The MCU Did These 10 Actors Dirty

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Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher in Thor Love and Thunder

Published May 7, 2026, 5:51 AM EDT

Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.

In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may have had a net positive impact on the industry because it has succeeded in getting young people interested in cinema and done wonders for the box office during a time in which the theatrical business and its future have been in question. That being said, the MCU has not always been kind to its actors, as it is a franchise that tends to lionize its characters over those who play them.

The growing cynicism about the MCU has been led by actors, some of whom have spoken out about their experiences. The MCU certainly relies on the nostalgia of seeing certain actors return, as this is a critical point of the marketing push for Avengers: Doomsday, but that doesn’t mean that the studio and Kevin Feige haven’t left many promising actors out to dry with less-than-stellar experiences.

10 Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer

Justin Hammer doing a weapons exhibition in Iron Man 2.

Sam Rockwell is one of the greatest living character actors, and someone who clearly loves making genre films. Rockwell was the perfect person to play Justin Hammer, a rival tech genius who rubs Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) the wrong way when they cross paths in Iron Man 2.

Iron Man 2 is one of the weakest MCU films, and Rockwell doesn’t even get to be the primary villain because of Whiplash, portrayed by Mickey Rourke, who reportedly was not easy to film with because of how difficult he was on set. It’s a shame that Rockwell has not been brought back in any form to the MCU for another film or show, especially since he is still friends with Downey; Rockwell even presented for Downey when he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer.

9 Don Cheadle as James Rupert "Rhodey" Rhodes

Don Cheadle as Rhodey in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier looking ahead.

Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard in the role of Colonel James Rhodes in Iron Man 2, and most would agree that he did a much better job at playing the character. Even though Iron Man 2 was a disappointment, Cheadle and Downey had great chemistry that was expanded upon in Iron Man 3, in which they got to trade Shane Black one-liners with one another.

Rhodey was announced as being the star of a spinoff project called Armor Wars that seems to have died in development, even though other MCU heroes with less popularity have gotten their own spinoffs. Most egregious was the revelation in the extremely disappointing Disney+ limited event series Secret Invasion was the revelation that Rhodes was actually a Skrull, which completely invalidates the emotional moment he shares with Tony as he dies in the end of Avengers: Endgame.

8 Mahershala Ali as Blade

Mahershala Ali as Cornell Stokes, aka Cottonmouth talking in Luke Cage.

Mahershala Ali was seemingly the perfect choice to star in the MCU’s version of Blade, as it was announced at a Comic Con that he would be taking on the role shortly after he had won his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. However, Blade faced countless production delays that involved multiple scripts being rewritten, several directors being fired, and promising co-stars that joined and then left the production.

Ali was essentially prevented from doing interesting work for a few years because of the delays in Blade, which may have been why he signed on to do a film as terrible as Jurassic World Rebirth. Although his career seems to be looking up now that he is joining the cast of the second season of HBO’s Task, it's mindblowing that Marvel was able to screw up what would have been a perfect casting.

7 Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher

Christian Bale is one of the greatest living actors, so the notion that he would be joining the MCU to play Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder was tremendously exciting. However, Bale was apparently the only person on set who was taking the material seriously, as Taika Waititi’s second Marvel film was filled with bad improv, cringe-inducing comedy, and a convoluted narrative that left many of the most important scenes with Gorr on the cutting room floor.

Bale is actually tremendously moving in some scenes in which Gorr curses the Gods for not protecting his people and family, but all of this fascinating character development is wasted in a film that puts more effort into its gags than anything else. Bale has even spoken out about how disappointed he was with the way that the film turned out, even though it was definitely not his fault.

6 Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross

Harrison Ford as Red Hulk yelling in Captain America Brave New World.

Harrison Ford is a living legend who is pretty much a God among the geek community, so the idea of him taking on the role of General Thunderbolt Ross after the death of his friend, William Hurt, felt like the perfect way to introduce him to the MCU. However, Captain America: Brave New World is one of the most incompetently edited MCU films ever; it doesn’t take a scooper to recognize that there were significant reshoots done that dramatically transformed whatever the original intentions for the story were supposed to be, with Ross in particular having a confusing character arc.

Captain America: Brave New World had the potential to develop a genuinely emotional bond between Ross and his daughter Betty (Liv Tyler), but based on the way that it was shot, it didn’t even look like Ford and Tyler were in the same room together.

5 Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos

Brian Tyree Henry was set to have the biggest year of his career in 2021, as this was when his performance in Causeway was so acclaimed that he ended up receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Eternals had high expectations because it was the first film from Chloe Zhao after she had won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director for Nomadland, but the result was one of the dullest, ugliest, and least essential MCU projects ever.

Henry deserves credit because he actually developed an interesting character in Phastos, who has retreated from the world because he is afraid of what he might do. It’s not his fault that he was in a film that wasn’t able to find anything emotionally interesting about its characters, and was not directed by someone whose style felt appropriate within the larger MCU.

4 Bill Murray as Lord Krylar

Bill Murray as Roi Krylar in Ant-man and the wasp quantumania poster featured

Bill Murray is an icon who doesn’t work very often (other than appearing in Wes Anderson films), so any new part he takes on is exciting. Although no one would have expected Murray to have a recurring role in the MCU, it made sense that he could play a relatively minor role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as it is one of the more comedic sub-franchsies in the MCU.

It was unfortunate for Murray that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania took itself way too seriously and only allowed him to show up for a single scene in which he barely makes an impression. Murray is an actor who excels when he can play off of his environment and develop chemistry with his co-stars, but he wasn’t given the opportunity to do that in a film that was almost entirely shot on greenscreens.

3 Zazie Beetz as Domino

Zazie Beetz as Domino in Deadpool 2 standing in the middle of the street looking befuddled.

Zazie Beetz left a significant impression on Fox’s Marvel franchise with her performance in Deadpool 2 as Domino, a mutant who joins the X-Force with her skill of incredible luck. Although it seemed like Domino was being primed to have a larger role after Fox was acquired by Walt Disney Entertainment, the plans for Deadpool & Wolverine left many of the former X-Men stars out to dry.

Beetz doesn’t even appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, even though the film took the time to reintroduce other, less critical actors like Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, and Aaron Stanford. It felt fairly odd that Deadpool & Wolverine was proclaimed to be a love letter to the Fox Marvel franchise (as it even included an ending montage of behind-the-scenes footage set to a Green Day song), but didn’t take the time to give Beetz even a cameo.

2 Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu

Tony Leung is an amazing international actor with dozens of great arthouse credits to his name, as anyone who has yet to check out his incredible collaborations with the director Wong Kar-Wai owes it to themselves to watch some of the most beautiful films ever made. While it made sense that someone of Leung’s stature would be asked to join an MCU film that paid more attention to Asian culture and mythology, it was still pretty embarrassing that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings asked the star of In the Mood for Love to play a generic villain who transforms into a CGI monster.

Leung does his best to elevate the material and may have had the opportunity to do more with the character if Marvel hadn’t slowed development on a sequel, which is surprising given that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of the best received films of the post-COVID era.

1 Ray Winstone as Dreykov

General Dreykov hugging Taskmaster (Antonia) in Black Widow.

Ray Winstone has been outspoken about his experiences working on Black Widow, in which he was cast to play the villain Dreykov. Although Winstone had initially spoken very positively about working with the film’s director, Cate Shortland, he revealed that he was asked to return and shoot nearly all of his scenes because the higher-ups at Marvel had wanted to go in a different direction.

Winstone’s frustration is representative of a larger issue at Marvel in which the company undermines creatives by forcing them to conform to a studio-mandated direction. While this is obviously detrimental to the directors who don’t have control over their own films, it can also be very exasperating for actors who don’t get to be part of what they originally signed up to do. Winstone barely makes an impression in Black Widow, but that’s because audiences aren’t aware of what he actually shot.

Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

😈Daredevil

🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

⚡Thor

🛡️Cap

FIND YOUR HERO →

What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.

AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.

NEXT QUESTION →

It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think.

ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours?

AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.

AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.

NEXT QUESTION →

You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.

AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.

NEXT QUESTION →

What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.

AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.

NEXT QUESTION →

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.

AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.

NEXT QUESTION →

When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.

ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.

NEXT QUESTION →

What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.

AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.

NEXT QUESTION →

The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over.

REVEAL MY HERO →

Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

🕷️ Spider-Man

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you.
Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.

😈 Daredevil

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.

🤖 Iron Man

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man.

💀 The Punisher

You've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.

⚡ Thor

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.

🛡️ Captain America

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ