Bob Odenkirk Says He’d Love to Join the MCU After Previously Claiming He Wasn’t Built for That World

Few career pivots in recent Hollywood history have been as satisfying to watch as Bob Odenkirk’s transformation from comedy legend and prestige drama star into a full-blown action hero. After making a genuine splash in the genre with the 2021 hit ‘Nobody’, which turned the ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ actor into one of Hollywood’s more unexpected action leads, Odenkirk has doubled down on the persona with new projects that prove the pivot was no fluke. His latest film, ‘Normal’, sees him playing Minnesota sheriff Ulysses, whose investigation of a bank robbery pulls him down a far darker path, continuing a streak of roles that place him firmly in Hollywood’s action conversation.

That context makes his recent comments about Marvel Studios land with a certain weight. For years, the idea of Odenkirk suiting up for the MCU felt like a long shot, and not just because of the studio’s preferences. Speaking to The Independent back in 2023, Odenkirk made his position on Marvel clear, saying he preferred keeping things “grounded, relatable and smaller” and that he did not think he was “built for that world.” It was a candid and considered rejection, the kind of statement that tends to close doors.

Something has shifted. Speaking exclusively with The Direct at the SXSW Film Festival, Odenkirk addressed the long-standing rumors that he had been eyed for a role in Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’, which turned out to be untrue, but he made clear that the door to the MCU is wide open on his end. When asked about the ‘Wonder Man’ speculation, he flatly denied it, saying he had never heard the rumor, before adding that it sounded like fun.

When the question turned to whether he would consider joining Marvel more broadly, his answer left no room for ambiguity. He told The Direct, “Surely I would. Yes. So many great actors do it, and they’re great people. Kevin Feige, I did speak to him once. Good guy. And I love what they’re doing. I love how hard they work at making their universe work and building it out.”

It is worth noting that Odenkirk is not the only alumnus of the ‘Breaking Bad’ universe to have made the leap into Marvel. Giancarlo Esposito, known to many as Gus Fring, made his MCU debut as Sidewinder in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’, while Krysten Ritter is reprising her role as Jessica Jones in the second season of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’. The pipeline between those two creative worlds is clearly open, which may have given Odenkirk a clearer picture of what life inside Marvel actually looks like.

As of now, Marvel Studios has not been reported to be in talks with Odenkirk about any specific role, with the studio currently in deep development on projects across Phase 6 and beyond, including the next two ‘Avengers’ films. Still, given how sharply his attitude has changed and how well his action credentials have grown, it is easy to imagine a version of events where that conversation moves forward. Odenkirk’s versatility and dramatic range have made fans and analysts eager to imagine where he might fit, from complex villains to grounded supporting players who could anchor a Marvel story without needing to wear a cape.

Whether Feige returns that phone call is now the only question that matters, and if you have a role in mind you think Odenkirk was born to play in the MCU, the comments section is the place to make your case.