Jason Momoa’s now known worldwide as a DC superhero, but if things had turned out differently, he could’ve been a Marvel villain instead.
The star, who’s set to reign over the ocean in December’s Aquaman, revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he was up for a villainous role in one of the Russo brothers’ MCU movies a few years’ back. Though he got on well with the acclaimed directors, things didn’t “work out.”
“I met the Russo brothers, who are amazing. It was one of the best meetings I’ve ever had. I was going to do something with them, which unfortunately didn’t work out.”
Putting the evidence together, we can assume that Momoa’s referring to 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the only Russo Marvel movie that predates the actor’s casting as Arthur Curry in the DC Extended Universe. Ruling out the unlikely event that he was initially up for Robert Redford’s role in the film, it’s a safe bet that Momoa was courted for the part of Brock Rumlow AKA Crossbones, a STRIKE agent who’s revealed to be a secret member of HYDRA.
In the finished product, Crossbones is played by Frank Grillo, who reprised the part in Captain America: Civil War. Without any offence intended to Grillo, Momoa’s casting would have meant that Rumlow would have been more of a beefy threat for Cap to face, but things worked out well in the end, as Grillo’s take on the part made him a solid addition to Winter Soldier‘s strong ensemble.
This isn’t the first time that Momoa almost appeared in the MCU, either. It’s previously been revealed that he was offered the part of Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, but the actor turned it down. Once again, this definitely worked out well, as Dave Bautista is perfect as the loveable – and invisible – lug. Plus, Jason Momoa’s now got his own movie to headline, with Aquaman arriving in theaters this December.