Since Robert Downey Jr.’s sensational first outing as billionaire businessman and brilliant engineer Tony Stark in the 2008 juggernaut Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has steadily taken over theaters all across the world. For 16 years, moviegoers have fallen in love with some of Marvel Comics’ most iconic and courageous superheroes, with beloved figures like Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow kicking butt and taking names in their quest to protect the planet.
While the MCU has turned actors like Chris Evans, Tom Holland, and Chris Hemsworth into certified Hollywood leading men, the groundbreaking franchise has also had its fair share of stars who had a less-than-warm reaction to starring in the flicks. Here are 10 actors who didn’t being in the MCU.
10 Terrence Howard (Iron Man)
No stranger to vocalizing his massive disdain for the MCU after his brief stint in the fan-favorite franchise, Terrence Howard was initially flying high after appearing as James “Rhodey” Rhodes in 2008’s Iron Man, winningly portraying Tony Stark’s close friend and respected U.S. Air Force Officer in the blockbuster hit.
Howard was the first actor announced to join the superhero film and he was the highest-paid cast member, earning between $3.5 to $4.5 million for his work in the influential picture.
Salary Showdown Between Lead Stars
After the unprecedented critical and commercial success of Iron Man (which effectively launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe), news of a sequel was quickly announced with Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow reprising their respective roles.
Despite agreeing to a three-picture deal with Marvel, Howard was subsequently replaced by Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2, who took over duties as Rhodey in all MCU films; Cheadle had just a few hours to accept the role after Howard was recast.
Howard reportedly left the series over a contract dispute, and it was reported that the actor was offered a 50 to 80 percent pay cut for Iron Man 2, which would have netted him $8 million. He would go on to say his intended salary was instead given to Downey Jr., and that he was offered 1/8 of his expected payday, despite claiming he was the reason the Oscar-winner was even cast as Tony Stark.
In an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Howard said that Marvel told him “the movie will be successful with or without” him, revealing to Andy Cohen:
“It turns out that the person that I helped become Iron Man, when it was time to re-up for the second one, took the money that was supposed to go to me and pushed me out. I called my friend that I helped get the first job and he didn’t call me back for three months.”
9 Anthony Hopkins (Thor Films)
Illustrious Hollywood legend Anthony Hopkins has dazzled moviegoers all across the world for decades with his revered performances in films like The Silence of the Lambs, Nixon, Legends of the Fall, and The Father, brilliantly showcasing his unparalleled acting prowess.
Many were pleasantly surprised when the two-time Academy Award winner appeared as King Odin of Asgard in the Thor series, though apparently the experience failed to incite passion and excitement within the decorated actor.
Uninspiring Green Screen Work
After starring as the mighty and powerful Asgardian ruler for three installments, Hopkins described his stint in the enduring franchise as “pointless acting” after spending a majority of his time in front of a green screen. In a 2023 interview with The New Yorker in which he and other franchise stars reflected on their experiences working in the MCU, the decorated actor told the publication:
“They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne, shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting in it.”
When Hopkins joined the series in 2011, he was debating retiring from the industry but felt encouraged to continue acting by director Kenneth Branagh, who helmed the first Thor film. It’s likely that Branagh’s lack of involvement in the two follow-up sequels (Thor: The Dark World was directed by Alan Taylor and Thor: Ragnarok by Taiki Waititi) affected the overall production and creative process for Hopkins, thus souring his experience with the MCU and opinions on the superhero genre.
8 Edward Norton (The Incredible Hulk)
Sometimes a major clash in creative visions between a film’s star and its producers can spell trouble for a production, which is exactly what happened in The Incredible Hulk. After initially turning down appearing as Bruce Banner in 2003’s Hulk, Edward Norton signed on to headline the Marvel flick and even helped rewrite the script to better fit the character he wanted to play.
Though director Louis Leterrier welcomed Norton’s changes and contributions, screenwriter Zak Penn was none-to-pleased with the contant alterations to his original work.
Infamous Creative Clash
Though Norton would go on to say how he enjoyed the actual filming process of The Incredible Hulk, it was during editing that things took a negative turn for both the actor and studio. Norton was never credited as a writer despite his contributions towards the script and when Marvel refused to allow the star to make changes to the film during editing, he refused to promote the project and instead went to Africa for humanitarian efforts.
Though The Incredible Hulk went on to become a box office hit, Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the famous character, likely because of the public feuding between the actor and studio. At the time of the announcement, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige seemingly took a shot at Norton and said:
“Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented castmembers.”
Norton would later call the statement “cheap” and added that “it was brand defensiveness or something. Ultimately they weren’t going for long, dark and serious. But it doesn’t matter.” He would remain adamant that Marvel went back on their word when it came to the gritty tone they promised Norton The Incredible Hulk would have, and that he had no desire to play the Avenger once again in the subsequent MCU films, opting to keep his resume more diverse.
7 Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2)
Another prominent Oscar winner who felt disenchanted by his MCU experience was none-other-than Mickey Rourke, who delivered a memorable and dominating performance as the Russian villain Ivan Vanko in 2010’s Iron Man 2. The ex-convict and highly-intelligent physicist caused chaos for Tony Stark and his loved ones as the antagonistic Whiplash, who violently wielded reactor-based electric whips and set off on a mission of revenge against the famous billionaire superhero.
Rourke’s Mounting Frustrations
Rourke took his role as Ivan Vanko very seriously, visiting a Russian prison to conduct research and coming up with many traits of the vengeful character including his gold teeth, pet cockatoo, and tattoos. The actor allegedly improvised a lot of scenes as Vanko in an effort to make him a complex character, but when the finished product was released Rourke was reportedly outraged over the completed film and Whiplash’s lack of depth and emotion.
There appears to be no love lost between Rourke and Marvel, as he slammed the studio in 2020 during an interview with Crave Online. He scathingly attacked the film and its producers (although was positive towards director Jon Favreau) and did not mince words when it came to letting his true feelings about Iron Man 2 be known, stating:
“I explained to [Jon] Favreau that I wanted to bring some other layers and colors, not just make this Russian a complete murderous revenging bad guy. And they allowed me to do that. Unfortunately, the [people] at Marvel just wanted a one-dimensional bad guy, so most of the performance ended up [on] the floor…It is f—ing too bad, but it’s their loss. If they want to make mindless comic book movies, then I don’t want to be a part of that.”
6 Hugo Weaving (Captain America: The First Avenger)
Acting chameleon Hugo Weaving masterfully transforms into every character and persona he takes on, having entertained audiences with sensational performances in The Matrix, V for Vendetta, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
For the 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Weaving was downright diabolical as the power-hungry Johann Schmidt, who eventually becomes the chilling Red Skull after harnessing the Tesseract’s magical capabilities and facing off against the titular hero.
Weaving Grows Weary of Blockbusters
Though fans and critics were blown away by Weaving’s ruthless performance as Red Skull, the actor himself has no desire to ever return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stating that he only wants to do projects that he has a “personal connection” to while adding he is wary of being typecast and doesn’t want to only do blockbuster films. In a 2012 interview with Collider, Weaving told the outlet:
“I did sign up for a number of pictures and I suppose, contractually, I would be obliged to, if they forced me to, but they wouldn’t want to force someone to do it, if they didn’t want to. I think I’ve done my dash with that sort of film. It was good to do it and try it out, but to be honest, it’s not the sort of film I seek out and really am excited by.”
While Weaving’s statements are far-less scathing than the other entries on this list, the actor still remains adamant that he would prefer to not reprise his character of Red Skull and would rather focus on emotionally-compelling roles that he can truly resonate with and deeply explore.
5 Natalie Portman (Thor: The Dark World)
There is no denying that Thor: The Dark World is one of the MCU’s weaker entries, with both the film’s director and some of its stars having expressed their dissatisfaction with the finished product of the sequel.
Natalie Portman was initially very excited to reprise her role as brilliant astrophysicist Jane Foster when she learned that Patty Jenkins was attached to direct, though she ended up exiting the project because of creative differences over the script. Portman was contractually obligated to appear and had no say after the departure of Jenkins.
Director Departure Sparks Anger
Portman was severely disappointed with the development of her character in The Dark World and felt as though Jane had become unimportant in the MCU, and it certainly seemed as though she became just a damsel in distress in the sequel. When Jenkins was seemingly fired from the follow-up, Portman was reportedly very unhappy and only agreed to appear in the film because of the director’s involvement.
The sour taste that Thor: The Dark World left for Portman was deeply felt, as she seemed to hint that her time with Marvel was done after its 2013 release. However, the gifted actress was able to make peace with the franchise and character nine years later with the release of Thor: Love and Thunder, with Jane transforming into the Mighty Thor in the fourth film entry. She told ET Online:
“Upon seeing the script and new role for Jane: I was like ‘This is very exciting!’ And also with Taika [attached], and I love Tessa and Chris so much, so it’s exciting to get to work with them again.”
4 Idris Elba (Thor Films)
Actor, rapper, and DJ extraordinaire Idris Elba has steadily become one of Hollywood’s most sought after leading men, demonstrating his dynamic range as a performer on both the big and the small screen.
Elba was perfectly cast when he took on the role of the Bifrost rainbow bridge guardian Heimdall, having been convinced to appear in Thor by its director Kenneth Branagh (similarly to Anthony Hopkins). When it came to reprise the noble character for Thor: The Dark World, Elba found himself let down by the experience and portrayal.
Elba’s Jarring Character Come Down
Elba was hot off the heels of his winning performance as Nelson Mandela in the biographical drama Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and he felt that the Marvel flick lacked any profound meaning in comparison to the perspective-altering picture. The actor told The Telegraph that while doing reshoots for The Dark World, he felt regret starring as Heimdall in the popular series:
“In between takes I was stuck there, fake hair stuck on to my head with glue, this f***ing helmet, while they reset. And I’m thinking: ‘24 hours ago, I was Mandela’…Then there I was, in this stupid harness, with this wig and this sword and these contact lenses. It ripped my heart out.”
While Elba did in fact return a Heimdall in both Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War, he would later express how the former film helped somewhat redeem his experience with the franchise and change his perspective of the MCU, stating in 2017 to Entertainment Weekly, “The last one was fun. The others weren’t fun. They’re work. But on this one, (director Taika Waititi) was great.”
3 Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man & Beyond)
Though dislike may be too strong of a word to describe Gwyneth Paltrow‘s feelings towards her time in the MCU, there is no denying that the actress seems a bit indifferent when it comes to her tenure as Pepper Potts. The Oscar-winning actress first appeared as Tony Stark’s savvy personal assistant and love interest in 2008’s Iron Man, and went on to reprise the character countless times over the years before seemingly bidding farewell to the franchise in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Paltrow’s Lackluster MCU Involvement
Paltrow has seemed to not be particularly invested in the MCU and has even admitted that she is confused by the whole universe, which she has largely contributed to the fact that the original Iron Man was quite different than the many films that it would spawn; she would later say the original hit was pitched as an indie flick and that producers had little faith it would be a blockbuster.
Paltrow revealed in 2023 that she “stopped watching them at some point” and added “I’ve never seen Endgame. I can’t keep track of who’s what. But I probably should at some point.”
The actress has also gotten candid over the impact the superhero genre has had on the entertainment industry, saying in an appearance on Hot Ones that “you can only make so many good ones.” Paltrow does not seem to be a superfan of the MCU like so many others are and was not afraid to critique superhero flicks, further elaborating on the internet web series:
“I think if I look at the industry as a whole, this sort of big push into superhero movies, I mean, you can only make so many good ones that feel truly original. And yet they’re still always trying to reach as many people as possible, which sometimes hinders quality or specificity or real point of view.”
2 Christopher Eccleston (Thor: The Dark World)
Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston joined the MCU when he appeared as the villainous Malekith the Accursed in Thor: The Dark World, and despite landing a prominent leading role as the main antagonist in the electrifying franchise, the actor has not been shy about how much he detested the filming experience.
Eccleston was none-too-pleased with the grueling time he spent in the makeup chair, revealing that in order to achieve the look of the ruler of the Dark Elves, he had to spend a whopping six hours being made up and 45 in wardrobe.
Eccleston Tells It Like It Is
Always one to be honest and upfront about his on-set experiences, in an interview with The Guardian in 2018 Eccleston expressed how working on Thor: The Dark World was like “a gun in your mouth” and added that along with starring in the Marvel flick and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,”I really paid for being a wh*re those times.”
According to the unfiltered actor, he felt that the studio was not upfront over how intense the entire makeup process would be when he signed on for the project, which he admitted he only took on for the paycheck.
While making an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2017, Eccleston expressed how portraying Malekith was “not my greatest moment, it has to be said” and that he regretted the decision after quickly realizing just how much work he would be taking on by starring as the comics villain. Eccleston said on the hit program:
“The first couple of days it was about seven hours, eight hours. I think we got it down to six and a half. It’s a day’s work before [anything]. Marvel were dishonest to me. Because they never, ever let me know that there’d be that amount of makeup. So yeah, that was not my finest moment.”
1 Christian Bale (Thor: Love and Thunder)
It seems as though more and more of Hollywood’s elite have been vocal about how uninspiring it can be working on a major Marvel production, and famous method acting man Christian Bale is another star who has mirrored the sentiment.
The exceptional performer knocked it out of the park when he starred as Gorr the God Butcher in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, masterfully bringing the dark and tortured prophet to life as he attempts to eliminate all the gods in the universe, including the eponymous hero.
Green Screen Strikes Again
As with Anthony Hopkins, Bale found that constantly working in front of a green screen was pure “monotony” and that he couldn’t “differentiate one day from the next.” Known as one of the industry’s most committed and transformative actors, Bale also made no effort to remain as Gorr in-between takes, seemingly alluding that it made no sense to do so for just a character in a superhero flick. The Oscar-winner told Variety:
“That would’ve been a pitiful attempt to do that“As I’m trying to get help getting the fangs in and out and explaining I’ve broken a nail, or I’m tripping over the tunic.”
Bale felt like a fish-out-of-water during production of Love and Thunder, and it seems as though the continuous use of green screen took out some of the movie-making magic for the actor, who is revered for completely immersing himself into every role and project he takes on. Bale further elaborated on the overwhelming and boring green-screen experience:
“I mean, the definition of it is monotony. You’ve got good people. You’ve got other actors who are far more experienced at it than me. Can you differentiate one day from the next? No. Absolutely not. You have no idea what to do. I couldn’t even differentiate one stage from the next.”
