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17 Famous People Who Wouldn't Be Caught Dead In A Marvel Movie, And Their Reasons Why

"No hard drugs and no superhero movies".

Sam Cleal
by Sam Cleal

BuzzFeed Staff

Ahhhh, The Marvel Cinematic Universe!! Not only have there been countless movies and TV shows within the MCU to date, the multimillion-dollar shared universe has also featured more than its fair share of epic talent over the years.

Anthony hopkins cate blanchett and Lupita Nyong'o in their respective MCU roles
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

But that doesn't mean it's for everyone. Here are 17 famous actors who have spoken out about their lack of interest in joining the biggest Hollywood franchise, and in some cases, their utter disdain for superhero movies...

1. Ewan McGregor

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Ewan has had a super eclectic career, but it sounds like he's not in a hurry to add a Marvel movie to his filmography. During a panel held at Fan Expo Boston, the actor shared that he loves "doing all different kinds of work", and given his prominent role in the Star Wars saga, he didn't feel the "need" to do another similar franchise.

Ewan did add, however, that though he wasn't "looking for it particularly", he felt like he shouldn't say he ~wouldn't ever~ do it: "in two years time you'll be like, 'You said you were never going to do this!'" he joked with the audience.

2. Simon Pegg

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The Star Trek actor, also known for his comedy work, has said he's "not in any rush to join the MCU." Despite being a fan of sci-fi and superheroes, Simon cited the lengthy multiple movie contracts and his ambition to do "more sort of grown up stuff in the future" as his reasons for not wanting to suit up.

3. John Boyega

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Another Star Wars alum, John has had a lot to say about Marvel and superhero films in general. "Being in a big franchise, it's kind of like luxury jail", he told Cinema Blend. "You're working on one character for many years, which can starve your other muscles."

So would he join the MCU? Well, in another interview with Men's Health, John revealed that he wanted to work on "original indie films" going forward, and that an MCU movie was "not in the vision for him now", adding that it's "real hard to top Iron Man in that universe."

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It's also worth noting that John was disappointed with how his character Finn was portrayed in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. In an interview with British GQ, he addressed Disney directly by saying, "do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It’s not good".

John later praised how Disney handled Anthony Mackie's character in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, during an appearance on NPR's Fresh Air With Terry Gross. However, he clarified that he still would not joining the MCU any time soon.

4. Jennifer Aniston

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Back in 2019, Jen appeared to drag the MCU and it ended up becoming a whole thing. In a profile for Variety, the actor said that returning to TV had been a positive experience, and that the movie world was "diminishing" for her. "It's big Marvel movies... Or things that I'm not just asked to do or really that interested in living in a green screen", Jen told the publication.

Many thought Jennifer was dissing Marvel for "diminishing" cinema, but others felt her comments seem to indicate more that Marvel roles just weren't for her. Either way, we've yet to see Jen join the MCU, and I don't think we will in the future!

5. Paul Mescal

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From Normal People to Aftersun, Paul is probably best known for starring in indie smash hits, and he doesn't see that changing any time soon. "This will be something that I regret saying", he told GQ, "I feel kind of like ridiculous saying no when it hasn't been asked, but it's not something that I am pining to do. I don't know if I would have the patience required."

Paul also commented that he didn't want to stop doing indie dramas to focus on Marvel-like blockbusters, citing Robert Downey Jr. as an example of an actor who has dedicated over a decade of his career to the MCU and very little else. "I think sometimes you have to make a decision to let [other projects] go for five, 10, 15 years and that would be really sad", he shared.

6. Seth Rogen

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The comedy actor recently spoke about Marvel movies being "kind of geared toward kids", as opposed to comic books fans. "I'll watch one of these things, as an adult with no kids, and be like, 'Oh, this is just not for me'", he said in a profile with Total Film magazine. He does acknowledge that without the MCU, his show The Boys wouldn't exist, but don't expect to see Seth in a Marvel movie anytime soon.

7. Stephen Dorff

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In perhaps one of the most scathing attacks on the MCU, Blade actor Stephen told The Daily Beast that he was unlikely to revisit the superhero genre. "If comic-book movies were more like when I started when we made Blade... when they were interesting", he begins. "[All] this other garbage is just embarrassing, you know what I mean? I mean, God bless them, they're making a bunch of money, but their movies suck... And nobody's going to remember them."

Stephen previously went viral in 2021 after telling The Independent that he was "embarrassed" for Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow. He continued his recent diatribe against Marvel by saying, "How's that PG Blade movie going for you, that can't get a director? ... anybody who goes there is going to be laughed at by everyone, because we already did it and made it the best."

8. Reese Witherspoon

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In a 2010 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor shared that she wasn't bothered by "giant robot" movies or superhero movies. "That doesn’t interest me too much", she shared with the outlet, "and there's not a part for a 34-year-old woman in a robot movie." She did, however, have a lot of time for Brie Larson's foray into the MCU, so maybe her position has changed since then!

9. Quentin Tarantino

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When asked by The LA Times if he'd ever make a Marvel or DC Comics film, the infamous director said "You have to be a hired hand to do those things... I'm not a hired hand. I’m not looking for a job." He even went on to allege that he and some of his contemporaries "can’t wait for the day" that superhero movies fall out of favour.

Of course, Quentin is not the first director to shade Marvel/DC movies. Moonfall director Roland Emmerich has called the genre "formulaic", and the great Martin Scorsese was quoted saying Marvel films are more like "theme parks" than "cinema" – a stance he later reiterated in The New York Times.

10. John Cho

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John has cited the "indentured-servitude contracts" that come with Marvel movies as one of his reasons for not signing up for the MCU if offered. "The problem now is whenever you do a movie they sign you to like, a three-picture deal", he told Vulture. The Star Trek actor also takes issue with the preparation required: "I don’t particularly want to diet. Or work out like crazy. That doesn’t sound fun."

11. Timothée Chalamet

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I think most people would agree that Timmy has taken on a wide range of roles since appearing on most people's radars in Call Me By Your Name. However, the actor is disinclined to become a superhero after receiving some sage words of advice early on in his career from none other than Leonardo DiCaprio: "No hard drugs and no superhero movies". For now, Leo seems to have gotten through to him; outside of things like Dune and the upcoming movie Wonka, Timothée has indeed steered clear of the superhero genre at large.

12. Amanda Seyfried

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Amanda actually once turned down a part in the MCU – Gamora in The Guardians franchise. Her reason? She "didn't want to be green for six months out of every year". Amanda discussed her reluctance to do Marvel movies and perform stunts before in an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. The Mamma Mia! actor said, "we all have to do [action films] for business purposes... They're so highly enjoyable, I love being an audience member, I just don't want to put on the suit."

13. Jon Hamm

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Radio Times seemed to touch a nerve when they questioned Jon back in 2014 about the idea of him being in a Marvel vehicle: "The deals that they make you do are so draconian", he told the outlet. Jon also seemed to think his age was an issue, claiming that the "younger generation don't care about you if your last name's not Hemsworth or you are not in One Direction or you don't wear a cape".

Apparently the actor has been "in contention for" Marvel films before, but was glad he'd said no or else he'd be stuck on same project for a long time: "It's a lot of work at one thing which is not necessarily the reason I got into the business which is to do many things. If you want to spend all day pressing the same key that… seems an odd choice." He did, however, provide the voice of Iron Man in Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.

14. Jodie Foster

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Jodie has gone on record in Radio Times saying that "200 million dollar movies about superheroes" are like "fracking – you get the best return right now but you wreck the earth". The actor continued by echoing controversial comments made by Martin Scorsese that superhero movies are like "theme parks", and that they are "ruining the viewing habits of the American population and then ultimately the rest of the world." Safe to say we won't see a Super-Jodie any time soon!

15. Jason Statham

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While he's well known for his action roles, Jason has been pretty insistent that he has "no ambition" to join the MCU. "Anybody can do it", he told the YouTube channel I 400 Calci during the press junket for Spy. "They're relying on stunt doubles, green screen, $200 million dollar budgets... it's not authentic."

Interestingly, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige also confirmed once to Den of Geek that Jason was almost IN a Marvel movie, but it didn't work out because of scheduling conflicts. According to Kevin, Jason graciously declined and said he hoped it worked out next time.

16. Josh Hartnett

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Amazingly, Josh once told Details that he turned down THREE superhero roles – Batman, Superman and Spider-Man! "I somehow knew those roles had potential to define me, and I didn't want that", he said in an interview with the outlet. "I was maybe 22, but I saw the danger."

He also cited an uncomfortableness with fame as a contributing factor to turning down Marvel, Sony, and DC: "I was on the cover of every magazine. I couldn't really go anywhere. I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin. I was alone. I didn't trust anyone", he shared.

17. Emily Blunt

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As many people may already know, Emily was actually offered the role of Black Widow in the MCU, but she had to pass on it because she was contracted to do the movie Gulliver's Travels. Even though she was disappointed that she couldn't work with Robert Downey Jr., Emily's views on the superhero genre seem to have shifted since then. "We are inundated", she said of the genre in an interview of Howard Stern. "It's not only all the movies, it's the endless TV shows as well."

Emily did add that she wasn't *completely* against playing a superhero character, but that Marvel type of movies were not up her alley, and that she doesn't like them.

Did any of these surprise you? Maybe we left somebody obvious out. Let us know in the comments below.