In comic books, heroes are either born or made, but in Hollywood, superheroes are cast. The behind-the-scenes battles to see which actor will become which superhero are legendary and the tales of those stars who fell just short are epic.
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Channing Tatum as Gambit instead of Taylor Kitsch
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Alexander Skarsgard as Thor instead of Chris Hemsworth
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Benjamin Walker as Beast instead of Nicholas Hoult
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Angela Bassett as Storm instead of Halle Berry
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Jim Caviezel as Cyclops instead of James Marsden
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Joel Edgerton as Star-Lord instead of Chris Pratt
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Natalie Portman as Rogue instead of Anna Paquin
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Rachel McAdams as Sue Storm instead of Jessica Alba
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Tom Cruise as Ozymandias instead of Matthew Goode
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Aaron Johnson as Spider-Man instead of Andrew Garfield
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Anton Yelchin as Spider-Man instead of Andrew Garfield
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Armie Hammer as Batman in George Miller’s Justice League film
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Bradley Cooper as the Green Lantern instead of Ryan Reynolds
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Common as the Green Lantern in George Miller’s Justice League film
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Dougray Scott as Wolverine instead of Hugh Jackman
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Emily Blunt as the Black Widow instead of Scarlett Johansson
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Henry Cavill as Superman instead of Brandon Routh
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John Krasinski as Captain America instead of Chris Evans
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Nicolas Cage as Superman in Tim Burton’s
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Theresa Palmer as Wonder Woman in George Miller’s Justice League film
Some stars, like Rachel McAdams, auditioned to play a superhero but lost the role (in her case to Jessica Alba). Others, like Nicolas Cage and Common, were attached to big screen comic book adaptations that never took place (Cage in Tim Burton’s dark take on Superman and Common in George Miller’s doomed Justice League flick). Then there are the few, like Emily Blunt, who were straight up offered a role in a major motion picture and opted not to suit up and save the world (for personal or professional reasons).
Whatever the reason, these 20 actors came close to being superheroes, but never donned the cape.
[Photo Credit: Getty Images, 20th Century Fox; Getty Images, Warner Bros. Pictures; Getty Images, DC Films/ Warner Bros. Pictures; Getty Images, Marvel Entertainment/ Disney]
