Stephen Strange and Carol Danvers were soon transformed into icons by Benedict Cumberbatch and Brie Larson, but who else was considered for the MCU roles? While the MCU's Infinity Saga focused on the six original Avengers, the new saga, which begins with Phase Four, will focus on the next generation of Earth's most powerful heroes, led by Doctor Strange, who will try to keep the ever-expanding multiverse under control as much as possible, and Captain Marvel, who will bring peace to the farthest reaches of space.
In their Phase Three debuts, Benedict Cumberbatch and Brie Larson swiftly established themselves as icons as Stephen Strange and Carol Danvers, respectively, but while they proved to be ideal choices for their roles, they weren't Marvel's only options. And below are 5 possible replacements for Dr.Strange And Captain Marvel.
1. Doctor Strange: Joaquin Phoenix
Source: Marvel Studio
Phoenix had previously been approached about portraying the Hulk in The Avengers, but he turned it down for the same reason he turned down Marvel: he didn't want to sign a multi-movie contract. He went on to star in DC's Joker, which was a stand-alone film.
2. Captain Marvel: Natalie Dormer
Source: u/Beta_Whisperer
Carol Danvers was originally rumored to be played by Natalie Dormer. Dormer also performed the minor character of Private Lorraine in Captain America: The First Avenger, which could have caused a continuity issue for the MCU, but fans wouldn't have cared if she was the proper fit for the job.
3. Doctor Strange: Jared Leto
Source: FizX
Leto will portray the vampiric
Marvel supervillain Morbius in an upcoming Sony-produced spin-off, and he'll play a bastardized hipster version of the Joker in Suicide Squad, which was released the same summer as Doctor Strange (to more critical praise).
4. Captain Marvel: Rebecca Ferguson
Source: punmagneto
Ferguson was a finalist for the title part in Captain Marvel but lost out. Instead, she'll be seen in Denis Villeneuve's Dune adaption alongside
Timothee Chalamet, as well as resuming her part in the M: I films.
5. Doctor Strange: Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal was considered for the title role in Doctor Strange by the filmmakers. He didn't get the part, but in Spider-Man: Far From Home, he played the diabolical Mysterio. Tom Hardy was also considered for the role of Strange, but he ended up playing Venom, a different Marvel character, in Sony's 2018 spin-off and its impending sequel.
6. Captain Marvel: Katee Sackhoff
Captain Marvel producers considered Katee Sackhoff for the role of Carol Danvers but ultimately chose Brie Larson. Sackhoff is experienced in dealing with ardent fans and hard science fiction.
7. Doctor Strange: Daniel Radcliffe
Ewan McGregor met with the studio as well, and he, too, has experience playing wizards in several films, as Jedi are a type of wizard, and McGregor portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels.
8. Captain Marvel: Yvonne Strahovski
Strahovski would have had little trouble fitting into the MCU's long-term commitments thanks to her work in television, which includes important appearances in Dexter, Chuck, The Handmaid's Tale (for which she was nominated for an Emmy), and 24: Live Another Day.
9. Doctor Strange: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Source: u/waltproductions
Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Ryan Gosling, Jon Hamm, Ethan Hawke, Jack Huston, Oscar Isaac, Matthew McConaughey, Ewan McGregor,
Keanu Reeves, and Justin Theroux were all considered for the role of Strange until the producers' initial pick finally consented to perform it.
10. Captain Marvel: Emily Blunt
Source: Marvel Studio
She previously turned down the parts of Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 and Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger. Blunt has yet to join the MCU more than a decade after being offered her first Marvel job, but she is a favorite fan casting for Susan Storm alongside her husband John Krasinski as Reed Richards.