A Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot is rumored to be on the way after Avengers: Secret Wars, but some characters would be difficult to recast.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe could be looking at a reboot in the future, and if that happens, some roles are going to be very hard to recast. If there is one thing Marvel Studios has hardly ever missed is casting. From Robert Downey Jr. in 2008’s Iron Man to recent MCU additions such as Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop or Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, Marvel has succeeded in recruiting a great mix of rising stars and proven talent to headline the MCU’s timeline of projects.
Last year, rumors that Avengers: Secret Wars would reboot the MCU emerged. As the final chapter in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, and with the comic book event that names the film having rebooted the universe, the film looks like the prime candidate to bring forth a new version of the MCU. If the rumors pan out, future MCU movies would likely keep the MCU’s youngest stars and those who have joined the franchise in recent years. However, Marvel would have to recast a slew of fan-favorite older stars, and some roles would prove very hard to do so.
Bucky Barnes Has One Of The MCU’s Longest Arcs
Played By Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes has gone through a lot. From Steve Rogers’ charming friend in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger to returning as the Winter Soldier in the second Captain America film to then atoning for his sins ever since, Bucky Barnes has not had it easy. Stan’s performances as Bucky have made him a fan-favorite character, which is why he will return as a leader among Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts cast. Stan has excelled at bringing all of Bucky’s different sides to life, and losing the actor just as Bucky has found himself again would be tragic.
Nick Fury Was The MCU’s Linking Piece
Played By Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson has revealed over the years that once he saw that the rebooted Nick Fury from Marvel Comics looked exactly like him, he made sure that Marvel would cast him as the character in any future movies. That ended up being incredibly important to the MCU, as Jackson’s Fury and SHIELD became the link between all the MCU’s heroes, especially the original Avengers. Jackson was responsible for setting up the foundation of the MCU, but at 75, would need to be recast for the MCU reboot, and the MCU would lose the actor’s unique persona.
8 Black Widow Carved The Space For The MCU’s Female Heroes
Played By Scarlett Johansson
Debuting in Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow walked so that future MCU heroines could run. In a time when Marvel Studios had executives reportedly having doubts about women in superhero movies, Natasha Romanoff persevered and became one of the MCU’s most popular characters. After years, Johansson finally got to star in her first MCU solo movie — Black Widow. With Natasha dead after Avengers: Endgame, the character is poised to be recast for the rumored reboot, with Johansson missing out on a possible Black Widow franchise in the new MCU.
Scarlet Witch Recently Became A Bona Fide MCU Star
Played By Elizabeth Olsen
Few MCU characters benefited more from Marvel’s expansion on Disney+ than Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. After having played a supporting role in a few MCU movies for years, 2021’s WandaVision allowed Olsen to show the full scope of her skills as Wanda Maximoff, turning the character into one of the MCU’s most popular heroes — or villains, as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would show. The Scarlet Witch should return to close the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, and a romantic finale for her and Vision could end Olsen’s time as Wanda, creating the need for a recast for the reboot.
Thor Is The Only MCU Hero With Four Solo Movies
Played By Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemworth’s Thor is in a league of his own in the MCU. After being part of the original Avengers, Thor continues to be an active MCU player; however, different from Hawkeye and the Hulk, Hemsworth’s hero has already had four solo movies — the most for an MCU hero. With Thor 5 rumored to happen, Hemsworth’s presence should be constant until the end of the Multiverse Saga, and a recast of the hero for the MCU reboot would be a major gamble that could damage audience interest.
J. Jonah Jameson Has Already Found His Perfect Actor
Played By J. K. Simmons
J. K. Simmons first played J. Jonah Jameson, the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Bugle, in 2002’s Spider-Man. The actor gave such a magnetic performance that he became synonymous with the character. Since then, Simmons has played JJJ in animation and live-action, even appearing in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home as the MCU’s version of the character. As Simmons has shown that he can change how he looks to play different versions of JJJ in live-action, perhaps the MCU reboot could continue with the actor, as a recast would be met with overwhelmingly negative comments.
Loki Has Been The Best Part Of The Multiverse Saga
Played By Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has one of the best character developments in the MCU, if not the best. The character went from a notorious MCU villain, serving as the first foe of the Avengers, to becoming the savior of the multiverse. Disney+’s Loki showed that Hiddleston’s character is one of the best Marvel characters in live-action, with the actor delivering an exhilarating performance that finished Loki’s arc from the God of Mischief to the MCU’s God of Stories. While Loki might still return in the Multiverse Saga, his arc is done, and the MCU reboot will most likely recast the character.
Wolverine’s Casting Has Been Cemented For Almost 25 Years
Played By Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman being replaced as Wolverine is nearly impossible to picture. The actor has played the mutant since 2000’s X-Men, with Logan making his official MCU debut in Deadpool & Wolverine. With nearly 25 years of experience playing the character, Jackman has made Wolverine his own, cementing his version of the character as the definitive one for generations of fans. Due to the physically demanding nature of the role, as well as the MCU’s X-Men reboot plans, Wolverine will need to be recast, and that could make or break Marvel Studios’ X-Men.
Captain America Led The Avengers During A Stunning Streak
Played By Chris Evans
The MCU has two clear leading men, and Chris Evans’ Captain America is one of them. Steve Rogers slowly became one of the MCU’s most popular heroes, with Evans’ job of staying true to Captain America’s comic book values but not making the character feel outdated in today’s world being magnificent. Captain America had some of the MCU’s best fight scenes and emotional moments, with Evans’ Captain America trilogy likely the MCU’s best. While Captain America’s MCU story ended perfectly, the character would not feel the same in the reboot without Evans.
Iron Man Started The MCU
Played By Robert Downey Jr.
Finally, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man is the face of the MCU. The actor started the franchise by leading 2008’s Iron Man and delivering a magnetic turn as Tony Stark in the film. Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame seemed to seal the deal for the character’s MCU role; however, a reboot would only be complete if the franchise’s lead character came along. With Downey not returning for a possible Avengers reboot, it would take Marvel Studios a miracle to recast Tony Stark with an actor that is universally beloved, and the MCU will suffer if anything but that happens.