12 Awful Films MCU Actors Want You To Forget
R-rated fairy tales! Killer dentists! And... Chris Pratt trapped in a world full of porn stars?
Since its inception circa Jon Favreau’s 2008 offering Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been staffed by some impressive onscreen talent. Whether it’s mainstream megastars like Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, and er, Jeremy Renner, or beloved indie figures like Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Bridges, and Michael B. Jordan, the superhero series has attracted all manner of megawatt star power throughout its twenty-four (and counting) film run.
That impressive cast list is only growing with recent instalments such as last year’s Spiderman: Far From Home and the forthcoming Black Widow introducing the likes of Jake Gyllenhall, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, and Florence Pugh into the fold. But not all of the Avengers actor’s achievements have been so widely beloved.
During their long careers, almost every major MCU star has had a regrettable misstep or two. Whether it’s a big-budget misfire, an ill-considered indie, or a career spent bouncing between these two extremes before finally landing on the safety of superhero spandex, here are a few films hidden in the back catalogues of Marvel’s heroes which prove their screen careers weren’t always destined to be so super.
12. Scarlett Johansson - Home Alone 3
Recreating the unique magic of Chris Columbus’
blockbuster Home Alone films without the central star Macaulay Culkin was
always going to be an ambitious ask, but 1997’s Home Alone 3 proved that any
attempt to follow up Kevin McCallister’s adventures was dead on arrival. Unable
to find the first two film’s balance between tension, heart, and humour, the
third flick devolved into soulless slapstick and proved mean-spirited without
the original hero’s charm to offset the traps and tricks the plot centres
around.
It’s a pretty ignominious addition to any actor’s CV, but if you look closely MCU fans will be able to spot the future Black Widow Scarlett Johansson playing the thankless and mercifully brief role of older sister to this film’s Kevin carbon copy. She doesn’t get much to do beyond the traditional “give Kevin a hard time before robbers, congratulate him after” business, but even in that limited capacity, she’s no Devin Ratray.
Who we would still love to see in the MCU somehow, if any executives are reading this…