An actor’s career is a profile that doesn’t tend to get secure when he is the leading man attached to a single project. Sometimes when a role is stretched beyond infinity, the palpable drama of keeping the audiences hooked diminishes, as you can’t expect the sun to keep shining regardless. Superhero dramas are the millennial mania that ceases actors of exploring roles of their choices and the identity doesn’t get the desired stature of an actor who should be able to communicate. For actors like Michael B Jordan, there is little doubt since the essential roles he performs were born out of the conversion of the teenage kid dramas he chose as a career when he started at 19. For Daniel Radcliffe, after his debut and 8 Harry Potter Films later, he is happy on being married to movies and enjoys his focus on his acting career since the independence he has gained from those films.
There is a sense of fatigue and pride since the movies choose the actors just as superpowers choose their superheroes. Especially males and females wearing capes would love to be present and engaged despite their promises of being loyal to their suits who have been their first family.
Somehow, Hollywood has safeguarded their superheroes as their protectors to bring in millions of dollars and for the actors to improve their career. Presenting a few of those actors who are desperate to never play a superhero again and believe they are more than just their tasks.
1. Mickey Rourke – Iron Man 2
An American actor and screenwriter who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action and thriller films. In an early interview, the hard-working actor was not happy, the Marvel Execs tried to experiment the Iron Man Franchise as a mindless comic bigwig rather than immersing in the depth of the story. It was during the promotion of Immortals the actor shared his confessions on developing the antagonist in full form with director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux to flesh out the Ivan Vanko Arc.
But alas Marvel cut the powers of the villain as just a baddie with some cool whips of a technology and nothing more. The actor couldn’t afford the luxury of bringing additional layers and colours since the performance demanded of a one-dimensional structure that ended as a failed experiment.
2. Jessica Alba- Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four was never the highlight of her career. She was never into the role as a complete commitment, neither the fans welcomed the off-base grounded franchise that made the actor invisible as well as the universe itself. Jessica admitted that being offered a sub-par script of both movies, she really did put in a lot of effort of bringing the emotions out into her acting but was of no use. She recalled a scene from one of her shooting days where she almost brought out her tears.
But the director Tim Story had sufficed that the scene was getting too real and she needed to keep her face straight where her tears would be added by CGI. Based on her shoot where she was made to feel no emotions or not of any use as a person. She decided to take a break and since critics were not too keen on sharing positive reviews she decided to quit. She quite made a name for herself in the Dark Angel series produced by James Cameron and started climbing into the superhero conversations. It didn’t last long though.
3. Kirsten Dunst – Spider-Man
The pair Toby and Kirsten broke the conventions of Superhero movies by sharing their hottest onscreen kiss in the history of the comic book movies. There was a deep connection in the chemistry where she was the desired love interest of Spider-Man. Thanks to her, all comic movies pretty much look up to her character to imbibe in other studio superhero movies as well. She is the condition that superheroes movies long for today.
Dunst wanted to do the next Spider-Man after Spider-Man 3, but that didn’t stop her from criticising her run cut short in early Spider-Man movies. As she says on her promotional tour of “The Beguiled”.
“I wanted to be in that movie so badly. I loved it, and I wish we could have made a fourth.”
Dunst has had a successful post-career after Spiderman movies, she has been the vanity of smaller roles where she had been able to make her performance ripe with time.
4. Andrew Garfield – The Amazing Spider-Man
Andrew Garfield belongs to the generation that thrives on constant action. He necessarily didn’t self-sabotage his casting in the film, but he also didn’t compromise who he was at that point in time and that might be difficult for some people. He has been dressing up for the role since 3, as he was a huge follower and getting to play that character who got compromised always had him all heartbroken. As explained to Amy Adams in Variety “Actors on Actors” series in 2016, he was naive of believing that he could infuse his idea of Spider-Man as a modern myth into the role.
“I was naive to the whole process of making one of those big-budget films.”
Garfield who had previously complained of the studio interference in the film which included the cut-out scenes that could have delved deeper into the character of Peter Parker exited the franchise. Post the superhero franchise he went on to bring home a Tony award and an Oscar nom which might have made up for his breakup with Sony.
5. Natalie Portman – Thor
Strong rumblings surrounding the exit of director Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984) from the second Thor movie had the actress comply with the second project of Thor universe on a contractual basis. The film would have been the 1st Marvel film helmed by the female director. The later exchange took place between Alan Taylor and Patty Jenkins when marvel fired her for a creative mismatch.
For Portman, it was an amicable goodbye for her as compared to Terrence Howard’s departure from the Iron Man Series. Her role as the daughter of the scientist created the perfect gladiator match against the gods of Asgard. Her knowledge of astronomy could have provided the perfect balance for the Norse God’s battle against the intergalactic evils. However, she remained to be the love interest and it served best for her not to return afterwards.
6. Terrence Howard – Iron Man
Losing a Marvel Job is like having a monetary loss of 100 million dollars according to Terrence Howard. There have been several occasions where the actor hasn’t stopped bemoaning his departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He received a $ 3.5 million remuneration since there was the promise of adding a little extra of 5 million dollars if a sequel was greenlit. Also, he took a $ 1 million pay cut for persuading Robert Downey Jr to join the franchise.
With the successful run of the 1st film, the studio called Howard’s agent and informed him of a salary cut for the next sequel. Howard’s next role in the sequel would be of limited timing, this wasn’t received well with the agent and cursed them over the phone while cutting the call. Within the next 24-hour cycle, Don Cheadle was hired, and he became the 100-million-dollar recipient for the playing the role of Rhodey. Terrence said he would have done the same thing, because, in the end, it’s all in their nature.
7. Eric Bana – Hulk
Bana starred in Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk Adaptation, who happened to be the acclaimed director of Life of Pi. The audience witnessed the birth of an anti-hero in the dawn of the modern superhero age when DC studios were still planning their ongoing venture for Justice League and Avengers were just a wishful thinking. However, Bana was quite happy as there was no direct link for a sequel since he wasn’t compelled with the overemphasis of a darker tone and an intense environment built around the movie.
I think I’m so lucky it didn’t happen. So, I think the opposite — one of the things I was most fearful of at the time is it being a huge success [laughs]… I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunities that I’ve had the last 10 years — so I wouldn’t want to change that for anything. Everyone’s career is different and I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been exciting — it would have been a different thing… And I’ve really enjoyed my ride.
Bana is still proud in a sense of the career choices he made and applauded Lee for staying ahead of the curve. The switch to turn Hulk from Banner is what drew the actor to take up the project in the first place. He is just happy about not being some franchise’s poster boy.
8. Christian Bale – Batman
Christian Bale felt that he didn’t quite nail it. The modern night psycho take on the caped crusader somehow felt short when Heath took the stage. The description of the “true monstrous self” defined Bruce Wayne as this very dark messed up character who undertook the vigilante modus operandi of beating criminals with his bare hands.
“Heath turned up and just kinda completely ruined all my plans because I went, ‘He’s so much more interesting than me and what I’m doing.’ … And so I sort of go, ‘Eh I know I didn’t quite manage what I hoped I would through the trilogy.’ Chris did, but my own sense of self is like, ‘I didn’t quite nail it.'”
With the certain physical nuance, the English actor was able to propel the comic lore that made it beloved for billion fans worldwide. With a feat accomplished that made the actor felt so closure to the character he was not going to take the mantle anytime sooner.
[the_ad id=”124394″]
9. Hugo Weaving- Captain America
The reason why Marvel Cinematic Universe has been successful is because of their multi-million-dollar contract with the actors. The foresight of not only appearing in their own movies but could also appear in other films as well, but for some, it is not comfortable.
[the_ad id=”124397″]
Hugo Weaving had clearly stated that even though he had to reprise his role in the future Avengers movies that doesn’t mean he is going to be a part of them. And it’s best that he says goodbye. Originally Red Skull was supposed to take the place of Thanos but with new enemies populating all films in the phase 2 stage it was unlikely he was needed.
[the_ad id=”124396″]
10. Hugh Jackman- Wolverine
It has been a dark and dreary path for the Australian actor. The gruff and rough mutant from the north began the discussion on the 2013 film set of “The Wolverine” with director James Mangold on their next sequel which had to be much smaller and much darker. After eight movies the actor was having a rough time playing the character for eternity.
[the_ad id=”124392″]
The several movie references for Logan included The Wrestler, Shane but only one inspiration the unforgettable Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven”. Logan was the end and it was the true tribute of doing one perfect final wolverine movie. After that, the actor is all set out to star in The Front Runner directed by Jason Reitman. The ambitious plot discovers Democrat Gary Hart for the 1988 Presidential nomination until allegations of an extramarital affair derailed his campaign.
