MCU: 12 Worst Casting Decisions In Marvel Movies

It’s easy to see why Marvel cast Mickey Rourke as Russian physicist turned ex-convict Ivan Vanko in Iron Man 2. Hot on the coat-tails of his comeback roles in Sin City and The Wrestler, Rourke would’ve seemed a perfect and potentially bankable choice for the role.

But as is so often the case, casting a well-known actor doesn’t automatically mean a recipe for success. According to Rourke he wanted to play Vanko less stereotypical Russian villain, more multi-dimensional bad guy with nefarious intentions but also pathos, humour and depth too.

Subsequently he did the whole method actor thing, spending time in Russian jails to perfect his accent and study inmates’ prison tattoos, but said that much of the extra work he put into his character ended up on the cutting room floor.

Maybe his performance suffered as a result, but the real problem with Rourke’s portrayal of Vanko is that it’s just not villainous enough. Not every role Rourke takes on has to be a potential award-winner and sometimes all that’s needed – especially in a fun, undemanding Marvel movie – is a good old, clear-cut bad guy.