The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into one of the most successful franchises of all time, and it wouldn’t have done so without the participation of many talented actors. From the franchise’s very first movie, the MCU has boasted a remarkable pool of talent, and has continued to attract celebrated actors and hugely respected performers in the years since. This has seen many brilliant actors play a part in the MCU’s adaptation of multiple Marvel Comics stories, whether as heroes, villains, or supporting characters of varying degrees of importance. However, not all of the MCU’s great actors were put to good use.
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The movies and TV shows of the MCU feature many such examples of brilliant and talented actors whose roles didn’t reflect their potential. Whether their dramatic chops were never tested, their comedic prowess wasn’t given a chance to shine, or their character simply was written out of the franchise far too soon, not all great actors are treated well by the MCU. Sad though it may seem, the franchise has done nothing with some of its most promising actors.
1) Rebecca Hall
Rebecca Hall might not be the best-known actor to grace the movies of the MCU, but she’s hugely talented. Having proven her ability in movies such as The Town, The Prestige, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Rebecca Hall boasts an impressive career peppered with numerous accolades and award nominations. Her ability to shine in a range of genres marks her as a versatile actor, although this isn’t something that was truly communicated by her role as Maya Hansen in the MCU’s Iron Man 3.
As Maya Hansen, Hall was effectively sidelined despite playing an important role in the film’s narrative. Playing a supporting role as a former love interest to Tony Stark, Hall was later revealed as a manipulative villain before being unceremoniously killed by Aldrich Killian. Despite her character’s status as a brilliant biologist and Hall’s own potential as an actor, the MCU did very little to make use of that potential to its advantage.
2) Natalie Dormer
When Natalie Dormer made her single appearance in the MCU, her career was on the rise. Having previously appeared as Anne Boleyn on The Tudors, Dormer was just beginning to achieve widespread renown when she featured in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011 as Private Lorraine. Her character’s only major role within the MCU was to be the woman who impulsively kissed Steve Rogers, causing tension between him and Peggy Carter.
Dormer’s career continued to grow in the years that followed, including a role on Game of Thrones as Margaery Tyrell and in the Hunger Games franchise as Cressida. While these roles brought Dormer more recognition, this only served to highlight how badly she had been wasted by her brief MCU appearance. Sadly, with Captain America: The First Avenger set so far in the past, there was no good way for the franchise to remedy the issue, dooming the MCU to waste Natalie Dormer.
3) Eric André
One of the most exciting additions to the announced cast of Ironheart was Eric André. The comedian and actor, best known as the creator and star of The Eric André Show, indicated an interesting casting choice for the MCU series, with it later revealed that he would be playing the character Rampage, a character from the comics with ties to the Punisher. However, the three-episode premiere of Ironheart revealed just how little the franchise had set out to do with André’s character.
After being introduced as Stuart Clarke – AKA Rampage – a tech-savvy but unreliable member of the Hood’s crew, André’s character was swiftly replaced by Riri Williams. After departing the crew, it is later revealed that Stuart has been murdered offscreen, seemingly killing any chances of Eric André reprising the role. If that does indeed prove to be the case, the MCU will have brought in an incredibly talented comedic actor only to give him no chance at all to use his talents in the franchise.
4) Cate Blanchett
Thor: Ragnarok was one of the most popular solo movies of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, thanks in part to its high-stakes story and effective use of humor. It also marked the debut of several great actors in the MCU, including Cate Blanchett as Hela. An Oscar-winning actor who already boasted a staggering amount of success throughout her career, Blanchett’s arrival in the MCU seemed to indicate that the franchise would continue to attract some of Hollywood’s biggest names.
Sadly, Blanchett’s role as Hela was far more short-lived than it deserved. Thor: Ragnarok‘s ending saw Hela seemingly killed by Surtur when he consumes Asgard, killing the villain and serving as a definitive ending to her story. Great though her brief turn as Hela was, someone of Blanchett’s talent could have been put to much better use, and it’s hard to imagine that the MCU’s use of the actor actually lived up to the potential suggested by her casting.
5) Mads Mikkelsen
2016 saw the MCU introduce a whole new magical aspect to the continuity with Doctor Strange. Boasting a cast stacked with talent, one of the most exciting additions was that of Mads Mikkelsen, who many had clamored to see in the MCU for years prior to his casting. Mikkelsen played Kaecilius, a sorceror corrupted by dark power who served as Doctor Strange‘s main antagonist. Mikkelsen’s reputation as a versatile actor capable of bringing great depth to his performances made him an especially interesting inclusion.
Kaecilius was not at all the villain that many had hoped. Doctor Strange‘s script gave Mikkelsen very little to do, rendering his performance somewhat wooden and masked behind layers of mind-bending CGI which, while impressive, did nothing to help Mikkelsen’s ability to bring the villain to life. The movie’s ending also saw him trapped in the Dark Dimension, making his return unlikely and further highlighting how little Mikkelsen was given to do in the MCU.
6) Zachary Levi
Although Zachary Levi is known as the DCEU’s Shazam, he had prior experience in the superhero genre thanks to the MCU. After being unavailable to play the role in 2011’s Thor, he was featured as Fandral in sequels Thor: The Dark World in 2013 and Thor: Ragnarok in 2017. Fandral was killed by Hela in Ragnarok, ending his story in the MCU before he was ever really explored in any depth.
Zachary Levi’s ability as a comedic actor and his later status as one of the DCEU’s best heroes highlights just how little he was given to do in the MCU. Whenever he has been given a substantial or interesting role he has been able to steal the show, but in the MCU he was little more than a footnote. As a relatively minor supporting character in the MCU, the role of Fandral was ultimately a waste of Levi’s talent.
7) Michael Rosenbaum
Michael Rosenbaum might not be the most famous actor to have appeared in the MCU, but it’s undeniable that the franchise did nothing with him. Rosenbaum appeared as Martinex in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which served more as a cameo than a real role. Martinex’s role in Marvel Comics stories dates all the way back to the 1960s, meaning that there was a wealth of source material to draw on in order to give him a substantial role in the MCU.
The franchise was unable to deliver on that potential, though, and Rosenbaum was given nothing to do. Though his inclusion proved a popular one, casting a fan-favorite actor with experience in superhero franchises – thanks to his celebrated role as Lex Luthor on Smallville – only to give him a minor cameo was a waste. There’s a chance that Michael Rosenbaum might yet be given more time as Martinex in the MCU, but so far the franchise has wasted an incredibly talented actor.
8) John Krasinski
John Krasinski might be best known for his role as Jim Halpert on The Office, but his career has seen him earn acclaim both as an actor and a director. Krasinski’s directorial debut A Quiet Place proved how excellently he could play dramatic roles, and his long-time fan casting as the MCU’s Reed Richards seemed to have been paid off in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Unfortunately, the MCU did nothing at all with Krasinski, making his casting nothing more than momentary fan service.
Krasinski’s turn as Mr. Fantastic was brought to an abrupt end just minutes after his introduction, when the character was slaughtered by the Scarlet Witch. For an actor as beloved and championed for the role as Krasinski, it seemed an utter waste, as he was given only two real scenes in the role. It stands out not just as one of the MCU’s most shocking moments, but also as another example of a time when the franchise gave a great actor very little to work with.
9) Walton Goggins
Walton Goggins’ career is one that is practically packed full of successes. His long-time status as a character actor saw him rack up roles on countless TV shows and in many movies, eventually leading him to become well-known in his own right and respected for his versatile acting talent. Having appeared in just about every genre that exists, Goggins is an actor who has come to be beloved by audiences around the world who recognize his remarkable acting talent.
His role in the MCU came in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, which saw him cast as secondary antagonist Sonny Burch, a relatively small-time criminal attempting to usurp Hank Pym’s technology for his own gain. Naturally, Sonny Burch ended up taking a back seat to Ghost, the movie’s main superpowered antagonist, and Goggins had little to do other than flee from heroes and villains alike. Though he was still excellent in the role, the MCU didn’t give Walton Goggins an awful lot to work with to make Sonny Burch a truly great character.
10) Robert Redford
Perhaps the most respected and celebrated actor to appear in the MCU is Robert Redford, who made his debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Widely hailed as one of the MCU’s best movies, it would seem that an actor of Redford’s status would have been cast to play a major role. Redford played Alexander Pierce, the Secretary of the World Security Council and a secret high-ranking officer of Hydra, but the role was not as big as the actor deserved.
Redford was given surprisingly little screen time in The Winter Soldier, and is strangely one of its least memorable characters. Considering Redford’s legendary status, this was an odd choice, especially as the movie killed him off before he could ever play a larger role in the franchise. Casting an actor of Robert Redford’s ability only to give him a handful of scenes was more than just strange, it was an utter waste of a great actor.
