this is a list for characters almost be played by other actors:
this list also includes actors who got replaced by actors in certain roles, as well as those expressed interest in certain roles, i.e. Terrence Howard as War Machine replaced by Don Cheadle.
Avengers[]
Iron Man[]
- Tom Cruise
- Nicolas Cage (play Johnny Blaze/Ghost rider in Ghost Rider, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence, voice Spider-Man Noir in Into the Spiderverse and will play him in Spider-Noir)
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Timothy Olyphant
- Hugh Jackman (play Wolverine in Fox X-Men films and Deadpool & Wolverine)
- Clive Owen
- Sam Rockwell (play Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2)
Nick Fury[]
- George Clooney
Hulk[]
- Edward Norton (replaced by Mark Ruffalo)
- David Duchovny
- Dominic Purcell
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Matthew McConaughey (voice Cowboypool)
Black Widow[]
- Emily Blunt
- Gemma Arterton
- Jessica Alba (previously play Sue Storm/Invisible Woman in Tim Story's Fantastic 4 Duology)
- Jessica Biel (previously play Abigail Whistler in Blade: Trinity)
- Natalie Portman (play Jane Foster/Mighty Thor in Thor movies)
- Eliza Dushku
- Angelina Jolie (play Thena in Eternals)
- Elena Satine (play Lorelei)
Thor[]
- Channing Tatum (play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine)
- Paul Levesque
- Daniel Craig (meant to play Balder the Brave in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but denied)
- Charlie Hunnam
- Tom Hiddleston (play Loki and his variants)
- Alexander Skarsgård
- Joel Kinnaman
- Liam Hemsworth
- Brad Pitt (rumored, later play Vanisher in Deadpool 2)
- Paul Levesque (rumored)
Hawkeye[]
- Jensen Ackles
Steve Rogers/Captain America[]
- Sam Worthington
- Will Smith
- Garrett Hedlund
- Channing Tatum (play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine)
- Scott Porter
- Mike Vogel
- Sebastian Stan (play Winter Soldier)
- Wilson Bethel (play Bullseye)
- John Krasinski (play Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
- Michael Cassidy
- Derek Theler (was slated to portray Mister Immortal in New Warriors before its cancellation)
- Chace Crawford
- Wyatt Russell (play U.S. Agent)
- Jensen Ackles
Scarlet Witch[]
- Lindsay Lohan
- Sasha Pieterse
- Saoirse Ronan
War Machine[]
- Anthony Mackie (play Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America)
- Terrence Howard (replaced by Don Cheadle)
Spider-Man[]
Tobey Maguire[]
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Michael Jaskson (brifely)
- Edward Furlong
- Jude Law (play Yon-Rogg and Supreme Intelligence)
- Freddie Prinze Jr.
- Chris Klein
- Wes Bentley (play Black Heart in Ghost Rider: Spirit of vengence)
- Heath Ledger
- Scott Speedman
- Jay Rodan
- James Franco (play Harry Osborn in Raimi films)
- Jake Gyllenhaal (meant to replace Tobey in Spider-Man 2, play Mysterio)
Andrew Garfield[]
- Frank Dillane
- Taylor Lautner
- Josh Hutcherson
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Logan Lerman
- Robert Pattinson
- Jamie Bell
- Daniel Radcliffe
- Michael Angarano
- Michael Cera
- Alden Ehrenreich (play Ezekiel Stane)
- Zac Efron
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson (play Quicksilver)
- Xavier Samuel
- Jim Sturgess
- Drake Bell
- Liam Aiken
- Anton Yelchin
- Donald Glover (play Prowler)
Tom Holland[]
- Asa Butterfield
- Charlie Rowe
- Judah Lewis
- Matt Lintz (play Bruno Carrelli)
- Charlie Plummer
Captain Marvel[]
- Ronda Rousey
- Katheryn Winnick
- Natalie Dormer (play Lorraine (SSR) in Captain America: The First Avenger)
- Emily Blunt
- Katee Sackhoff
- Yvonne Strahovski
- Rebecca Ferguson
T‘Challa/Black Panther[]
- Wesley Snipes (play Blade)
- Chad L. Coleman
- John Boyega
- Noel Clarke
- Anthony Mackie (play Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America)
- Djimon Hounsou (also considered for Fox Fantastic Four sequels, play Korath the Pursuer)
- Chiwetel Ejiofor (play Karl Mordo)
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (play Kurse)
Ant-Man[]
Hank Pym[]
- Nathan Fillion (planned for The Avengers, later play Monstrous Inmate, Simon Williams and Karja, voiced Headpool)
- Sean Bean
- Pierce Brosnan
- Gary Oldman
Scott Lang[]
- Adrien Brody
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Simon Pegg
- Ewan McGregor
Wasp[]
Janet van Dyne[]
- Scarlett Johansson (expressed interest, later play Black Widow)
- Zooey Deschanel (planned for The Avengers)
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (ps: Michael Douglas's wife)
- Sharon Stone
Hope van Dyne[]
- Rashida Jones
- Emma Stone (play Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man films)
- Jessica Chastain
Doctor Strange[]
- Colin Farrell (previously play Bullseye in Daredevil (2003))
- Jake Gyllenhaal (play Mysterio)
- Tom Hardy (play Eddie Brock and voice Venom)
- Ethan Hawke (play Arthur Harrow)
- Jack Huston
- Oscar Isaac (play Moon Knight)
- Jared Leto (play Morbius)
- Matthew McConaughey (voiced Cowboypool)
- Ewan McGregor
- Keanu Reeves
- Ryan Goslin
- Joaquin Phoenix
Guardians of the Galaxy[]
Star-Lord[]
- Joel Edgerton
- Eddie Redmayne
- Jensen Ackles
- Lee Pace (play Ronan the Accuser)
- Wes Bentley (play Blackheart in Ghost Rider)
- Jack Huston
- Cam Gigandet
- Sullivan Stapleton
- Logan Marshall-Green (play Jackson Brice/Montana/Shocker)
- Garrett Hedlund
- Chris Lowell
- James Marsden (play Cyclops in Fox X-Men films, will repraise the role in Avengers: Doomsday)
- Jim Sturgess
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Aaron Paul
- Zachary Levi (play Fandral in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok)
- Michael Rosenbaum (play Martinex in Guardians of the Galaxy movies)
- John Krasinski (play Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
Gamora[]
- Olivia Wilde
- Amanda Seyfried
- Rosario Dawson (play Claire Temple in Daredevil)
- Gina Carano (play Angel Dust in Deadpool)
- Rachel Nichols
- Kristanna Loken
- Moon Bloodgood
- Adrianne Palicki (play Bobbi Morse/Mocking Bird)
Drax the Destroyer[]
- Chadwick Boseman (play T'Challa/Black Panther)
- Djimon Hounsou (play Korath the Pursuer)
- Isaiah Mustafa
- Brian Patrick Wade (play Absorbing Man)
- Shad Gaspard (stunt performer)
- Jason Momoa
Rocket Raccoon[]
- Adam Sandler
- David Tennant (play Kilgrave in Jessica Jones)
- Sharlto Copley
- Jim Carrey
- Danny DeVito
- H. Jon Benjamin
Nebula[]
- Lupita Nyong'o (play Nakia)
- Gal Gadot
Adam Warlock[]
- Regé-Jean Page
- George MacKay
- David Corenswet
New Avengers[]
Yelena Belova[]
- Emma Watson
- Saoirse Ronan
- Alice Englert
- Dar Zuzovsky
Sentry[]
- Steven Yeun (replaced by Lewis Pullman)
X-Men[]
Professor X[]
- Michael Jackson
Wolverine[]
- Russell Crowe (play Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder)
- Dougrey Scott
- Mel Gibson
Cyclops[]
- Ben Affleck (play Daredevil in Daredevil (2003))
- Matt Damon (play an actor who play Loki)
- Eric Mabius
- D.B. Sweeney
- Vince Vaughn
- Edward Burns
- Thomas Jane (play Punisher in Lionsgate's Punisher)
- Owen Wilson (play Mobius M. Mobius)
- Michael Biehn
- Jonny Lee Miller
- Edward Norton (play Hulk in The Incredible Hulk)
- Jude Law (play Yon-Rogg)
- Jim Caviezel
- Ethan Hawke (play Arthur Harrow)
Jean Grey[]
- Charlize Theron (play Clea)
Storm[]
- Angela Bassett (play Ramonda)
- Janet Jackson
- Mariah Carey
Gambit[]
- James Bamford
- Keanu Reeves
- Josh Holloway
- James Franco (play Harry Osborn in Raimiverse)
- Gregory Helms
- Channing Tatum (play him in Deadpool & Wolverine)
- Chris Hemsworth (auditioned in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, play Thor)
Cable[]
- David Harbour (play Red Guardian)
- Micheal Shannon
- Dolph Lungren
- Kyle Chandler
Fantastic Four[]
Mister Fantastic[]
2005[]
- Hugh Jackman (play Wolverine)
- Mads Mikkelsen (play Kaecilius)
2015[]
- Kit Harington (play Dane Whitman)
- Richard Madden (play Ikaris)
- Jack O'Connell
Invisible Woman[]
2005[]
- Scarlett Johansson (play Black Widow)
2015[]
- Margot Robbie
- Emmy Rossom
- Sorsha Ronin
Human Torch[]
- Paul Walker
Thing[]
2015[]
- Bruce Willis
Silver Surfer[]
- Djimon Hounsou (play Korath the Pursuer)
Other heroes[]
Shang-Chi[]
- Ludi Lin
- Steven Yeun (meant to play Sentry before got replaced)
- Mike Moh (play Triton)
- Alex Landi
- Lewis Tan (play Zhou Cheng and Shatterstar)
- Ross Butler
Iron Fist[]
- Lewis Tan (play Zhou Cheng and Shatterstar)
- Scott Adkins (play Weapon XI and Lucian Aster)
- Ray Park (play Toad in fox X-Men)
Daredevil[]
- Matt Damon (play an actor who play Loki)
Luke Cage[]
- Laurence Fishburne (voiced Norrin Radd/Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer and play Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp)
- Wesley Snipes (play Blade)
- Idris Elba (play Heimdall)
- Eric Thomas Wilson (play Hydra guard)
Punisher[]
- Scott Adkins (play Weapon XI and Lucian Aster)
Moon Knight[]
- Ross Marquand (play Red Skull and voice Infinity Ultron ,Ultron Sentries and W.E.R.N.E.R.)
Villains[]
Thanos[]
- Damion Poitier (replaced by Josh Brolin)
Dormammu[]
- Tony Todd (replaced by Benedict Cumberbatch)
Loki[]
- Charlie Cox (play Daredevil)
Green Goblin[]
- John Malkovich (play Red Ghost)
Doctor Octopus[]
- David Duchovny
- Liev Schreiber (play Sabretooth in Fox X-Men Origins: Wolverine and voice Kingpin in Into The Spider-verse)
- Robert De Niro
- Sam Neill
- Ed Harris
- Chris Cooper (play Lizard in Raimiverse)
Vulture[]
- Ben Kingsley (play Trevor Slattery)
- John Malkovich (play Red Ghost)
- Mark Hamill
Mysterio[]
- Bruce Campbell (play Pizza Poppa)
- Matt Damon (play an actor who play Loki)
- Matt Smith (play Milo/Hunger)
- Andrew Scott
- Colin Farrell (previously play Bullseye in Daredevil (2003))
Abomination[]
- Ray Stevenson (play Volstagg in MCU and Punisher in Punisher: War Zone)
M.O.D.O.K. (George Taletron)[]
- Peter Dinklage (play Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War and Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of future past)
Malekith[]
- Mads Mikkelsen (play Kaecilius)
Baron Mordo[]
- Gary Oldman
- Mads Mikkelsen (play Kaecilius)
Doctor Doom[]
2005[]
- Robert Downey Jr. (play Iron Man and Doctor Doom)
- Nicolas Cage (play Johnny Blaze/Ghost rider in Ghost Rider, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence, voice Spider-Man Noir in Into the Spiderverse and will play him in Spider-Noir)
2015[]
- Mads Mikkelsen (play Kaecilius)
- Eddie Redmayne
Blob[]
- David Harbour (play Red Guardian)