Looking at the filmography of contemporary actors, Ryan Gosling sticks out as a particularly fascinating leading man. His varied acting career shows his adaptability; the Canadian actor has acted in a number of acclaimed films. With roles in crime dramas, neo-noir action comedies, sci-fi, thrillers, and romantic comedies, the 43-year-old actor appears to have done it all.
However, Hollywood’s hottest star turned down two big superhero roles—that of Green Lantern and Doctor Strange—which was an incredibly brave and smart move. Fans have been curious about the reasons behind his unconventional decisions, and the enigmatic actor has finally provided a prompt reply. It turns out that the Barbie star believed that the work involved in these large-scale CGI films was “really hard”, making him refuse to don a cape and save the world.
Ryan Gosling: The Reluctant Superhero Everyone Wanted, Yet He Refused
Rumors that Ryan Gosling was in contention to play the Sorcerer Supreme thrilled Marvel fans; however, Benedict Cumberbatch ultimately won the role. What caused the former to decline the chance to become a part of the Superhero flick was a question that many people had. HuffPost reported that, despite Warner Bros. allegedly pursuing Gosling for the Joker role, Disney was hoping the actor would make his superhero debut in the Doctor Strange film.
After Joaquin Phoenix’s negotiations fell through, Gosling met with Marvel to discuss the role, according to a 2014 The Hollywood Reporter report. The Canadian actor chose not to sign up as well, so Cumberbatch, the Sherlock alum, ended up winning the part. Meanwhile, Gosling refuted rumors that he was involved in a project centered on the character Nova, according to Josh Horowitz, the host of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He went on to say, on X:
Next week my full chat w/Ryan Gosling for @MTVNews
But for now, an honest to goodness EXCLUSIVE.Ryan and I chatted about the Nova rumors yesterday which he said aren’t true. BUT this morning Ryan reached out to me to say there is one superhero he wants to play…GHOST RIDER pic.twitter.com/1jnC5ht4UY
— Josh Horowitz (@joshuahorowitz) July 12, 2022
Following that, Cumberbatch reprised Dr. Stephen Strange’s role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and a few cameos in other Marvel movies, such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, Avengers: Infinity War, and Thor: Ragnarok.
Also Read: Ryan Gosling Knows the “Bad Guy” That Made Him Dump Sandra Bullock: “Nothing else can grow”
Green Lantern: Ryan Gosling Spelled out Why He Doesn’t Like Superhero flicks
Ryan Gosling appears disinterested in starring in a superhero film, even though DC and Marvel have made many Hollywood celebrities extremely wealthy and famous.
Back in 2009, he made an especially smart decision when he declined the offer to play Green Lantern, which was ultimately bagged by Ryan Reynolds. Shortly after being linked to the role, the Academy Award nominee explained why he has never been a big fan of dressing up as a superhero. He said this to MTV at the Blue Valentine film festival premiere.
“I don’t know. Those movies are really hard and you have to be a really good actor to do that stuff. To pretend like something’s chasing you that’s not chasing you? All of that stuff, that’s tough.”
Gosling explained in detail why he simply is not into superhero movies, even though he was hesitant to confirm or deny any prior involvement with Green Lantern:
“When you see these big CGI movies, I just think that’s really hard. Those guys are really great actors to convince you that there’s a big monster there that’s not really there.”
There is obviously more at play behind Gosling’s decision to decline superhero roles than just a desire to save the world and stay out of spandex. With credits like La La Land, Drive, and Blade Runner 2049 to his name, he has shown his undying dedication to originality and creative thinking. He has definitely established his place as one of the most intriguing performers of his generation by constantly testing limits and challenging himself.
Doctor Strange is streaming on Disney Plus, while Green Lantern is available on Netflix.
