Summary:
- In the early days of the MCU, director Joss Whedon considered Zooey Deschanel for the role of The Wasp in “The Avengers” (2012).
- Scarlett Johansson’s availability for the role of Black Widow was uncertain due to scheduling conflicts, prompting Whedon to develop a significant role for The Wasp as a backup plan.
- Ultimately, Johansson’s scheduling worked out, but Whedon had already written a substantial role for The Wasp, leading to an interesting “Oops” moment.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has become a pop culture phenomenon, but things could have been quite different. Here’s a look at a surprising casting almost that could have been:
Back in 2008, Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios team embarked on an ambitious project: introducing key Avengers like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor through solo films first. This strategy aimed to build audience connection with the characters before uniting them in a mega-crossover movie – “The Avengers” (2012).
The 2012 Avengers team comprised Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, and Hawkeye. However, director Joss Whedon originally envisioned The Wasp as a major character, played by actress Zooey Deschanel.
The main goal of Phase 1 of the MCU was to establish the franchise’s foundation. Solo films with interconnected narratives culminated in “The Avengers.” Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, was the sole female Avenger in this initial lineup.
According to the book “The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” there was uncertainty about Scarlett Johansson’s availability for “The Avengers” due to scheduling conflicts. As a backup plan, Joss Whedon developed a significant role for The Wasp, with Zooey Deschanel eyed for the part. Producer Jeremy Latcham revealed:
“It was all about The Wasp. He wanted to cast Zooey Deschanel. [Wasp] was the funniest character in the whole movie, and well-written. The Wasp happened because there was a short period where it looked like we weren’t going to be able to get Scarlett [due to scheduling conflicts], so I was panicking.
I thought, ‘Hold on, we could do The Wasp.’ Then I fell in love with that. But we did get Scarlett, and then I realized I had written this entire movie about The Wasp. Oops. I overcompensated there.”
Thankfully, Johansson’s scheduling worked out, and she remained on board as Black Widow. However, Whedon had already written a substantial role for The Wasp, leading to an interesting “Oops” moment.
While Deschanel never donned the Wasp suit, the character eventually joined the MCU in 2015’s “Ant-Man,” played by Evangeline Lilly.
This casting anecdote leaves fans wondering what the MCU might have looked like with Zooey Deschanel’s Wasp.
With over 30 films and numerous TV shows, the MCU has grown far beyond what Feige initially envisioned. Despite this massive success, Feige remains dedicated to exploring new stories and introducing fresh characters from Marvel’s rich comic book history.
