I’ve always been a fan of Angelina Jolie, but her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
unfortunately appears to have gone nowhere, which makes her earlier rumored casting in a different Marvel film even more upsetting. Angelina Jolie is a timeless talent who has brought iconic characters like Lara Croft, Maleficent, and many more to life on the big screen, Her ability to deliver in action roles and exude charm, confidence, swagger, and intensity is spectacular, and it would have been fitting to have her tackle any role in a Marvel project.
So, when Jolie appeared as Thena in Eternals, I was excited to see what would come next for these heroes. However, the lack of engagement the movie generated, and mixed reviews resulted in plans to create a sequel getting canceled. But this isn’t the first time that Jolie was set to star in a Marvel movie sequel, only to have it canceled before anything could properly take off. And arguably, her other role would have been even more exciting.
Angelina Jolie’s Role In Eternals Arguably Wasted Her In The MCU
Thena Was A Worthy Role, But The Reception Of The Eternals Was Terrible
Don’t get me wrong, I thought Jolie did a great job as Thena. The hero is complex, and with her illness causing them to turn on her allies, it made for an intriguing story. But due to the film’s poor reception, it seems like the characters have been left in limbo. Thena was last seen flying off on the ship, Domo, along with Druig, and Makkari, only to have the mysterious Starfox appear on board, played by Harry Styles.
Related
Should Eternals have focused more on the origins of Thanos?
Since its release in 2021, I’ve often wondered if Marvel Studios should have leaned into the Thanos connections in Eternals. While there was a post-credits mention of The Mad Titan with Harry Styles’ debut as Eros, Thanos’ brother, I can’t help but think that somehow incorporating Thanos and his history into the movie’s plot might have helped the movie’s overall success, especially because the Eternals were very much unknowns to mainstream audiences.
This new super team, flying into the depths of space on an adventure, could have been an exciting new branch of the MCU, like the Guardians of the Galaxy, but that appears to be a pipe dream now. I am still hopeful that they will bring back these characters for Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, but beyond that, it feels like Jolie’s time in the MCU was criminally short. Especially considering the caliber of actress that she is, and the potential she had to make more interesting and complex stories hunting down the Celestials.
Angelina Jolie Could Have Been So Much Better In Spider-Man 4
Jolie Was Set To Star In A Custom-Made Role In Spider-Man 4
As it turns out, Jolie was also tagged to play another major Marvel character many years earlier. According to The Direct, Jolie was put forward to possibly play an original character in Sam Raimi’s unmade Spider-Man 4. Raimi had big plans for his franchise, hoping to develop them to the point where he could create a Sinister Six plot to take Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man down a peg. And as it turns out, Jolie could have been a pivotal part of this team, as Raimi planned to create an original character, the daughter of Adrian Toomes, aka Vulture, who would take over the mantle and become the Vultress.
This would have certainly caused trouble for Spider-Man, and Jolie’s character was set to do so both as a supervillain, as she battles against Spider-Man, and without the costume, as she hoped to purchase the Daily Bugle newspaper. This would have given Jolie the opportunity to explore a new character that she could have a significant part in shaping, and the chance to play two sides of this same character, with their villain persona, and their alter ego.
Angelina Jolie’s Missed Spider-Man Casting Makes Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 4 Not Happening Even Sadder
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 Had So Much Potential
Unfortunately, Spider-Man 4 never came to be, and the studios opted to reboot the franchise with Andrew Garfield playing the lead instead. While I, like many others, was not the biggest fan of Spider-Man 3, and the odd creative departures the movie appeared to take from earlier entries, I respected Raimi’s work, and was hopeful for his larger creative vision. I spent years watching Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker grow and change as they embraced what it meant to have great power and great responsibility. And having Jolie arrive in the franchise would have been a huge win.
Related
I’m Still Shocked Marvel Wasted One Of Their Best Actors 2 Times In 3 Years
In the space of only three years, Marvel wasted one of the best, most promising actors they had at their disposal on two separate occasions.
Despite this, the movie was shut down, Raimi’s vision for the story died, and we will never know what could have been if Jolie played the Vultress. And beyond that, her eventual debut in the MCU was a sour note, as Eternals was criticized and bashed, until the movie and its characters were retired from the MCU. Now, Angelina Jolie’s involvement in Marvel is completely in the air, and all that’s left is the ruins of what could have been if things had been different.