The Making Of The MCU: 17 Fascinating Behind-The-Scenes Details You Need To Know
From RDJ in Fantastic Four to the Russo Brothers quitting, the MCU was almost radically different.
It's hard to believe that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is 14 years old, with the franchise's humble origins in 2008's Iron Man not feeling all that long ago.
Since then, the MCU has gone from one or two moderately-successful flicks per year to billion-dollar hit after billion-dollar hit, now accompanied by a TV empire that has successfully translated Hollywood hype to the smallest of screens. The franchise has grown and changed a ridiculous amount over the years, and as such, it's full to the brim with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories.
The recently-released book The Story Of Marvel Studios: The Making Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a deep-dive chronicle of said stories, tracking the MCU from its creation, through to its eventual transformation into a global juggernaut.
It's packed with juicy details covering every cog in the MCU machine, from alternate castings, to heated disputes, to specific filmmaking decisions. Though some of these details may have been revealed by other sources over the years, we're going to run down some of the best stuff mentioned in the book, so MCU fans... prepare yourselves for a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes gossip.
17. Benedict Cumberbatch Was A Frontrunner To Play Malekith
Years before he was cast as Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch was one of Marvel Studios' top choices to play the Malekith the Accursed, the villain in 2013's Thor: The Dark World.
The book explains that Cumberbatch was "intoxicated" with the MCU's mixture of themes, humour, and spectacle, making him a big fan of the franchise. But obviously, that Thor 2 gig ultimately didn't pan out, with Doctor Who alum Christopher Eccleston snagging the role instead.
Given that Cumberbatch has appeared in Infinity War, Endgame, and No Way Home, and has an insanely anticipated Doctor Strange sequel on the horizon... he probably doesn't regret how things turned out.