WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: The MCU

File: The Incredible Hulk.jpg (97KB, 711x1024px) Image search: [Google]

97KB, 711x1024px

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

>Mark Ruffalo was Louis Leterrier's original choice for Bruce Banner, but the studio favored Edward Norton.

>Ray Stevenson auditioned for Emil Blonsky before Tim Roth was cast.

>Norton had concerns about the movie's direction and demanded to revise the script. He notoriously clashed with producers and added several subplots that were partially filmed and ultimately cut.

>Stan Lee would originally cameo as the captain of the USS Excelsior, a fishing boat that Banner and Betty hire to take them to Manhattan.

>The Hulk would originally decapitate the Abomination, but this was changed due to negative feedback from test-screenings.

>Norton was a fan of THE WIRE and added a subplot about a man, played by Michael K. Williams, who reaches out to the Hulk during the Battle of Harlem to stop the destruction. The subplot was almost entirely cut and Williams' role reduced to a cameo.

>Norton also added an extended comedic sequence where Banner interacts with a computer geek while trying to retrieve data from the university. Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Jason Segel, among others, were approached to make an appearance as the computer geek before the scene was nearly entirely scrapped and the geek reduced to a cameo, played by Martin Starr.

File: Iron Man 2.jpg (182KB, 680x907px) Image search: [Google]

182KB, 680x907px

Iron Man 2 (2010)

>Jon Favreau planned to adapt the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, but the studio felt it was too dark.

>Early drafts featured Justin Hammer as the main villain, manipulating brothers Ivan Vanko and Boris Bullsky into targeting Tony Stark in order to steal the Iron Man technology. Vanko would die during a fight with Stark in Monaco, and Bullsky would become the Titanium Man to avenge him. Further revisions made Vanko into the main villain and reduced Hammer's role.

>Early drafts featured Stark developing a relationship with Black Widow, but this entire subplot was cut, and even their flirtatious conversations were toned down after negative feedback from test-screenings.

>Early drafts also featured Hawkeye as a SHIELD operative undercover as a mercenary employed by Hammer, but his entire subplot was cut.

>Mickey Rourke created an elaborate backstory for Vanko to make him a sympathetic character, but most of these scenes were cut to streamline the narrative. Rourke was displease and disowned the movie, swearing never to work with Marvel again.

>The original ending where Vanko forces Stark to surrender to him by kidnapping Pepper and is killed by War Machine with the ex-wife missile was scrapped due to negative feedback from test-screenings.

>Emily Blunt was cast as Black Widow, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Scarlett Johansson.

>Al Pacino was approached to play Hammer before the character was reinvented and Sam Rockwell, who had originally auditioned for Bullsky, was cast.

>The cast once again ad-libbed most of their dialogue. Favreau was unhappy with the movie, believing that the rushed production schedule that didn't allow him to refine the script as much as he wanted, and declined to return for another sequel.

File: Thor.jpg (341KB, 500x741px) Image search: [Google]

341KB, 500x741px

Thor (2011)

>Liam Hemsworth, Charlie Hunnam, Joel Kinnaman, Alexander Skarsgard and Tom Hiddleston auditoned for Thor before Chris Hemsworth was cast. Hiddleston impressed the studio and was offered the role of Loki.

>Josh Hartnett and Charlie Cox auditioned for Loki before Hiddleston was cast.

>Brian Blessed was approached to play Odin before Anthony Hopkins was cast.

>Jessica Biel and Diora Baird auditoned for Sif before Jamie Alexander was cast.

>Alexander Townsend was originally cast as Fandral, but was fired due to his erractic behavior. Zachary Levi was approached to replace him before Josh Dallas was cast.

>Early drafts featured Thor's human alter-ego, Dr. Donald Blake, but the concept was scrapped.

>Early drafts featured Thor and Loki's other brother, Balder; and Sif and Heimdall being siblings.

File: Captain America.jpg (458KB, 864x1280px) Image search: [Google]

458KB, 864x1280px

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

>Louis Leterrier volunteered to direct the movie, but the studio favored Joe Johnston.

>Joss Whedon revised the script after signing on for THE AVENGERS.

>Channing Tatum, Garrett Hedlund, Scott Porter, Mike Vogel, Michael Cassidy, Wilson Bethel, Chace Crowford, Jensen Ackles and Sebastian Stan auditoned for Steve Rogers before Chris Evans was cast. Stan impressed producers and was hired to for James "Bucky" Barnes.

>Emily Blunt was approached for Peggy Carter, but declined. Rosamund Pike, Alice Eve, Keira Knightley, Gemma Arterton and Alexa Davalos auditoned before Hayley Atwell was cast.

>Thomas Kretschmann auditioned for Red Skull before Hugo Weaving was cast. He'd later play Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

>Evans was initially reluctant to join due to the nine-picture contract offered by the studio, but agreed once it was reduced to a six movie contract.

>Early drafts featured Baron Heinrich Zemo and Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker in supporting roles as high-ranking members of Hydra, but the writers believed they should be saved for more prominent roles in future movies.

File: The Avengers.jpg (573KB, 1080x1600px) Image search: [Google]

573KB, 1080x1600px

The Avengers (2012)

>Jon Favreau and Joe Carnahan were approached to direct the movie before Joss Whedon was hired. Louis Leterrier volunteered, but was turned down.

>Zak Penn wrote the original script, which he revised multiple times to accomodate developments from other movies, but Whedon decide to write a new draft when he signed on for the movie.

>Penn's script featured the Avengers being assembled by SHIELD to fight Hulk, who had been brainwashed by Loki, before they join forces to defend the Earth from an invasion of the Frost Giants.

>Whedon created the concept of an overarching storyline about the Infinity Stones, with Thanos as Loki's benefactor.

>Early drafts featured Ant-Man and the Wasp, who were removed when ANT-MAN was delayed. Whedon also had plans for Ultron and the Skrulls that were ultimately scrapped.

>Robert Downey Jr. ad-libbed most of his dialogue. In early cuts, Iron Man would be revived by Thor's lightning after falling from the wormhole. Mark Ruffalo improvised Iron Man being awakened by the Hulk's roar.

>After Edward Norton's departure, David Duchovny was approached for Bruce Banner before Mark Ruffalo was cast.

>Jensen Ackles was approached for Hawkeye before Jeremy Renner was cast.

>Morena Baccarin and Mary Elizabeth Winstead auditioned for Maria Hill before Cobie Smulders was cast.

>The movie was originally rated "R" for the scene where Phil Coulson is killed by Loki. To ensure the PG-13 rating, the blood was digitally erased, the stabbing was shortened and a reaction shot of Thor was added to break the continuous sequence of Coulson being stabbed and collapsing on the floor.

>>87399306
Fun Fact: The geek is actually Amadeus Cho.

File: Iron Man 3.jpg (321KB, 664x984px) Image search: [Google]

321KB, 664x984px

Iron Man 3 (2013)

>Tom Hooper was approached to direct the movie before Shane Black was hired.

>Early drafts featured the Mandarin as the main villain, before Black envisioned the concept of the Mandarin being a smokescreen for the real mastermind.

>Early drafts featured Maya Hansen as the real Mandarin, but producer Ike Permultter didn't believe a female villain would be profitable and made Aldrich Killian into the true mastermind.

>Early drafts featured China creating their own Iron Men, and Stark joining forces with Dr. Chen Wu, whose family was kidnapped by the 10 Rings, to stop the Mandarin, but the concept was scrapped.

>Jessica Chastain was originally cast as Maya Hansen, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Gemma Arterton, Isla Fisher and Diane Kruger auditioned before Rebecca Hall was cast.

>Andy Lau was originally cast as Dr. Chen Wu, but dropped out due to creative differences and was replaced by Wang Xueqi, although the role was severely reduced in script revisions.

>Jude Law was approached to play Killian before Guy Pearce was cast.

>Anthony Mackie auditioned for Eric Savin before James Badge Dale was cast. He'd later play the Falcon.

>Black's first draft for the movie was rated R and featured a subplot where Killian uses Extremis-enhanced pheromones to seduce Pepper, record their sexual encounter and broadcast it nationwide to taunt Stark.

>IRON MAN 3 was the last movie in Robert Downey Jr.'s original four-picture contract, and was written as a definitive end for the character should Downey Jr. not renegotiate to play the character in further installments.

File: The Dark World.jpg (19KB, 270x400px) Image search: [Google]

19KB, 270x400px

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

>Patty Jenkins was approached to direct the movie at Natalie Portman's behest, but dropped out due to creative differences, and was replaced by Alan Taylor. Portman was reportedly upset and didn't want to return to the movie, but was contractually forced to do so.

>Taylor clashed with the studio as he wanted a darker and edgier movie than they were comfortable with. The script was revised multiple times during filming, leading to numerous subplots being scrapped.

>Mads Mikkselsen was originally cast as Malekith, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Christopher Eccleston. He'd later play Kaecilius.

>In early drafts, Malekith had a more sympathetic backstory, wanting revenge for the death of his family at the hands of Thor's grandfather, Bors, but the concept was scrapped.

>Early drafts featured a minor role for Loki that was expanded due to the character's newfound popularity after THE AVENGERS.

>Early drafts featured a larger role for Lady Sif, exploring her romantic feelings for Thor, but this subplot was cut after Jamie Alexander injured herself on set.

>Early drafts also included larger roles for Asgardian commander Tyr and Jane Foster's suitor Richard, and also included the Valkyrie and the Enchantress.

File: Winter Soldier.jpg (402KB, 560x800px) Image search: [Google]

402KB, 560x800px

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

>F. Gary Gray and George Nolfi were approached to direct before Joe & Anthony Russo were hired.

>Early drafts featured Sharon Carter as Captain America's partner, but revisions replaced her for Black Widow.

>Early drafts featured Hawkeye being deployed to capture Captain America after he escapes from the Triskelion, leading to a fight in an abandoned warehouse that ends with Hawkeye being defeated and secretly helping Captain America to escape. This subplot was scrapped due to time restraints.

>Early drafts featured Arnim Zola surviving the bunker's explosion by escaping in a robotic body. This subplot was scrapped for being too silly.

>Anna Kendrick, Emilia Clarke, Felicity Jones, Imogen Gay Poots, Teresa Palmer, Alison Brie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jessica Brown Findlay auditioned for Sharon Carter before Emily VanCamp was cast.

>Kevin Durand, Josh Holloway and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau auditioned for Brock Rumlow before Frank Grillo was cast.

>Michael B. Jordan auditioned for Sam Wilson before Anthony Mackie was cast.

>Alec Baldwin was approached for Alexander Pierce before Robert Redford was cast.

File: Guardians of the Galaxy.jpg (183KB, 300x445px) Image search: [Google]

183KB, 300x445px

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

>Peyton Reed was approached to direct the movie before James Gunn was hired.

>Early drafts featured Richard Rider joining the Nova Corps and developing a feud turned friendship with Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy, but Gunn scrapped the concept in order to streamline the narrative.

>Early drafts featured Bug as a member of the team; appearances by Adam Warlock and Rom, the Space Knight; and included the Badoon as Ronan's army and the Spartoi as the Krees' lifelong enemies.

>Early cuts included scenes featuring ELO's "Living Thing" and Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky".

>Early cuts featured Stan Lee as one of the items in the Collector's inventory, but it was cut for being "too meta".

>Joel Edgerton, Eddie Redmayne, Jensen Ackles, Jack Huston, Cam Gigandet, Sullivan Stapleton, Logan Marshall-Green, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Lowell, James Marsden, Jim Sturgess, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Aaron Paul, Michael Rosenbaum, Wes Bentley, John Krasinski, Lee Pace and Glenn Howerton auditioned for Star-Lord before Chris Pratt was cast. Pace was later cast as Ronan.

>Gina Carano, Olivia Wilde, Rachel Nichols, Thandie Newton, Elizabeth Banks and Adrianne Palicki auditioned for Gamora before Zoe Saldana was cast.

>Jason Momoa was approached for Drax, but refused to cut his hair for the role. Djimon Hounson, Brian Patrick Wade and Isaiah Mustafa auditioned before Dave Bautista was cast. Hounson was later cast as Korath.

>Gal Gadot auditioned for Nebula before Karen Gillian was cast.

>Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler and David Tennat were approached to voice Rocket before Bradley Cooper was cast.

>Marvel Studios offered to allow 20th Century Fox to retain the rights to Daredevil in exchange for using Silver Surfer and Galactus in the movie, but Fox declined.

File: Age of Ultron.jpg (236KB, 864x1280px)

236KB, 864x1280px

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

>Production was troubled due to creative disagreements between Joss Whedon and the studio.

>In early drafts, Ultron was modeled after Tony Stark's brain patterns, but the concept was scrapped from the movie.

>Early drafts also featured Abomination as Ultron's enforcer; Captain Marvel and Spider-Man as recruits for the New Avengers; Ultron invading Wakanda to steal Vibranium; and the Ultron drones combining to form a skyscrapper-sized Ultron for the final battle.

>Marvel originally planned to pair Black Widow and Hawkeye together, but Whedon preferred her with Bruce Banner.

>In early cuts, Banner would ultimately reject Black Widow, and she would trigger his transformation into the Hulk by lying about having never truly loved him.

>In early cuts, Thor's vision ended with Loki appearing to discuss the impending apocalypse, but this was cut as test-audiences mistakenly assumed it meant Loki was behind Ultron's sentiency.

>Whedon included Thor's investigation into the Infinity Stones at the behest of the studio, in exchange for keeping the visions and Hawkeye's farmhouse, which were both nearly cut. Test-audiences responded negatively, however, and it was almost entirely cut from the movie.

>An alternative ending where Quicksilver survives and joins the New Avengers was shot should the studio decide not to kill a long-running character.

>Saoirse Ronan was approached for Scarlet Witch before Elizabeth Olsen was cast.

File: Ant-Man.jpg (137KB, 810x1200px) Image search: [Google]

137KB, 810x1200px

Ant-Man (2015)

>Edgar Wright was originally attached to direct the movie, but dropped out due to creative differences. Adam McKay and Rawson Marshall-Thurber were approached before Peyton Reed was hired.

>Wright reportedly wanted a highly stylized, completely standalone movie, and rejected the revisions demanded by the studio.

>Wright's draft featured Scott Lang as a petty crook who's been arrested several times; Hank Pym as a mad scientist driven by ego; a love triangle between Scott, his ex-wife Maggie and his childhood friend Paxton; Darren Cross becoming the Nano Warrior; and minor roles for Hope Van Dyne and Scott's crew, which was comprised by eight criminals.

>Reed's revisions added Yellowjacket; the Quantum Realm; Hope, Luis, Kurt and Dave being prominent characters; Maggie and Paxton being minor characters; and Scott fighting the Falcon.

>Early cuts featured a prologue set in 1989, with a young Pym retrieving stolen data from a military compound in Cuba. Jordi Molla was cast as the compound's leader, General Castillo, but his scenes were cut.

>Early cuts featured Lang retrieving the stolen Cross Particles from HYDRA operative Mitchell Carson, but this was cut, leaving the plot thread available for a sequel.

>Early cuts featured Cross experimenting with the unstable Cross Particles prior to unveiling the Yellowjacket. The scenes were rearranged in post-production to speed up the narrative.

>Joseph Gordon-Levitt auditioned for Scott Lang before Paul Rudd was cast.

>Jessica Chastain was approached for Hope Van Dyne before Evangeline Lily was cast.

>Steve Buscemi was approached for Hank Pym before Michael Douglas was cast.

>Patrick Wilson was originally cast as Paxton, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Bobby Cannavale.

>>87399405
Only in the novelization.

File: Civil War.jpg (26KB, 320x459px) Image search: [Google]

26KB, 320x459px

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

>Early drafts featured Vision on Captain America's team and Ant-Man on Iron Man's team; larger roles for Sharon Carter and Everett Ross; appearances by Bruce Banner and Pepper Potts; and Hope Van Dyne becoming the Wasp.

>In early drafts, Spider-Man had a larger role and Prince T'Challa had a minor role. When the deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures initially failed, T'Challa's role was expanded, including his transformation into Black Panther. Marvel and Sony later reached an agreement and Spider-Man was reinserted in the script in a smaller role.

>Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter refused to pay Robert Downey Jr's salary, reducing Iron Man to a brief appearance. Downey Jr. lobbied for a larger role and was backed by producer Kevin Feige, leading to a conflict that ended with Marvel Studios splitting off from Marvel Entertainment and Perlmutter being reassigned to the television department while Feige had complete creative control over the movies.

>During the period where Iron Man was unavailable, the Russos mapped out an alternative third act centered on Baron Zemo searching for a biological weapon known as "Madbomb", which compels people into murderous rampages.

>Asa Butterfield, Charlie Rowe, Judah Lewis, Matthew Lintz, Charlie Plummer and Liam James auditioned for Spider-Man before Tom Holland was cast.

>>87399291
>>Jon Favreau decided to build up to the character
And now we will never fucking have him.
>>87399324
>>The original ending where Vanko forces Stark to surrender to him by kidnapping Pepper and is killed by War Machine with the ex-wife missile was scrapped due to negative feedback from test-screenings.
Fucking Why?
>>87399409
>Early drafts featured the Mandarin as the main villain, before Black envisioned the concept of the Mandarin being a smokescreen for the real mastermind.
>>early drafts featured Maya Hansen as the real Mandarin, but producer Ike Permultter didn't believe a female villain would be profitable and made Aldrich Killian into the true mastermind.
>>87399434
>>In early drafts, Malekith had a more sympathetic backstory, wanting revenge for the death of his family at the hands of Thor's grandfather, Bors, but the concept was scrapped.
>>87399486
>>Olivia Wilde could have been Gamora
Incompetent god damn fucks.

>>87399658
>Fucking Why?

Because it sucked.

>>87399306

wait, Michael K Williams was in this?

>>87399638
>>In early drafts, Spider-Man had a larger role and Prince T'Challa had a minor role. When the deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures initially failed, T'Challa's role was expanded, including his transformation into Black Panther. Marvel and Sony later reached an agreement and Spider-Man was reinserted in the script in a smaller role.
Well, that's a shame. Spiderman in Civil war really seemed like a last minute addition with no real impact on the movie.

>Louis Leterrier

is this a fucking meme, I'm laughing my ass off here

>>87399486
>Glenn Howerton auditioned for Star-Lord

dear god

File: Louis Leterrier.jpg (18KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

18KB, 400x400px

>kevin pls respond

>>87399486
>Jason Momoa was approached for Drax, but refused to cut his hair

Imagine turning away so much free money because you like your hair cut too much

File: 1467255446083.png (360KB, 500x500px)

360KB, 500x500px

>>87399387
>In early cuts, Iron Man would be revived by Thor's lightning after falling from the wormhole.
That's kinda cool

>Jensen Ackles was approached for Hawkeye before Jeremy Renner was cast.
I would've been okay with this.

>>87399526
>Wright reportedly wanted a highly stylized, completely standalone movie, and rejected the revisions demanded by the studio.
GOD FUCKING DAMNIT.

>>87399459
Damn, that Hawkeye fight scene would've been cool

>>87399459
>Early drafts featured Arnim Zola surviving the bunker's explosion by escaping in a robotic body. This subplot was scrapped for being too silly.
Marvel is not embarrased of their comics they said.

>>87400185
I want a cameo of Glenn Howerton as Richard Rider now.

>>87399306
Goddamn Edward Norton sounds like a colossal pain in the ass to work with.

>>87401058
He is.

>>87399638

>Civil war led to a civil war within Marvel

Poetry.

Cool stuff.

>>87401426
Who's TeamCap?

File: 1475967810341.gif (1MB, 280x210px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 280x210px

>>87399486
>Glenn Howerton wasn't Star-Lord
>Adam Sandler wasn't Rocket

>>87399638
Reminder that Ike was a good jew and he wanted to prevent bad and noticeable cgi by not paying Robert Downhere Jr. an exagerated amount of shekels.

>>87399508
WHEDON RUINING MY OTP REEEEE

>>87403237

>Widow/Hawkeye OTP

should have just been no romance in the movie.

>>87402767
>Who's TeamCap?

Feige.

>Louis Letterier offering to do every MCU movie
Gotta feel bad for the guy.

Will Feige ever return his calls?

>>87399638
>>During the period where Iron Man was unavailable, the Russos mapped out an alternative third act centered on Baron Zemo searching for a biological weapon known as "Madbomb", which compels people into murderous rampages.
Oh thank christ, that would have been so cliche.

>>87401058
Indeed

Funny thing is that he basically played himself in Birdman, and in real life, he was still a pain in the ass to work with.

>Mister Feige, have you decided what director you'll choose for our next movie?
>Not yet son, I just haven't found the right person.
>There's this guy that keeps calling us, says he'd be interested. He'd be even willing to do it for free.
>Go on...
>It's Louis Letterier. Want me to put you in contact sir?
>...nah let's just keep searching.

>>87399409
God I fucking hate this movie.

>>87399638
>Madbomb
That sounds fucking retarded

Welcome to Obama's republic of Hitlerstan.