7 Actors Cut From MCU Movies During Production

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is famous for its reliable stable of actors that keep cropping up in its installments. If you sit down in a theater to watch a title from Marvel Studios, you’re bound to see fixtures of this saga like Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and so many more. Still, even with these steady casting choices, that doesn’t mean every single actor cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is guaranteed to show up in countless features. For that matter, some actors have even learned the hard way that getting cast in a Marvel Studios endeavor doesn’t even ensure you’ll make it into the final cut.

Throughout history, there have been several instances of major actors getting cast in MCU movies only to not end up in the final product. An understandably frustrating experience for these performers (especially ones that aren’t super famous already), these seven cut MCU performers show the inverse of MCU acting fixtures like Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie.

Lena Headey in Thor: Love and Thunder

For a moment, it looked like fantasy worlds would be colliding in Thor: Love and Thunder. A member of the Lannister family from Game of Thrones, Lena Headey, was cast in the project in an unspecified supporting role. Unfortunately for Headey, Love and Thunder was constantly evolving and changing across its production. She, along with returning MCU performers like Jeff Goldblum and Peter Dinklage, ended up on the cutting room floor once the final cut was delivered. The greatest legacy of her Love and Thunder presence is that Headey’s former agency sued her over unpaid commission fees tied to the role.

Glenn Close in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Here’s a rare occurrence: a previously established MCU character getting a return appearance scuttled. Specifically, Glenn Close as Nova-Prime Irani Rael shot a scene for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that didn’t get utilized in the final cut. Looking back on this experience, Gunn noted that, when assembling the feature in the editing room, the character’s return just didn’t feel organic. Thus, this prominent Guardians of the Galaxy figure did not return for its sequel despite being inhabited by an iconic performer and Oscar fixture like Glenn Close.

Katherine Langford in Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was a blockbuster event bringing back people from all kinds of MCU properties ranging from theatrical movies to the Agent Carter TV show. One new cast member who would’ve briefly shown up was Katherine Langford as a grown-up version of Morgan Stark. She would’ve appeared to Tony Stark after he snapped his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet in a mirror of Thanos seeing young Gamora after snapping his fingers in Infinity War. Test audiences being confused over this sequence led to it and Langford’s MCU debut getting scuttled.

[RELATED: 5 MCU Movies That Changed Drastically in Reshoots]

William Sadler in Ant-Man

Though William Sadler got to reprise his Iron Man 3 role of President Ellis in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., he never did appear in other MCU movies or “canon” projects in this franchise. Instead, the baton of the president got passed in this saga to Dermot Mulroney’s President Ritson in Secret Invasion and Harrison Ford’s President “Thunderbolt” Ross in Captain America: Brave New World. However, Sadler revealed in 2020 that he did shoot a scene as President Ellis for Ant-Man that ended up going unused. No further details have ever been revealed on how on Earth Scott Lang would’ve crossed paths with the sitting POTUS in the MCU.

Jona Xiao in Spider-Man: Homecoming

One of the many actors cast for the MCU’s first solo Spidey outing was Jona Xiao. This performer’s character was never confirmed, but comments from Xiao indicated she shot scenes with Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May. Tomei even apparently helped Xiao get cast in the movie. While Jona Xiao never showed up in Homecoming, her days of acting in superhero projects were far from over. She’d later make a guest appearance on The Flash in 2021 and will finally make her MCU debut in the 2025 animated TV series Eyes of Wakanda.

Jordi Mollà in Ant-Man

Jordi Mollà originally would’ve been one of the first actors audiences saw in Ant-Man. This character actor would’ve portrayed a nefarious South American foe that a young Hank Pym took down in the 1980s. Unfortunately, this prologue, though filmed and even making it into some of Ant-Man’s trailers, was deleted from the final film. Ant-Man instead cut to the chase by opening with Pym confronting S.H.I.E.L.D. leadership rather than showing him out in the field. As a result, Mollà’s MCU debut went up in flames.

Seth Rollins in Captain America: Brave New World

How much did Captain America: Brave New World evolve during its lengthy reshoots? Not only did Giancarlo Espoito’s baddie get added during reshoots, but another villain was cut during this process. Wrestling legend Seth Rollins was all set to appear in Brave New World, but at the start of 2025, he confirmed his scenes had been cut during reshoots. Rollins could’ve made a fine new adversary for Captain America to face off against, but the curse of extensive reshoots, unfortunately, affects everyone.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14th, while Ant-Man and other MCU titles are now streaming on Disney+.