Despite plenty of fan-casting on the internet and campaigns for actors to play certain characters, casting for a film can be an incredibly difficult process. In the case of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first introduction of an actor into the fold of sprawling cinematic world can be even more daunting. Since the day Robert Downey Jr. was announced to be playing a live-action version of Tony Stark, fans have had something to say about superhero casting. And in the ten years since the debut of Iron Man, little has changed. But it's not all bad news.
For many fans, getting on board with an actor in a role sometimes just takes some time and some getting used to. Heroes and villains across the MCU have been subject to casting controversy, whether it was fans felt a character wasn't a perfect fit or for something as little as an actor not being a superfan of the comic books they're adapting. It's hard to look back now, but plenty of MCU actors weren't favorites from the jump, and for previous superhero actors like Chris Evans, it may have been even harder. And as the MCU films have gotten more complex, creative and stacked with tons of comic book characters, these casting decisions have only gotten more difficult. But for the most part, fans of the MCU have come around, and now these actors are some of their all-time favorites. So let's take a look at MCU castings that fans hated at first, but are definitely on board with now.
20 JOSH BROLIN AS THANOS
Josh Brolin played two different Marvel Comics characters in 2018: Thanos and Cable. And yeah, that still sounded wild a couple of years back when it was announced that Brolin was signed on for both roles, but it was his casting as Thanos that had fans scratching their heads in confusion.
Was Brolin bulky enough? Was he tragic and evil enough? If you've seen Avengers: Infinity War, you'll know that Thanos was pulled off with style and grace by Brolin, and while his original Marvel Cinematic Universe debut may have looked a bit more accurate, there was humanity and terror in Brolin's portrayal.
19 VIN DIESEL AS GROOT
Fans that were upset or confused about the casting of Vin Diesel in Guardians of the Galaxy had clearly never seen The Iron Giant. That aside, fans were curious as to how Groot would appear in the film. In the comics, Groot is sentient and smart, but there have been different interpretations of the creature from Planet X.
Sometimes he's talkative and intelligible, but other times (and mostly) he just says "I am Groot," even if there's more behind it. Diesel's powerful voice acting chops elevated Groot in the film, and fans were quick to jump on board the Diesel hype train. He's not just Fast & Furious -- he can do it all.
18 CHRIS HEMSWORTH AS THOR
OK, so it's kind of hard to picture anyone else playing the God of Thunder by this point, but there was a time when fan son the internet weren't too happy with the casting of Thor Odinson. While Tom Hiddleston's Loki quickly became a fan-favorite, a lackluster early showing from Thor had fans weary, wondering if Hemsworth might be the weakest link in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Though, you'd be hard-pressed to say the guy isn't perfect after Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. And we think we're all happy that tom Hiddleston ended up with the role of Loki and not Thor, which he screen-tested for.
17 DAVE BAUTISTA AS DRAX THE DESTROYER
The lead-up to Guardians of the Galaxy was packed to the brim with worry and confusion over the team, its characters and just how each of its casted actors would portray these relatively low-profile roles. As you all know now, things turned out pretty darn great for James Gunn and the cast of the films, but things didn't always seem so positive.
When it was announced that professional wrestler Dave Bautista would be playing the gruesome Drax the Destroyer in the film, fans were hesitant, to say the least. But Bautista crushed it, fnas love his portrayal of Drax, and he's scored solid roles in films like Blade Runner 2049 and Spectre. We'd call that a win.
16 KRISTEN RITTER AS JESSICA JONES
At a time when Marvel's Netflix shows set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe were finding their footing, casting was a sore spot for fans of the characters. For many, they honestly just wanted the likes of Daredevil, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones to make the jump to the big screen. For others, the casting would make or break the legs on the Netflix series.
Thankfully, Kristen Ritter is the living embodiment of Jessica Jones, but fans of the original comic weren't so sure about her casting, despite a killer showing in a show like Breaking Bad. All of the crow was eaten when Ritter made Jessica Jones a superstar.
15 CHRIS PRATT AS STAR-LORD
Before Star-Lord, you probably knew Chris Pratt for his role as Andy Dwyer in Parks & Recreation. He was hilarious, aloof and kind of wild, but it made sense for the role. So when Pratt was cast as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy, fans were thrown for a loop on just how the comedic actor would take on the role.
After the film's first trailer, it became apparent that things were going a comedic route anyway, and Pratt masterfully blended the comic book role of Peter Quill with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's plans for the character. And honestly, we can't imagine another live-action Star-Lord.
14 MARK RUFFALO AS HULK
Part of the weirdness around Mark Ruffalo's casting as Bruce Banner stemmed from the controversy surrounding the big green rage monster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There had been one Hulk MCU film in the form of The Incredible Hulk, but Ed Norton was existing the role. Ruffalo's career proved that he was a totally different choice than Norton, and fans were reluctant to accept the actor from the jump.
Thankfully, especially lately, the Hulk has become a highlight of the MCU. And even without another solo flick, Mark Ruffalo has proven his worth in the Marvel Comics superhero pantheon.
13 TOM HOLLAND AS SPIDER-MAN
When it was announced that Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios would be co-producing Spider-Man's first adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the internet went wild with casting speculation. A ton of names were thrown out, including, but not limited to Dylan O'Brien, Asa Butterfield, and even a potential melding of universes with Andrew Garfield or Toby Maguire (though there wasn't much ground to these latter claims).
So when it was revealed that English actor Tom Holland would be playing a young wall-crawler, it took a bit of convincing for fans. But hey, Holland lives and breathes the role now, and we're all better for it.
12 ELIZABETH OLSEN AS SCARLET WITCH
The lead-up to Avengers: Age of Ultron was kind of a crazy one for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Films set to release after it had already been revealed, so it felt a bit odd getting excited for an earth-shattering Avengers flick that we know doesn't take a super grim turn. But the inclusion of Scarlet Witch (and her brother Quicksilver) left more questions than answers.
And when Elizabeth Olsen was cast in the role, fans wondered just how this adaptation of the incredibly powerful magic user from the Marvel Universe would work. They were quickly silenced, and slowly but surely Scarlet Witch is becoming a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
11 FRANK GRILLO AS CROSSBONES
The verdict on Frank Grillo's portrayal of Crossbones was kind of under the radar considering the journey to the character was a bit of a slow burn. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for turning some characters into other characters, and it just so happened that the apparent death of Grillo's character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier would lead to his appearance (and demise) as the legacy Captain America villain Crossbones in Captain America: Civil War.
And despite the short stint, this horror-film-actor-turned-Marvel-rogue did a pretty great job, and fans ended up loving the transition from side character to somewhat major player.
10 BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AS DOCTOR STRANGE
Looking back now, it might be a little difficult to imagine anyone else in the Doctor Strange role played by Benedict Cumberbatch, especially considering the events of Avengers: Infinity War. But would you believe that fans were clamoring for actors like Keanu Reeves or Joaquin Phoenix to don the cloak and take on the role even after it was announced that Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch would be starring in the solo flick?
But for all of the flak that Cumberbatch got after the initial reveal, it quickly went away. After all, the guy is an acclaimed actor, and he brings a certain elegance to Stephen Strange.
9 DON CHEADLE AS WAR MACHINE
Don Cheadle being cast as War Machine in Iron Man 2 is one of the few switcharoos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the others being Bruce Banner and a few side characters. And after Terrence Howard's stellar portrayal of James Rhodes in the inaugural Iron Man film, fans were left wondering just how Cheadle could level up the iron-clad hero.
Between his acting chops and humor, Cheadle turned War Machine from a military fly on the wall into a layered, charming superhero. And honestly, we can't wait to see what's next for James Rhodes in Avengers 4 and beyond (hopefully).
8 BEN KINGSLEY AS THE MANDARIN
OK, so we're kind of cheating here a little bit. To make this clear, it doesn't seem that fans batted an eye when it was announced that the wonderful Ben Kingsley would be playing Iron Man rogue The Mandarin. The Ten Rings had been teased, and director Shane Black was set to make good on some promises from 2008's Iron Man.
But then, come to find out, Kingsley wasn't really playing The Mandarin, and fans were thrown for a loop, leaving the theater with mixed thoughts on Kingsley's portrayal. Years on, it was an odd twist on Marvel's part, but a risky one that holds up (even if they've walked it back just a little bit).
7 LEE PACE AS RONAN THE ACCUSER
Lee Pace's role as Ronan the Accuser in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy was kind of muted, and so the fan outcry from this one comes a bit from the casting of Pace, but also from the portrayal of the character in the film. In the comics, Ronan is a brute, one who has layers of emotional depth while still being kind of a zealot.
This was all relegated to the butt of a joke in Guardians of the Galaxy, and it totally worked for the film's plot, but it left fans wanting more. Thankfully, people are coming around on Ronan with the announcement that he'll play a part in 2019's Captain Marvel. If there's any time to turn around the character, it'll be then.
6 ZENDAYA AS "MJ"
Those upset with Zendaya's casting as Michelle in Spider-Man: Homecoming were honestly too quick to judge the film. Not only does Zendaya play a scene-stealing colleague of Peter Parker's, but she's also the perfect representation of what "MJ" should be to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After the film's release and the revelation that she was a take on Mary Jane, fans were all aboard the Zendaya hype train. And we honestly can't wait to see how she follows up on the role in 2019's Spider-Man sequel. We just have all of that Avengers: Infinity War craziness to deal with first.
5 JEREMY RENNER AS HAWKEYE
For the most part, the backlash for Jeremy Renner's casting as Hawkeye was mostly focused around what the character was meant to do in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For some, they felt that Hawkeye was an unnecessary addition the the universe, and that Renner would be wasted in the role.
Others were excited to see how the actor would shake up the superhero dynamic, running around with a bow and arrow in a world full of Iron Men, Asgardians warriors and super soldiers. But Hawkeye and Renner have grown into fan-favorites, and plenty of fans were saddened that the hero wasn't in Avengers: Infinity War. Talk about a turnaround.
4 CHARLIE COX AS DAREDEVIL
As far as portrayals go, one of the strongest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to be Charlie Cox's mastering of the Daredevil character. And while it may not be as high-profile as the big screen films, Cox is a keystone to the street-level heroes of the Netflix shows.
But fans weren't always sold on the character. Some were still skittish after Ben Affleck's portrayal of the character, and others were unconvinced Cox could handle the Man Without Fear. With the show now headed into its third season, it seems that the jury is in favor of Cox as Matt Murdock.
3 CHRIS EVANS AS CAPTAIN AMERICA
The shining beacon of hope in the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn't always in the best graces with fans of the character. And sure, part of that was Chris Evans' previous role as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, but if we're being honest, he was probably the best parts of those movies.
Chris Evans quickly became the crown jewel of the MCU, and his portrayal as Captain America continues to develop with every subsequent film. With his contract ending, we'd be lying if we said we weren't more than a little sad to see him go.
2 SCARLETT JOHANSSON AS BLACK WIDOW
When it was revealed that Black Widow would be joining the cast of Iron Man 2, fans were cautiously optimistic to see the character brought to life on the big screen. And while Black Widow has a long history of being both good and bad in the pages of Marvel Comics, Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of the Russian ex-assassin quickly became the go-to for learning about the character.
And while other actors like Emily Blunt were considered for the role, it's hard to imagine the secret agent as anyone but Scarlett Johansson. She's only gotten more important as a character in the last few MCU films, and we can't wait to see where she goes next.
1 ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AS IRON MAN
Believe it or not, there was a time when fans weren't totally sold on the idea of Robert Downey Jr. taking on the role of Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man. Downey Jr. was looking for a solid comeback, and when fans saw just how wonderfully he took on the persona of Tony Stark, there was no question about it: this universe thing is going to work.
This case is a prime example of someone always being upset by casting news, but more often than not, it seems to work out. And hey, without Robert Downey Jr., there wouldn't be a Marvel Cinematic Universe.