The best thing that Marvel Cinematic Universe has done is to assemble a fantastic star cast. The shared superhero universe has completed a decade of big screen dominance and is now rated as the biggest movie franchise in Hollywood. When we talk about the MCU star cast, they cast Robert Downey Jr, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson and recently Josh Brolin has also joined the franchise. However, there are some even mightier names which were cast to play almost meaningless roles.
Frankly, there were a number of roles which were not fair to the major actors. Here we are listing the big names who were dealt a raw deal by Marvel Cinematic Universe.
1. KARL URBAN (SKURGE)
The highlight of Thor: Ragnarok was not the battle between the Hulk and Thor. It was the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut of Karl Urban. However, it was such a dampener when we saw him barely get seconds of genuine screen time.
2. NEAL McDONOUGH (DUM DUM DUGAN)
This was not even a role, rather, a random cameo by a big actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Neal played the role of a member of Captain America’s team, and all he did was to drink beer and kill a few Nazis.
3. CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON- MALEKITH
The character played by Eccleston happened to be quite important in the world of comic books: The Dark Elf Malekith in Thor: The Dark World. Although this happened to be a leading comic book character, he is considered to be one of the most pathetic villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
4. THOMAS KRESTCHMANN- VON STRUCKER
Krestchmann is a top talent as far as playing villainous roles are concerned. He was roped in to play a bad guy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He played Von Strucker in The Winter Soldier, but, he was killed in the initial part of the Avengers: Age of Ultron.
5. IDRIS ELBA- HEIMDALL
Idris Elba is a big star who has been a part of the Thor series of films. However, it is quite disappointing to see that the screen time that he got in all the four movies put together would hardly equal a great cameo by an actor of his stature.
6. GWYNETH PALTROW- PEPPER POTTS
The talent of Gwyneth Paltrow is not hidden from any Hollywood fan. The only time she ever got decent screen time was in Iron-Man 2 where she got a chance to showcase her acting talents.
7. ANTHONY HOPKINS – ODIN
Here is an actor who received the Oscar Award for Lead Actor for a role where he had only 25 minutes of screen presence. Such a talent was wasted on the character of Odin. In Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have seen him either as asleep or dead or at best he had a minuscule screen presence.
8. MADS MIKKELSEN- KAECILIUS
Mikkelsen is among the most popular villainous actors in Hollywood. If he plays a bad guy, he plays it perfectly. Hannibal and Casino Royale are proof of it. Here Marvel Cinematic Universe had a great shot at utilizing him, but, he has now gone out of the MCU after just a solitary and meaningless role.
9. BENICIO DEL TORO- THE COLLECTOR
Did you watch Sicario? In case, your answer is yes then you would understand how the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasted a talent. Del Toro has got only a couple of cameos to play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Collector has an important role in the comic books and deserved a more prominent screen presence.
10. NATALIE PORTMAN- JANE FOSTER
There is no need to even provide proof for Natalie Portman’s acting prowess, but, we can quote Black Swan and V for Vendetta, etc. for reference. She was given the role of Jane Foster, the new Thor in the comic books. However, she was totally overlooked in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
