Over the years, Marvel Studios has done an amazing job adding A-List talent to their ranks, with inclusions like Glenn Close (Guardians of the Galaxy), Tommy Lee Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok). However, their biggest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far has easily been fan-favorite Jeff Goldblum, who joins Blanchett in November's Thor: Ragnarok.
The beloved actor is best known for his role in Jurassic Park, one he'll reprise in the sequel to Jurassic World, and was seen as a huge get for the studio. However, according to Kevin Feige, Goldblum's role in the MCU could have been much smaller if things had been a little different. In an interview with Uproxx, Feige revealed that Marvel had initially approached Goldblum for a much smaller role in Captain America: The First Avenger.
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When asked to name an actor or actress he has tried to get for one of Marvel's films (but was unable to sign), Feige revealed that, had he been asked a year prior, his answer would have been Goldblum. Marvel had approached Goldblum for the role of Senator Brandt in Captain America: The First Avenger. Thankfully, Goldblum was seemingly unavailable or uninterested, allowing them to bring the actor in for a much larger, and more "Goldblum-iness" of a role.
“And we had come close. I mean, I’ll tell you, I think we spoke to him or offered him a role in Captain America: The First Avenger. I think the role of the senator that was part of that USO tour in the first Captain America film. And he either wasn’t available or wasn’t interested or whatever. And thank goodness, because that would have just been a small thing and instead we got to wait for the Grandmaster, which is about as amazing as a Jeff Goldblum ‘Goldblum-iness’ could be.”
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The role of Senator Brandt ended up being filled by Michael Brandon, which proved to be a much more appropriate casting, as Goldblum in the role would have been a waste of his unique screen presence. And while Feige has previously mentioned that audiences will see more iconic actors and actresses in upcoming Marvel films, it's hard to imagine they'll top Goldblum.
Debuting in theaters on Nov. 3, Thor: Ragnarok is a production of Marvel Studios directed by Taika Waititi and starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett and Karl Urban.