One of the most difficult parts of casting is ensuring your cast have chemistry with one another. It’s an indefinable and tricky-to-pin-down element, but all great casting directors have it.
Over the last ten years, the MCU has generally nailed it. Think Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan or, well, every single Guardian of the Galaxy with every other Guardian of the Galaxy.
Their consistency is impressive, and it gets even more impressive when you realize they not only have to take into account the actors having chemistry in their own films, but also with every other actor in the MCU in crossover events like Avengers: Infinity War.
Kevin Feige recently talked about the process in the new book Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years, and here’s what he shared:
“We always cast for the movie we’re making, but we also have an eye on the future. So when we were casting Chris Pratt, we needed the best Star-Lord, but at the same time, we said, “We need somebody who one day might go toe to toe with Robert Downey Jr.” On the very first day of Avengers: Infinity War there was Robert, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, and it was pretty amazing! There have been a handful of times in our ten years here at Marvel Studios where we have had to just stop for a second and pinch ourselves. That was one of those moments.”
This interconnectivity really paid off in Infinity War, with the various domestic and cosmic strands of the MCU coming together in a movie that was a hit with audiences and critics alike, which is a testament to the work they’ve put in over the last ten years. But pretty much everyone’s hoping they’re going to stick the landing in next year’s Avengers 4. I’m sure it’s going to be great, but they’ll to have to pull something really special out of their hats to take back Thanos’ Snap without it feeling cheap.
Oh well, at least we’ll get to see Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel hanging out with her new MCU co-workers sooner rather than later.
