Nobody would believe that Matthew McConaughey, of all people, would secretly be a huge Hulk fan and even aspire to play the character on screens. But it’s true! While he once turned down a Marvel role, not for Hulk, mind you, but speculatively for a Guardians of the Galaxy baddie. Now there’s a chance he could smash into the MCU as a Hulk supervillain in the highly anticipated upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, or in a standalone Hulk flick starring Mark Ruffalo if that ever happens.
Matthew McConaughey might have rejected a role in a major Marvel Cinematic Universe movie years ago; however, there is a Marvel character that he would love to play, and the actor could do it in Avengers: Secret Wars. Several Hollywood stars have joined the MCU over the years, with the cinematic franchise’s popularity leading to more talent being interested in a role in one of Marvel’s upcoming movies and series with each passing year. Despite the MCU’s recent woes, the franchise continues to lure in top talent, and McConaughey could be one of the next to join.
Years ago, the actor had the chance to join the MCU but chose not to. McConaughey passed on a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. While the character Marvel approached him for was never officially confirmed, reports about his casting revealed that he was up for the film’s main villain, which means Ego, who was played by Kurt Russell, was likely the character in question. At the time, McConaughey rejected the role due to thinking it was a form of stunt casting. However, there is one Marvel role that would have McConaughey saying yes to the MCU.
How Matthew McConaughey’s Desire to Play Hulk Was Brutally Thwarted by Marvel!
In a surprising revelation on the Happy Sad Confused (via Slash Films) podcast with Josh Horowitz four years back, Matthew McConaughey confessed his lifelong admiration for the 70s TV classic The Incredible Hulk starring Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. When asked by Horowitz if he ever desired to play Bruce Banner, McConaughey quickly quipped, he “wanted it. ”He candidly shared that during Marvel’s peak, he eagerly threw his hat in the ring to portray his childhood hero. However, he also humorously recounted how the studio absolutely rejected him with a polite “no, thank you.”
While the reasons for the studio’s rejection of the actor remain unclear, Mark Ruffalo has been widely embraced by fans. McConaughey speculatively may have made his pitch to Marvel for the role of Hulk around 2008 following Ed Norton’s sudden departure from the franchise. The role eventually landed in the capable hands of Ruffalo in 2010, who has since become synonymous with the green behemoth on screen, who is also now quite interested in making a standalone Hulk film.
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Matthew McConaughey Could Easily Spice Things up in Avengers: Secret Wars!
In the ongoing saga of the MCU, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk story isn’t over yet. Moreover, the actor has expressed interest in a standalone film for his character, though the future of that project appears bleak for now, as he revealed to GQ.
“I’d love to do a standalone Hulk, I just don’t think that’s ever going to happen,–It’s very expensive if you did a whole movie, which is why they use the Hulk so sparingly. I priced myself out!”
Matthew McConaughey Approached Marvel To Play The Hulk
While McConaughey thought the offered Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 role was not right for him, the actor previously revealed that he would love to play the Hulk. In fact, McConaughey has tried to get cast as Bruce Banner, to no success. Speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast in 2020, McConaughey revealed that not only was he a fan of Lou Ferrigno’s The Incredible Hulk series, which featured David Banner instead of Bruce Banner, but he had previously approached Marvel to play the Hulk. Sadly, Marvel did not think McConaughey was right for the part.
According to the actor, Marvel’s answer was “no, thank you.” Given McConaughey’s fame and acting skills, it is surprising that the actor would be passed over for such a role as Bruce Banner. What McConaughey did not specify is for what movie he tried to get cast as the Hulk in. The MCU’s version of the character was first played by Edward Norton in Hulk’s only solo film under Marvel Studios: 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. In 2012’s The Avengers, the role was recast, with Mark Ruffalo taking over and playing the Hulk to this day.
McConaughey Could Play Maestro In Avengers: Secret Wars
Ruffalo’s story as the Hulk in the MCU is far from over, with the character discovering that he has a son in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which means he should have at least a few more good years in the MCU. That said, with the Multiverse Saga still in play, there are a few ways in which both Ruffalo and McConaughey could play the Hulk at the same time. While Ruffalo gives life to the main Bruce Banner, he could come face to face with McConaughey as the Maestro Hulk variant in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Maestro is a version of Hulk that became the leader of one of Battle world’s regions, Dystopia, in the Marvel Comics event that inspires 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. That version of the character, like Ruffalo’s Smart Hulk, possesses a mix of Hulk’s strength and Bruce Banner’s brains. However, Maestro is far from a good guy, using his might to rule. Maestro would be the perfect villain to mirror Hulk’s MCU journey, and his connection in the comics to the source material of Avengers: Secret Wars makes the character’s appearance a real possibility.
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