10 Marvel Actors Who Almost Quit the MCU You Won’t Believe Why!

10 Marvel actors who almost quit the MCU

The MCU has undoubtedly become one of the most famous film series of all time. As a franchise that is very costly to produce and has demanding shooting schedules, it is not surprising that even some cult actors have at some point thought of quitting. Given this backdrop, let us explore 10 Marvel actors who were on the verge of quitting those roles and why they did not do so.

Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man)

One cannot quite picture the Mcu if Robert Downey Jr. never played the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man- the character who started it all nearly played himself. There was an issue regarding Downey’s signing of another contract with Marvel Studios following Iron Man 3 in 2013. Short costs was what particularly Marvel was targeting, while at the same time, Downey who knew his worth to the franchise, refused to be paid less. I

n the long run, the actor also came back for his role in Avengers: Age of Ultron and managed to established clear understanding- that he was the main tie of the MCU even after all the phases. The entire course of events of the MCU history would have been different had he opted to step away from the franchise.

Chris Evans (Captain America)

Chris Evans having accepted the portrayal of Steve Rogers/Captain America was initially indecisive. He was afraid of being bound by a contract which requires signing up to a few films and being part of such a vast franchise and even being a public figure due to possible loss of privacy and creative independence. With the filming of few films done in between, he was further made to rethink more on his involvement as the implications of the heavy shooting schedule started weighing on him. Evans indeed confessed to suffering from anxiety and tiredness, but in the and chose to remain with the character, which allowed for a healthy development of the storyline of Captain America in the Endgame.

Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow had her own struggles too while being a part of the MCU. Since her first appearance in Iron Man 2, she attained a considerable share of fame from the audience. However, over the years, Johansson has voiced her displeasure over the absence of character development for Black Widow in earlier pictures. There were times when she wanted to walk away from the part, especially one that consumed her physically and emotionally. In the end, the imagined solo film about Black Widow kept her in the MCU for an extended period, but for many years, she was on the verge of leaving.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor)

As at the time of releasing the film Thor: The Dark World in 2013, Chris Hemsworth was already growing weary of playing the role of the God of Thunder. The second Thor film received limited praise from both critics and fans alike leaving many including Hemsworth worried about such typecasting. At a certain point, he was actually done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the typical childish behaviour of such a character. It was only after director Taika Waititi took charge with Thor: Ragnarok, changing back to a more playful and adventuring Thor, that Hemsworth ignited his enthusiasm for the god once again.

Tom Hiddleston (Loki)

The role of Loki, an interesting villain-turned-antihero full of challenges for an actor, became associating to Tom Hiddleston after his play in Thor. But even thespians like Hiddleston have their hesitations. After all the different shapes he has taken with the character, he began to wonder whether there were any more stories to tell about Loki. Hiddleston aspired to take on different characters and felt that Loki’s story had reached its climax. However, the announcement of a Disney+ show titled Loki, focused on the character, made him more than eager to play the character and kept him in the MCU for a longer duration than he expected.

Mark Ruffalo (Hulk)

Like a number of actors Mark Ruffalo was in constant conflict with the arc of his character. As Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers, he replaced Edward Norton, who had also filled the role in the earlier Hulk pictures. Unlike the other primary Avengers, however, Ruffalo’s Hulk never had a stand-alone movie within the MCU as it was mired in complex rights issues. In view of this, Ruffalo has vented his anger over the way the character of Hulk has been portrayed within the M.C.U. and how little attention has been paid to him in terms of there being a solo film.

There have been times when he has felt that it would be better for everyone if he stepped away from the role. mysAgain, it was fundaments of teaming that made him stay much longer than he himself thought he would when there were major avenger ensemble movies and the exciting silhouette of ‘Smart Hulk’ in Avenger Endgame.

Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye)

As portrayed by Jeremy Renner, Clint Barton/Hawkeye has always been one of the more realist and less super-heroic Avengers, which made Renner himself question his role in the franchise. The actor has expressed how he almost left the role of Hawkeye because of frustration caused by the story progression after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. In other words, he explained that the character was flat compared to others and made him doubt why he should go on with the role. Fortunately, the idea of recently developed Disney+ series about Hawkeye – his family life, and his legacy – allowed him to remain in the MCU.

Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)

Nick Fury, the man behind the Avengers Initiative, has been under the capable hands of Samuel L. Jackson since the days of Iron Man. Although every fan of Jackson is in favor of his inclusion in the franchise, there have been times when the actor has had his own doubts about continuing in the MCU. As the saga expanded, there was a reduction in the length of his screen appearances in some of the subsequent films which left Jackson feeling put off.

He has been quoted in many interviews saying that he needed a bigger part or that he would quit the character. It is probable that his decision to stay was also influenced by Marvel’s strategy that involves giving more prominent roles to Fury in films such as Captain Marvel and the Disney Plus series Secret Invasion.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts)

Gwyneth Paltrow’s association with the MCU as Pepper Potts, Tony Stark’s lead romantic interest, and later business partner, has always been a bit player. In fact, Paltrow has confessed that she has not seen most of the other MCU films and does not like the superhero movies. At some point, she even thought of declining the role altogether because she felt that her character was not active in the main arcs. Still, she kept showing up in important scenes, including Avengers: Endgame, which she has suggested is the last time fans will see her in the MCU.

Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer)

Dave Bautista’s role as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy is largely considered the wrestler’s breakthrough role. Aside from this, Bautista is known to have had many grievances with Marvel Studios especially after the events that led to the dismissal of James Gunn from directing the Guardians movie franchise in 2018.

Bautista was pledged to Gunn, and was even willing to step down from the franchise should it have been the case that Gunn would not be brought back. And while it is true that Gunn was brought back, Bautista has made it clear that Drax is not a role he would hold on to for long, pointing out the shallow representation of the character and his wish to seek other undertakings.

Conclusion

While the MCU has brought great wealth and popularity to its stars, the behind-the-scene has not always been a bed of roses. There are these ten actors who are equally important to the franchise and who almost quit their roles for a number of reasons.

Luckily for most of them, they weathered the storm and entertained the audience with some of the greatest performances ever captured on camera. With time, they might or might not retire, but their impact in the Marvel history will be preserved for many decades in the future.

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