Zachary Levi has become quite synonymous with the world of superheroes after portraying the role of Shazam in the DC universe. Even though 2019’s Shazam established him as a big name in the realm of superheroes, it wasn’t the first movie to elevate the actor’s name in the comic book genre. Levi first entered the realm of CBM by playing the role of Fandral in Thor: The Dark World.
However, the Thor sequel wasn’t the first movie that he was offered in the MCU. Even before the first Avengers movie, the actor almost made his debut in the MCU but was later forced to leave the role.
Zachary Levi was devasted after being forced to leave the role of Fandral in MCU
While speaking on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Zachary Levi expressed that he was devasted after losing the role of Fandral, one of the members of Warriors Three in the first Thor movie. The actor revealed that he was excited to play the character in the MCU and was the initial choice for the role. But considering that he was attached to Chuck, which got renewed for an additional six episodes at the time, the actor had to give up the role of Fandral. He said,
“Listen, it was kind of a crazy sequence because I was cast as Fandral, the Dashing in the original ‘Thor’ film [that] Kenneth Brannagh directed. [I] was amped.”
He continued,
“But ‘Chuck,’ which was also a massive blessing in my life, but had these moments that were heartbreaking where they like last second, they picked us up for an additional six episodes, and they said you can’t go do that movie, and I was crestfallen”
However, it wouldn’t be long before Levi reclaimed the role of Fandral in the MCU, as after the first Thor, Josh Dallas wouldn’t come back for the sequel and Levi would be approached for the role instead.
Zachary Levi believes that his character was wasted in the MCU
Even though Zachary Levi was initially excited to play the role of Fandral in the MCU, after witnessing Warrior Three’s wasted potential in the first movie, the actor was skeptical about taking the role. But despite his doubts, Kevin Feige would eventually convince the actor to play the role in Thor: The Dark World. However, Levi wasn’t satisfied with the result, as the actor believed that Fandral was wasted as a character. He said,
“I didn’t feel like the Warriors Three were utilized in that great of a way. And I was like, ‘Is that going to be the case again…And he’s like, ‘No, no, no, it’s gonna be a huge part of this movie.’ Not so much, as it turned out.”
But it wouldn’t be the only MCU role that Levi would be approached for as the actor later revealed that he initially auditioned for the role of Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy. Even though he eventually lost the role to Chris Pratt, his audition for the movie would later garner him the role of Shazam in the DC universe.
Source: Happy Sad Confused Podcast
