As I’m writing this, yet ANOTHER breaking article has come out about overhauling an entire Marvel project, this time the beloved DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN. At this point, I’m getting tired. I know a lot of people have checked out so much earlier (SEE: THOR LOVE & THUNDER LMAOO) but damn it if i’m going to stick by my family until I can’t anymore. One of the few phase 4 supporters, I still think there is potential for Feige and the boys. 

However, there is something that has been bothering me since the conclusion of the INFINITY saga and the beginnings of the MULTIVERSE saga. It seems we can’t be grounded anymore. Every movie, TV show, or project in general has to be the biggest event that’s happened in the Marvel world ever, and its almost set up just to connect to another movie or plot line we literally have yet to see be realized. 

Sidenote: this is why I am such a big fan of Eternals and Shang Chi and the Ten Rings. Nicely contained stories that could almost arts long on their own. Although, I will say, Shang Chi wasted a GOATEDDD villain.

As each movie is created to outdo the last, or hit a billion in the box office, we’ve lost the passion behind what made the franchise as beloved as it is today. Character, I think, is the biggest thing that we’ve lost. 

I think that it should be taken into way more consideration than it currently is to acknowledge that Angela Bassett literally won the Oscar for her performance in Wakanda Forever. As it’s the connection we make with a character that creates a universe, not cheap callouts and stale AF humor (Looking at you again, Thor 4. Okay not this movie catching al the strays. Looking at you, Quantumania).

As we’re moving away from the focus being on character, it’s getting fairly obvious with the uninspired casting. It’s looking like cultural currency and name value are being prioritized over who is actually the best for the character; who can drive the story best. IF there is even a storyline at this point, LMAO. 

Not to start Marvel DC discourse but lets look at the casting process of Superman: Legacy vs Fantastic Four. Now, I’m not trying to say that the DC universe is better than Marvel, but damn it if they just did their big one. According to The Hollywood Reporter, here’s how it all went down: 

The Casting Process:

James Gunn, who is writing and directing the upcoming movie, assembled the three best auditioners for the famed and highly coveted role of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, and had them essentially “compete” in a series of screen tests. There the actors were put in their predetermined pairs, and were to act several scenes as the characters to test the chemistry. The men were also brought in for another test in the ACTUAL Superman costumes that were used in previous movies, to get the full feel of just who could truly inhabit the character best. Eventually we got our Clark/Superman and Lois in David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan. 

Read the Full Process here!

What I like about this, is it is actually clear that the actors had to AUDITION. There have been so many roles, not just in the Superhuman realm, that has famed directors or studios snag their lead character just by an ask, without seeing if they can truly take the character to the level that the movie calls for.

An exception can be seen in Robert Pattinson and his road to the Batman role; but one could argue that because Pattinson did have personal interest to play the role YEARS earlier before he even got the call, and did in fact perform the same costume and chemistry test, I would say that’s the only way I could justify this method that studios can sometimes take. I think it’s also funny to note that many superhero fans were initially appalled at the casting choice too until they were assured that he did have the charisma to play the famed Bruce Wayne.

I don’t know if anybody remembers but in the casting for the now widely-panned Green Lantern movie, the role of the Hal Jordan character was down to Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper. The studio was actually leaning towards Cooper and it almost seemed like he would get cast, but in the similar costume test that Gunn performed this year, Cooper just did not come on top and Reynolds proved he could inhabit the character better. Whatever that means though lol; that movie sucks. But anyways, the point. 

How does Marvel Compare?

Now I could be very wrong. Feige and the boys could have an extensive audition process that takes into account the talent rather than the credentials an actor has under their belt. Right. Anyways, according to Collider, Marvel has indeed found their first family of Marvel, and are just waiting for the SAG-AFTRA strike to be resolved before announcing the highly anticipated choices. 

Over the past months — actually, I can really say year — names have been floating around for who will pay the roles of Reed Richards, Sue and Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm AKA The Thing. Here’s the thing, the names of the actors being passed around, they’re like — come on now. They do not fit the image of the characters at all. The vibe being presented to fans is that they’re trying to find the biggest actors out right now that they can to play the role. Like really, in what world am I going to walk into a theater and believe Adam Driver is going to emulate the geeky charm of my Mr. Fantastic. Let’s be a little bit fr, Kevin. 

But wait, how am I any better than the Pattinson doubters who were proven wrong? What if Mr. Driver could actually serve the role well? (Come on guys.) The answer is, I don’t, really. But there is no screen testing going on. Just offers and vibes.

Adam Driver has been offered the role of Reed Richards with no audition, but I believe negotiations have fallen through. Same with Margot Robbie and Emma Stone for Sue Storm. Margot getting the offer really blows me too, as yeah she matches the image of the beautiful Sue, but in really looking at her acting style, a Marvel role she would better inhabit would arguably be Emma Frost (SEE: The Twitter School of Fancasting). Emma Stone could’ve been inventive tbh, I wonder how that could’ve looked. 

But apparently, according to various sources, the role of Sue has been given to Vanessa Kirby. It was reported that earlier this year that the casting of Sue would set the tone for the rest of the family, and if that’s the case I am really worried. 

That boy that was insanely hyped up by ‘Stranger Things‘ fans for what reason besides — actually I don’t even know how he got his insane hype. Let me even take a minute to look up his name. Joseph Quinn. Anyways. He apparently has been offered the role of Johnny Storm. The role previously taken up by Chris Evans and freaking Michael B. Jordan. We’re not gonna talk about how FAN4STIC turned out, but in what world does it make sense to cast somebody as the one character whose known to be the pretty boy heartthrob, when the role that made the actor famous was an outcast with little charm to everyone around him besides the core kids. 

I am so serious I do not know what kinda stunt the casting directors over there at Marvel are pulling, but its not funny at all. If I see a Deadline article come out with that brother as Johnny, my hype for the movie is down a good 45% and they will even be lucky to see me in the theaters. 

The biggest difference between the Superman and Fantastic Four casting that stood out to me was that the actors Gunn were considering only had moderate fame and were willing to go through the testing to show they can fully emulate the character. The actors being offered the roles of Marvel’s First Family all have insane levels of fame, and from a stakeholder perspective it makes sense, to drive people into seats. 

But, why is that the move as Marvel has progressed? It was not like that in the beginning at all. The original Avengers Six were made up of all moderately famous actors, who propelled to even higher levels of fame following people getting attached to their characters and stories. Hell, even Tom Holland was found from a wide search and went from almost unknown to unfathomable levels of fame. Marvel can make the actors famous. Why do we need to get famous actors for the movie, especially if they don’t even match the vibe of the characters? 

Many people have rightfully called out Marvel for its declining storytelling, but I think that first lies in the casting problem that I’ve been seeing the past couple of years. Many promises have been made after the reception of Phase 4 to step back and look at the quality of the the work that is being put out for future movies.

At first I really did believe it, thinking all the revolving changes to writers and directors for some of the higher anticipated movies like Fantastic Four and Blade was an indication to the seriousness of the changes being implemented to the studio. But with these casting choices, I fear not much will be done at all, and we’re back to square one and the sheer disappointment everyone felt after witnessing the fallout of projects like Secret Invasion and previously mentioned movies. 

Bottom Line?

I am very, VERY scared to see how this casting will pan out, but I guess we’ll have to see. The one thing that’s even giving me hope about Marvel still is the upcoming Marvels movie, and I think the outcome of that and the news of the casting will have be evaluating my final feelings towards the movie studio. 

So upsetting, and this is coming from someone who literally has an infinity stone ring and loves the MCU so so much. I really hope we can go back to the high quality, story driven sagas that we all know and love.