Recasting the MCU: Part 2

By Austin Johnson

Part I of this recast project went pretty well with Peter Stormare replacing Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig, Viggo Mortensen replacing Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius, Walter replacing The Dude as Obadiah Stane, Kelvin Harrison Jr. replacing Tom Holland as Peter Parker, and Delroy Lindo replacing Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. I was pleased with all of them and I’m hoping to find some honorable names for the next five here. The total number of parts will be twelve because I am doing five at a time out of a pool of sixty characters. My wonderful girlfriend is helping me draw them and kind of remember who each character is because she’s a much bigger and better fan of the MCU.

5.) Christopher Walken as Hank Pym

Portrayed by Michael Douglas in the MCU.

Hank Pym is a pretty crucial character who could use a little more punch in my opinion. I love Michael Douglas in the likes of Fatal Attraction and Behind the Candelabra, but I’m not always sold on his work in the MCU. Christopher Walken is the first guy that popped into my head and I was glad to see that he’s just a year and a half older than Douglas and also from the northeast. Walken could bring a certain swagger to the MCU that only he possesses and it’s always better to have that than not have it.

4.) Jessica Chastain as Jane Foster

Portrayed by Natalie Portman in the MCU.

The characters from the first two Thor films are tough because the films themselves kind of suck. Ragnarok is super dope and sort of makes up for them but I don’t recommend rewatching them. Anyways, Natalie Portman is a wonderful actress so I’m swapping her with someone who is also wonderful but quite different and that’s Jessica Chastain who is just four years older than Portman. I think she elevates every film she touches so that feels like a good swap for a not so well written character.

3.) Cynthia Erivo as Okoye

Portrayed by Danai Gurira in the MCU.

Danai brings something to the table that only she can bring. This is the hardest one I’ve done so far, but I found someone who has an incredibly strong build and the capability to pull the costume off and her name is Cynthia Erivo. Erivo recently blew me away as Belle in Steve McQueen’s underrated Widows from 2018. I think she can match that incredible frame that Danai has and she can figure out the accent. Cynthia is nine years younger than Danai, but I don’t see it as much of an issue for this one because Cynthia definitely could’ve auditioned for Okoye’s first appearance in 2018’s Black Panther.

2.) Gbenga Akinnagbe as Sam Wilson/Falcon

Portrayed by Anthony Mackie in the MCU.

Falcon is a character that should already have his own film but maybe that’s just me. I think Anthony Mackie is brutally underrated and underused in general. I absolutely adore his work in Half Nelson alongside Ryan Gosling. This one is difficult but I feel like making a gutsy call here so I’m taking Gbenga Akinnagbe who is the same age as Mackie. Gbenga blew my mind in The Wire as Chris Partlow the enforcer, and has appeared in random films I love but I think there’s a whole other alternate universe where people know his name better.

1.) Ryan Gosling as Steve Rogers/Captain America

Portrayed by Chris Evans in the MCU.

This is actually one that I’ve thought about a few times in the past and definitely helped influence the general idea with this recasting. Ryan Gosling isn’t even a whole year older than Chris Evans and they are both pretty gorgeous dudes. Not to mention, Gosling is probably my favorite actor in his prime right now. Evans is Cap and I really don’t think there’s any point in imagining someone else with that shield but if I had to, it’d be Gosling.