheduling conflict. Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, and Gary Oldman were all considered as well.


 * Jessica Chastain turned down playing Hope Van Dyne due to scheduling conflicts.


 * When the role of Janet Van Dyne was in the script, Rashida Jones and Emma Stone were considered for it.


 * Patrick Wilson was originally cast in a role, but had to back down due to a scheduling conflict. It was rumored that Wilson was playing the role of William Cross.

(Joseph Gordon-Levitt was my first choice to play Ant-Man due to his overall Scott Lang-like appearance and acting skills to boot. Maybe Ewan McGregor or Adrian Brody would've been alright, but I have a different role in mind for McGregor. Emma Stone sounds like a good Wasp candidate in my head (Gee, I wonder why). I don't see Steve Buscemi as Hank Pym, but I can maybe see the other three candidates. Jessica Chastain had the potential to have been an awesome Hope along with Patrick Wilson as Crossfire).

Captain America: Civil War:

 * Had William Hurt declined to play Ross again, Bryan Cranston was considered to replace him

(I want Bryan Cranston as Mister Sinister. That is all)

Doctor Strange:

 * When Benedict Cumberbatch initially turned down Doctor Strange due to scheduling conflicts, Joaquin Phoenix entered talks to take over, but ultimately backed out due to his reluctance to take on a multi-picture deal.


 * Marvel also had talks with Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, and Jared Leto about the eponymous role in case Cumberbatch or Phoenix turned it down.


 * Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, Matthew McConaughey, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Keanu Reeves, Tom Hardy, Ethan Hawke, Oscar Isaac, and Jon Hamm were all in the running for the role of Doctor Strange as well


 * Chiwetel Ejiofor was also considered for the part of Doctor Strange, but ended up as Baron Mordo in it.


 * Gary Oldman and Mads Mikkelsen were considered for Baron Mordo


 * Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy were considered for the Ancient One.


 * Tony Todd was originally going to be the voice of Dormammu before Marvel went with Cumberbatch instead.

(Ewan McGregor was my first pick for Doctor Strange because I felt like he looked and could embody who Doctor Strange was. Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Gosling, Matthew McConaughey, Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, and Oscar Isaac were all in my mind too with the other potentials just sounding average. Gary Oldman as Mordo would've been okay in my opinion along with Mads Mikkelsen. While I do like all three candidates for The Ancient One, I do hope someday Bill Nighy plays the MCU Magneto. Lastly, Tony Todd has one majestic voice and he could've been an amazing Dormammu).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:

 * Matthew McConaughey was offered the role of Ego the Living Planet, but he turned it down in favor of The Dark Tower while other candidates included were Viggo Mortensen, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Max von Sydow and Christoph Waltz.


 * James Gunn wanted David Bowie to have an appearance in Yondu's crew, but the latter's illness and death prevented that from happening

(Matthew McConaughey in a Marvel movie in general is something I'd love to see, but I don't think Ego is the right part. Liam Neeson, Christoph Waltz, and Viggo Mortensen however would've been great picks. David Bowie cameo would've been cool, but it was sad to see that never go into fruition),

Spider-Man: Homecoming:

 * Asa Butterfield was Marvel and Sony's first choice for the role of Spider-Man, but lost out on it because he thought he couldn't keep Marvel's secrets.


 * The casting for Peter Parker came down to Tom Holland and Charlie Rowe. Rowe was Kevin Feige's personal choice for the role, but Sony had creative control over Spider-Man, and their choice was Holland, so he was cast instead.


 * Charlie Plummer, Judah Lewis, and Matthew Lintz were screen-tested for the role of Spider-Man as well. Plummer was rejected, in part, because he would've only been 17 during production and not able to film as many hours per day.


 * When Michael Keaton initially turned down to play Vulture in the film, Woody Harrelson and Michael Shannon were both approached for the role when Keaton changed his mind.

(Asa Butterfield was my first choice to play Spidey in the MCU due to being a hugely versatile young actor and having a good Peter Parker look. Charlie Rowe I feel could've brought a good Andrew Garfield feel to character while Charlie Plummer, Matt Lintz, and Judah Lewis seeming decent enough as well. Michael Keaton nailed The Vulture, but I do think Woody Harrelson would've been good as well. Michael Shannon however I dislike in the role of The Vulture.)

Thor: Ragnarok:

 * Charlize Theron was considered for Hela if Cate Blanchett declined the role.

(Charlize Theron sounds like an okay pick for Hela in my head).

Black Panther:

 * Chad L. Coleman, John Boyega, and Noel Clarke were considered for the part of T'Challa before Chadwick Boseman was cast.


 * Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was tentatively cast as T'Challa during a previous iteration of the project back in 2009 that never came to fruition.


 * Wesley Snipes wanted to star in a Black Panther film as far back as 1992, even putting on hold to play Blade.


 * Yahya Abdul-Mateen II auditioned for the role of M'Baku. He would later go on to play Black Manta in the DCEU film Aquaman.


 * Raw Leiba was considered for the role of Erik Killmonger.

(I feel that if I was the casting director, I'd cast John Boyega as Black Panther for looking like the role well and his acting chops. Maybe Noel Clarke, Wesley Snipes, or Adejewqjkwe would be good if I saw them on screen. Chad L. Coleman would really have to get his ass in shape if he was gonna be Black Panther. As for the others, I have no clue who either Yahya Abdul-Mateen II or Raw Leiba is minus Mateen II being Black Manta).

Ant-Man and the Wasp:

 * Sharon Stone was considered for the role of Janet Van Dyne while Michael Douglas wanted Catherine Zeta-Jones in the part.

(I'd be okay with either actress playing the role to be 100% honest).

Captain Marvel:

 * Katheryn Winnick, Natalie Dormer, Katee Sackhoff, Yvonne Strahovski, and Rebecca Ferguson had been rumored for the title role before Brie Larson was cast.


 * Ronda Rousey had expressed interest in playing the title role and lobbied hard for it.

(I really hoped personally that Natalie Dormer would be cast due to her electrifying performances in previous movies. I'd be good with Ferguson and Strahovski, but I do think Sackhoff is too old for the part. I also think Katheryn Winnick would be a better Black Canary in the DCEU. Finally, If Ronda Rousey got a few acting classes in, maybe she'd be a good Captain Marvel.)

Clock's Recastings:
If some of the actors for The Avengers or other superheroes said no to the role, here would've been my second choices.


 * Iron Man - Tom Cruise


 * The Hulk - David Duchovny


 * Thor - Charlie Hunnam


 * Captain America - Kellan Lutz


 * Black Widow - Eliza Dushku


 * Hawkeye - Jensen Ackles


 * Star-Lord - Eddie Redmayne


 * Gamora - Gina Carano


 * Drax - Jason Momoa


 * Rocket Raccoon - Jim Carrey


 * Ant-Man - Joseph Gordon-Levitt


 * The Falcon - Michael B. Jordan


 * Black Panther - John Boyega


 * Spider-Man - Asa Butterfield


 * Captain Marvel - Natalie Dormer

Clock's Final Thoughts:
I love the cast we’ve got for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there are some really cool ideas in here. Some of my personal favorite ones include Kellan Lutz as Captain America, Asa Butterfield as Spider-Man, and Eddie Redmayne as Star-Lord. However, I’m baffled by some of the more obscure considerations like freaking Lindsay Lohan and Adam Sandler.

As much as I love the concepts of some of these guys, I can’t help but love the guys who were actually cast. Who could imagine a world without Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man or Chris Hemsworth as Thor? Maybe in an alternate universe some of these casting choices actually happened…

Hmmm…

The Ultimates movie anybody?