Recasting the MCU: Part 4

By Austin Johnson

First off, Rest In Peace, Chadwick Boseman. He was a brilliant man who embodied what the MCU became as time went on. He could act in any genre with ease, but his contribution as Black Panther is undoubtedly the first thing we will all think about when it comes to his legacy. We are going to be talking about his craft forever on Filmgazm and through Filmgazm. Every single one of these recasts are dedicated to Mr. Chadwick Boseman.

This has been a really fun experiment for me, but this next group of recasts is easily the most random. There is no major heavy hitter here, because the draw is random every time. The first part consisted of Dr. Selvig, Kaecilius, Obadiah Stane, Spider-Man, and Nick Fury. The second part consisted of Hank Pym, Jane Foster, Okoye, Falcon, and Captain America. The third part consisted of Black Panther (WAKANDA FOREVER!), Odin, Peggy Carter, Baron Mordo, and Valkyrie. And now here’s the fourth part...

5.) Daniel Day-Lewis as Red Skull

Portrayed by Hugo Weaving & Ross Marquand in the MCU.

Is Hugo Weaving even a real person? I’m not sure, but here at Filmgazm, he’s a fucking hero. If I had to choose a personal favorite film franchise, it would probably be The Lord of the Rings and Weaving’s work as Elrond is pretty stellar throughout that jaunt. He’s also Agent motherfucking Smith in The Matrix and that’s just a masterpiece kind of film. Hugo turned 60 this past April, so I’m gonna take a dude who is in his 60’s and can also act. Daniel Day-Lewis was also born in April, just three years prior to Hugo and they’re both British. I think DDL would make a fantastic Red Skull, but it might be tough to get him out of character which could get annoying after a while.

4.) Evan Rachel Wood as Nebula

Portrayed by Karen Gillan in the MCU.

I really like the subtle rise and importance of Nebula as a character. She’s got such a dope design and demeanor. I thought about this one for a long time and did some research on other women who were born in 1987. Evan Rachel Wood stood out because I think she can capture that demeanor perfectly. She was my favorite part of Westworld when I used to watch that show and she’s a person that I would like to see on a massive stage like an MCU film, so fuck it! ERW is Nebula.

3.) Vince Vaughn as Happy Hogan

Portrayed by Jon Favreau in the MCU.

Ahh, Jon Favreau. The genius himself! He directed Iron Man and Iron Man 2 which launched the MCU and absolutely had to work for the process to even become a possibility. He’s a pretty good and very important director, but he can obviously act as well. My personal favorite role of his is probably Mike from Swingers. I’m replacing him with his co-star from Swingers, Vince Vaughn. Haha earmuffs Spider-Man! Favreau is four years older than Vaughn, but I have no problem replacing Mike with Trent because I truly think that it could work as a recast.

2.) Christian Bale as Loki

Portrayed by Tom Hiddleston in the MCU.

Loki has become a really beloved character after years of service to the MCU. I think we absolutely have to get a dude who could raise the bar because it’s already set pretty high. Christian Bale is about seven years older than Tom Hiddleston, and I don’t think there’s really an argument for who has more skill and the better resume. If Bale was Loki, he’d have a few of his own films out by now and his death scene in Infinity War would’ve been Oscar worthy. This recast is kind of on the nose, but it’s so much fun to think about Bale in that kind of space. Apparently, Bale is going to show up in the MCU at some point but for now, he’s mine.

1.) Blake Lively as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel

Portrayed by Brie Larson in the MCU.

I thought a lot about Captain Marvel with my girlfriend and we think that the recast should definitely involve someone who can pull off long and short hair. Blake Lively was born in California just like Larson and she’s only three years older. She’s had a really strange run, but I believe in her as a performer because I think she can deliver with the right role. If she would’ve been cast as Captain Marvel, it would’ve changed her career forever and hopefully give her the right kind of niche to settle into. Lively showed some serious talent in The Town and had nice stretches in A Simple Favor, but this one is mostly about giving someone a chance at something they’ve never come close to doing.