Actresses Who Were Almost Cast as Famous Superheroes

The casting process for major superhero franchises is often a grueling journey involving hundreds of auditions and complex contract negotiations. While some stars are instantly synonymous with their comic book counterparts, many other talented actresses came incredibly close to donning the capes and masks first. These casting “what-ifs” highlight how different the landscape of modern cinema could have looked if a single scheduling conflict or creative decision had gone another way. From contractual obligations to creative differences, the following actresses were nearly chosen to bring iconic heroes to life on the big screen.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt was the original choice to play Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, in ‘Iron Man 2’ (2010). She was forced to decline the role due to a prior contractual obligation with 20th Century Fox to appear in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ (2010). Marvel later offered her the role of Peggy Carter in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ (2011), but she turned that down as well. Scarlett Johansson eventually took the part of Black Widow and became a founding member of the Avengers.

Saoirse Ronan

During the early development of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015), director Joss Whedon reportedly used Saoirse Ronan as the physical and creative model for the character Wanda Maximoff. Ronan publicly expressed interest in the role, stating she would love to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, she ultimately did not sign on, and the role of Scarlet Witch was given to Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen first appeared in the role during a post-credits scene for ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014) before becoming a series regular.

Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried was the top choice for the role of Gamora in the 2014 film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. She turned down the offer because she was apprehensive about the intensive makeup process required to turn her skin green for every day of filming. Seyfried also expressed doubt that a movie about a talking raccoon and a tree would be a commercial success. The role eventually went to Zoe Saldaña, who played the character in four Marvel films and two ‘Avengers’ sequels.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain was in talks to play Hope van Dyne, the future Wasp, in ‘Ant-Man’ (2015) during the project’s early stages. She eventually passed on the role, explaining in later interviews that she wanted to play a character who was more involved in the action sequences from the start. Evangeline Lilly was cast instead and eventually donned the superhero suit in the 2018 sequel. Chastain later entered the Marvel world through a different franchise as the villain in ‘Dark Phoenix’ (2019).

Olga Kurylenko

Olga Kurylenko was one of three finalists who screen-tested for the role of Diana Prince in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016). She competed against Gal Gadot and Elodie Yung for the chance to play the iconic Amazonian warrior in the DC Extended Universe. Director Zack Snyder ultimately selected Gadot, noting that she possessed a specific “magical” quality required for the character. Kurylenko later joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the character Taskmaster in ‘Black Widow’ (2021).

Brie Larson

Years before she landed the lead role in ‘Captain Marvel’ (2019), Brie Larson auditioned for the role of Hope van Dyne in ‘Ant-Man’ (2015). She revealed in a video on her YouTube channel that she had been rejected for several major Marvel and Star Wars roles early in her career. Larson was also considered for a role in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022) before her path eventually led to becoming the MCU’s most powerful hero. Her eventual casting as Carol Danvers made her the first female actress to lead a solo film in the franchise.

Morena Baccarin

Morena Baccarin was a finalist for the role of Agent Maria Hill in ‘The Avengers’ (2012) and screen-tested alongside several other candidates. She lost the part to ‘How I Met Your Mother’ star Cobie Smulders, who went on to play the character across multiple films and television series. Baccarin did not remain absent from the genre for long, as she was later cast as Vanessa Carlysle in ‘Deadpool’ (2016). She also provided the voice for the artificial intelligence Gideon in the DC series ‘The Flash’ (2014–2023).

Robin Wright

Robin Wright was the original choice to portray Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, in Tim Burton’s ‘Batman Returns’ (1992). She was forced to drop out of the production because she was pregnant at the time filming was scheduled to begin. The role was briefly handed to Annette Bening before she also had to withdraw due to pregnancy, leading to the eventual casting of Michelle Pfeiffer. Wright eventually joined the superhero genre decades later as General Antiope in ‘Wonder Woman’ (2017).

Gemma Arterton

Gemma Arterton was a serious contender for the role of Wonder Woman during the casting process for ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016). She was one of several actresses who met with the studio and director Zack Snyder to discuss the future of the DC Extended Universe. Arterton later stated that while she respected the character, she felt the commitment to a multi-film franchise was not the right fit for her career at that time. The role launched Gal Gadot to international superstardom and led to two solo ‘Wonder Woman’ films.

Adrianne Palicki

Adrianne Palicki was cast as the lead in a high-profile ‘Wonder Woman’ (2011) television pilot for NBC. Written and produced by David E. Kelley, the pilot featured Palicki in a modern-day setting as a corporate executive who fought crime in her spare time. Despite filming the entire pilot and releasing promotional images of Palicki in the costume, the network decided not to pick up the show for a full series. Palicki later found success in the Marvel universe playing the superhero Mockingbird in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ (2013–2020).

Share which of these casting choices you would have liked to see the most in the comments.