Jessica Chastain revealed to have turned down Marvel role because she wanted to play the superhero

The Marvel Cinematic Universe might have proved irresistible to many actors, but it’s been revealed one Oscar-nominee turned down a chance to sign up.

Everyone from Anthony Hopkins to Sylvester Stallone and Annette Bening has shown up in the MCU, but this didn’t stop Jessica Chastain from rejecting an offer to star opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange.

The film’s writer C Robert Cargill appeared on Stitcher‘s Junkfood Cinema podcast and divulged the intriguing detail that Chastain was offered the role of Christine Palmer before Rachel McAdams.

However, her reasoning for turning down the opportunity was due to the fact she would rather wait for the chance to play a superhero.

“She’s like, ‘Hey, look, this project sounds awesome, and I would love to do it. But I’m only going to get one shot at being in a Marvel film and becoming a Marvel character; and I trained in ballet, and I really want to wear a cape’,” Cargill said.

He called it “the coolest rejection ever”, adding: “She wanted to be in a Marvel movie, but she wanted to be the superhero, not the badass doctor Night Nurse.”

Chastain went on to play a villainous shape-shifter in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Following Disney’s merger with Fox, could the door be open for Chastain to join the MCU?

Just last week, Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson – who recently stepped down from its sequel – said he “fought hard” to get McAdams for the role of Christine Palmer.

“I knew that we would believe her reactions to such fantastical things,” he said during ComicBook.com writer Brandon Davis’ #QuarantineWatchParty.

The next film selected is Spider-Man: Homecoming, which will take place at 9pm ET Thursday (2am Friday in the UK). Follow along here.

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