00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 actors who, for one reason or
00:05another,
00:06have distanced themselves from the idea of ever appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
00:10Gentlemen, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.
00:16Number 10, Simon Pegg.
00:18In 2015, Simon Pegg made the headlines after criticizing superhero movies for their role in infantilizing viewers,
00:25and more broadly, dumbing down cinema.
00:27And this is what you want?
00:30You should grow up, mate. Join society.
00:33Yeah, we're good.
00:34Mum died.
00:35And we're all very sorry.
00:37But now it's time to go home.
00:39He openly spoke about the loss of his longtime collaborator, Edgar Wright, as a writer of the first Ant-Man
00:44movie,
00:45when the writer walked away from the project.
00:47Pegg seemed to have faith in Wright's abilities to bring something fresh to the table.
00:51How can this be for the greater good?
00:52The greater good.
00:53Shut it!
00:54Even though Pegg has tied himself down to the Star Trek franchise in the past,
00:57don't hold your breath waiting for him to do the same for any Marvel series.
01:01I'm giving her all she's got, Captain!
01:03Number 9, Amanda Seyfried.
01:05The reasons that Amanda Seyfried gave for turning down the role of Gamera in Guardians of the Galaxy were simple.
01:10On one hand, she didn't love the idea of being covered in green makeup all day after hearing about Jennifer
01:14Lawrence's experience playing Mystique in X-Men.
01:17You're gonna tell me what's the matter? Would I have to read your mind?
01:19You promised me you would never do that.
01:21On the other hand, she genuinely believed that audiences would have a tough time connecting with the characters,
01:26worrying that the film was destined to become Marvel's first major bomb.
01:29I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy.
01:33Although she has admitted that she was wrong about the movie,
01:36she's not expressed any interest in entering the MCU in any other way since then.
01:40I'm kind of psychic.
01:41I have a bit sense.
01:44What do you mean?
01:45It's like I have ESPN or something.
01:47Number 8, Ewan McGregor.
01:49For most, the opportunity to take part in a franchise like Star Wars would be a dream gig.
01:55And for Ewan McGregor, his work in one major series has left him content.
01:58Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan.
02:00Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs.
02:04But Master Yoda said I should be mindful of the future.
02:07But not at the expense of the moment.
02:09Be mindful of the living force, young Padawan.
02:11Although the actor was reportedly linked with the lead role in Marvel's Doctor Strange
02:15before Benedict Cumberbatch got the offer,
02:17he does sound less interested as time goes on.
02:20For McGregor, playing Obi-Wan Kenobi across three films and a TV show
02:24has made him an integral figure to one hugely devoted fanbase.
02:28You've no idea what the Empire is capable of.
02:30While he claimed that the door was not entirely shut on the idea,
02:33don't expect to see him in the MCU anytime soon.
02:36Will your paramour be joining us this evening?
02:38Not tonight, Roaming.
02:40Not tonight.
02:42Well, enjoy yourself, Miss Quinn.
02:44And do give the joke of my best.
02:45Number 7, Jon Cho.
02:47There are several reasons why Jon Cho has little interest in playing a superhero.
02:51We gotta go to White Castle.
02:52Yes! Yes! I knew you had it in you, dude!
02:55First of all, he doesn't seem to be a fan of the physical preparation involved,
02:59joking about his reluctance to diet and work out to the extent that guys like Chris Hemsworth have.
03:03Three, five, six...
03:08Secondly, he likened franchise contracts to indentured servitude,
03:12and how they tie many great actors to years of service that can get in the way of more interesting
03:16projects.
03:17Cho stands out as an actor who is deliberately avoiding the MCU model,
03:21and while things may change, for now, he seems pretty determined in his stance.
03:25You're dead!
03:27We killed you.
03:29Yeah, you did.
03:31Number 6, Emily Blunt.
03:33There have been a few close calls when it comes to Emily Blunt's past associations with the Marvel brand.
03:38You said you were his mom.
03:41Yeah?
03:43You told me you're not.
03:46You said that?
03:47She missed out on the role of Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2,
03:51due to a scheduling conflict,
03:52and also had to pass on Peggy Carter years later.
03:55Keep it steady!
03:56No, wait!
04:01Go get him.
04:02That said, in the time since,
04:04despite rumors linking her to Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four,
04:08she has made it clear that superhero movies simply aren't her thing.
04:11The world is pivoting in some new direction.
04:15Reforming.
04:18This is your moment.
04:20At this stage,
04:21she seems to be far more focused on stand-alone commitments
04:23rather than diving head-first into a multi-film deal.
04:26And at this point in her career,
04:28we can blame her.
04:29Right here.
04:30It's where I'm supposed to be.
04:31Okay.
04:31Number 5, Jason Statham.
04:34As one of the most acclaimed action stars of the last 30 years,
04:37it's interesting that Jason Statham has yet to make the same transition into superhero films
04:41as so many of his peers.
04:43Rules are meant to be broken.
04:44Not mine.
04:45Even though he's not necessarily hostile to the genre,
04:48he has made it clear that they are not his preferred style of movie.
04:51Nothing kills me.
04:52I'm immune to 179 different types of poison.
04:55I know,
04:56because I ingested them all at once
04:57when I was deep undercover
04:59in an underground poison-ingesting crime ring.
05:02According to the action veteran,
05:04he prefers far more grounded and realistic films
05:07and has jokingly made it clear
05:08that he has no appetite for wearing capes or tights.
05:11You know, twinkle toes in another life,
05:13I bet me and you could have done some serious damage.
05:16Yeah, we could have.
05:17Yeah.
05:18Considering that he has also been a vocal critic of the overuse of CGI,
05:22it doesn't seem like Statham and Marvel will be linking up anytime soon.
05:25You decide who you work for.
05:27Number 4, Sean Penn.
05:29As one of the most respected actors in the business,
05:32when Sean Penn speaks about something,
05:34people tend to listen.
05:35My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you.
05:39That said,
05:40his criticism was aimed less at Marvel's individual movies
05:43than at what the MCU represents within Hollywood.
05:46In 2021,
05:47during a promotional media tour,
05:49Penn lamented that Marvel movies had taken up the space
05:51and claimed so much time in the careers of so many talented people.
05:55I'm coming back to me.
05:57Given that Penn clearly prefers smaller scale character-driven pieces,
06:01the idea of him suiting up with a green screen backdrop
06:03seems pretty far-fetched.
06:05To say the least.
06:06Do you submit yourself?
06:08Yes, sir.
06:09I submit myself.
06:11Number 3, Jodie Foster.
06:13As one of the more direct critics of Marvel and the superhero movie craze,
06:16Jodie Foster has certainly put a lot more distance between herself and the genre than most.
06:21Dr. Lecter, my name is Clarice Starling.
06:23May I speak with you?
06:24While discussing their dominance,
06:26she put forth her belief that the whole thing is a phase
06:29that has unfortunately lasted a little too long for her liking.
06:32She wasn't entirely negative,
06:33praising Black Panther and Iron Man as examples of movies she has certainly gotten invested in
06:38based on their undeniable entertainment value.
06:40That said,
06:41she clearly doesn't see these movies as transformative art,
06:43and that makes the idea of her tying herself to them creatively a long shot at best.
06:48I don't know what you want from me.
06:49I want you to f***ing care.
06:51I do care.
06:51Number 2, Jennifer Aniston.
06:53In contrast to many other A-list stars,
06:56Jennifer Aniston did not beat around the bush while offering her opinion on Marvel films.
07:00She criticized the changing landscape of cinema,
07:02I do want to express myself,
07:05okay?
07:05Now I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it.
07:07and specifically blamed constant Marvel blockbusters
07:10for reducing the availability of the kind of movies she wanted to make.
07:14You know what I'm saying?
07:15Oh, really, bitch?
07:16Yeah, bitch.
07:17It's not like the former Friends star was saying the genre was bad or not worthwhile,
07:21but she was very clearly lamenting the impact they've had on the industry.
07:24As a result,
07:25the idea of her doing a U-turn and joining the MCU
07:27seems incredibly unlikely at this stage.
07:30I'm so sorry.
07:31I don't know what to say.
07:32Go, go, go.
07:37Before we continue,
07:38be sure to check out WatchMojo's 24-hour livestream.
07:41All of your favorite videos in one place, 24-7.
07:44Always on, always live.
07:47Are you not entertained?
07:49Number 1, Leonardo DiCaprio.
07:52After famously advising Timothee Chalamet against taking any hard substances
07:55or doing any superhero movies,
07:57it should be no surprise that Leonardo DiCaprio has never been in the MCU.
08:01Once an idea has taken hold in the brain,
08:03it's almost impossible to eradicate.
08:05An idea that is fully formed, fully understood, that sticks.
08:09While Chalamet has admitted that he would be open to suiting up for the right role,
08:13DiCaprio has stuck to his guns.
08:15Never had an audition.
08:16I've never had a meeting.
08:17As one of this generation's biggest movie stars,
08:20Leo has been going his own way for decades now,
08:22so the idea of him suddenly making a major pivot seems unlikely at best.
08:26I don't get mad.
08:27I don't get mad about anything anymore.
08:29When you have directors like Martin Scorsese,
08:31Paul Thomas Anderson,
08:32and Quentin Tarantino lining up to work with you,
08:34it seems like a pretty easy decision to make.
08:36Really want me to shake your hand?
08:41I insist.
08:42But which actor would you love to see make their debut in the MCU?
08:45Let us know in the comments below.
