The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen several high-profile actors participate in telling the interconnected web of narratives. Led by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America, the battle for the Infinity Stones involved many characters that led to the eventual fight against Thanos and the ultimate victory in Avengers: Endgame.
In addition to the members of the Avengers, many other supporting characters aided the heroes in various ways. The actors who played these roles did justice to their characters but were however sidelined and not given enough time for the audiences to explore them more.
Also read: Loki, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch Lead the Avengers in Marvel Fan Art
3 MCU Actors Who Didn’t Get Much Screen Time
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had the opportunity to put in many talented actors to play a part in the interconnected narratives within the films. While Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans led the ensemble, other members of the Avengers along with other supporting characters play a pivotal part in making the overall storytelling work.
However, some actors and their roles were not explored as much as the audience wanted them to. They were mostly sidelined while fans wanted to see more of them in the films. Here are 3 MCU stars who did not get to explore their full potential in the franchise, (according to Reuters Graphics)
Cobie Smulders – Maria Hill
Maria Hill may be the most underutilized character in the MCU. She showed a lot of promise in The Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Despite not being an Avenger, fans really connected with Smulders’ performance in the role. But, she was severely underutilized and her death in Secret Invasion felt forced and unearned.
Idris Elba – Heimdall
Idris Elba’s Heimdall was an interesting addition to the Thor films. The character’s powers and Elba’s performance as the all-seeing and all-knowing guardian of the Bifrost Bridge were enjoyed by fans. But beyond that, the franchise did not explore other facets of the character and fans felt that Elba’s capabilities were being wasted in the role.
Paul Bettany – Vision
Paul Bettany debuted as Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Despite being one of the most powerful members of the team, the potential and various facets of the character were not properly explored in the films.
This was because Iron Man and Captain America took major chunks of the storytelling leading up to the arrival of Thanos. Thankfully, he and Elizabeth Olsen got to explore their characters properly in WandaVision.
