When Marvel Studios was developing their take on Captain Americait became a big part for many young actors to go after, and there were a lot of them. Though it may be difficult to imagine anyone else but Chris Evans in the part, he was far from the only one considered for the part as some of the others that were up for the role included Garrett Hedlund, Channing Tatum, Jensen Ackles, even some of the Jonas brothers, and comedian Dane Cook. Another key actor that almost got it was actor-turned director John Krasinski, who went as far as a screen test in the costume before Evans won the part.
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Krasinski has opened up previously about his reaction to losing the part before, but now with years of reflection and Chris Evans having now exited the role, the actor has a new perspective; namely, that the right man got the part and that he doesn’t think he would have been as good as Steve Rogers.
“Well, I know I wouldn’t have done it as well as Chris,” Krasinski told Total Film in their new issue. “At least I get to see someone good do the role. I’ve actually talked to Chris about it. Not getting it is the freedom I’ve been afforded. Had I got it my directing and writing career never would have happened. Certainly A Quiet Place never would have happened had I got Captain America.”
To consider how different Krasinski’s career would be had he gotten the Captain America role but he almost certainly wouldn’t have appeared in films like 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi or dramas like Promised Land and Nobody Walks, let alone his starring role in Amazon’s Jack Ryan; and like he said, probably would not have been put on a path to direct A Quiet Place and its upcoming sequel.
It is worth noting that Evans was able to direct a film during his tenure as Captain America. Evans starred in and directed the film Before We Go in 2014, working on it in-between filming Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, Krasinski is right that he likely never would have made A Quiet Place if he had been cast as the character. Before We Go was a fairly low-budget dramatic movie shot in 19 days while A Quiet Place shot over the course of six months in 2017, a time when Chris Evans was filming both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Despite losing the Captain America role to Evans before, Krasinski has previously said he was open to appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, citing Fantastic Four as one that he would love.
“Oh yeah, the Fantastic Four. I would love that,” Krasinski told Screen Rant back in 2018. “I mean listen, I’m still getting into the whole superhero thing. I didn’t read comics as a kid, not as many, I read some but not as much, but I’m a huge superhero fan, so yeah, I’d love to do something like that. If there are any left, a lot of these have been taken, but the ones that are left, yeah, I would love to do something like that. And listen, I’d love to work with her again so any chance I got would be great.”
(H/T Screen Rant)
