George Clooney Almost Became MCU’s Nick Fury, Refused The Role Because Something Scared Him Away

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Before Samuel L. Jackson, Nick Fury was almost played by George Clooney. The actor turned down the offer after doing some comic book research and a part of it scared the hell out of him.

George Clooney Nick Fury
George Clooney was considered for the role of Nick Fury
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Nick Fury is one of the founders of SHIELD and a very important figure in the Avengers story. The director was so different in the comics, and it is not exactly how he looks like today. Fury was intended to have his own solo movie at the beginning of the 2000s; in fact, George Clooney was tapped to portray the role.

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The production was in its early stages, and the script was interesting enough for Clooney to consider the role. In a report from Business Insider, the actor did his own research on the character, and this is where all plans shattered.

Why George Clooney Refused Nick Fury Role

Clooney read the then-recently released issue of Fury by Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, and Jimmy Palmiotti. The story was published under Marvel MAX label, which basically means it can go beyond censorship restrictions. In one scene of that gruesome issue, Fury choked someone using a man’s intestines, and this distressed the actor. Right after that, he decided to drop the role.

Had Clooney become the MCU’s Nick Fury, it would have changed everything from its very roots. The start of the MCU journey would have come earlier. However, his casting would also affect a lot of what we have now. When the actor left, Nick Fury almost joined the Fantastic Four franchise.

Nick Fury Samuel L Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury from MCU’s The Avengers
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Marvel decided to let it sit for a while and revised for MCU, and that’s when Samuel L. Jackson took up the mantle. The actor claimed the character as his own, and he became an icon for it. In fact, Marvel Comics redesigned Nick Fury to make him resemble Jackson.

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Written by Ariane Cruz

Articles Published: 1839

Ariane Cruz, Senior Writer. She has been contributing articles for FandomWire since 2021, mostly covering stories about geek pop culture. With a degree in Communication Arts, she has an in-depth knowledge of print and broadcast journalism. Her other works can also be seen on Screen Rant and CBR.