The Avengers changed the face of superheroes on the big screen, but what if the blockbuster hero ensemble had been made in the 90s instead?
Marvel Studios started building towards The Avengers after the release of 2008’s Iron Man, but the cast of the MCU’s first major crossover event would have looked very different if the film had been released in the 1990s. Over the years, MCU actors have become synonymous with their on-screen roles, making it hard to imagine anyone but Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, or Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Even despite several recasts, actors such as Don Cheadle and Mark Ruffalo made their respective roles their own. But if The Avengers had released in the 1990s, the shape of the MCU would be very different today.
2012’s The Avengers marked the first crossover event for the MCU, bringing a selection of superheroes together for the first time following their solo films in the years prior. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier debuted some of the biggest names in Hollywood as Marvel’s most iconic heroes, and The Avengers saw them team-up against a common enemy under the watchful eye of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. The Avengers set the standard for crossover films to come, but if Marvel Studios had got the ball rolling even a decade earlier, some legendary 1990s actors might have stolen the show instead.
Morgan Freeman as Nick Fury
Samuel L. Jackson debuted as the Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury, in 2008’s Iron Man, seemingly recruiting Tony Stark for the mysterious Avengers Initiative. Given that most of the titular Avengers are individuals with enhanced powers and extraordinary intelligence, it took a very intense and imposing actor to assume the role of Fury, the team’s original benefactor in The Avengers. Fury needs to demonstrate an authority over the egotistical and often-unmanageable Avengers, and while Jackson delivers a magnetic performance, the quiet confidence of Morgan Freeman would have provided a certain level of gravitas to the ’90s cast.
Tom Cruise as Tony Stark, A.K.A. Iron Man
As the breakout star of the ’80s and ’90s, Tom Cruise starred in hits including Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, and A Few Good Men, and many believe he would have made the perfect Tony Stark for a ’90s set The Avengers. It was even suspected that Cruise would appear as an Iron Man variant in Doctor Strange of the Multiverse of Madness, though this didn’t come to fruition. Robert Downey Jr.’s decade-long portrayal of the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist who became the hero known as Iron Man would be very hard to match up to, but Cruise’s charisma and action film experience would have made him perfect for the role.
Kevin Costner as Steve Rogers, A.K.A. Captain America
Following a divisive appearance as Johnny Storm in Fox’s Fantastic Four film in 2005, Chris Evans found his calling as the MCU’s Steve Rogers, a young soldier who becomes Captain America after being injected with super-soldier serum during World War II. For The Avengers set during the 1990s, the role of Captain America might have been perfect for heart-throb Kevin Costner, who had famed hits during the decade such as Dances With Wolves, The Bodyguard, and Waterworld. Quintessential all-American Costner would have been a major box office draw for The Avengers.
Brad Pitt as Thor
For many years, Brad Pitt was cited by many media outlets as the most attractive man on Earth, so there might have been no better fit for the role of Thor in the 1990s than the Interview with the Vampire, 12 Monkeys, and Fight Club superstar. Chris Hemsworth embodies Thor in the modern-day MCU, debuting in 2011’s Thor, and currently being the only member of the original Avengers to receive four solo movies, though Thor: Love & Thunder was met with huge amounts of criticism. Brad Pitt would have been perfect for the 90s set The Avengers as Thor, the muscular, handsome, and yet deeply emotional Asgardian God of Thunder.
Angelina Jolie as Natasha Romanoff, A.K.A. Black Widow
A rising star in the 1990s, Angelina Jolie would go on to prove her chops as an action movie star, assuming roles such as Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Sara “Sway” Wayland in Gone in 60 Seconds, and Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. These roles would have made her the best choice for Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, in The Avengers, had it been made in the ’90s. Jolie’s charisma and poise reflect Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Romanoff, and while Jolie will still have a future in the MCU as Thena, debuting in Phase 4’s Eternals, she would have embodied the seductive and secretive Natasha Romanoff expertly.
David Duchovny as Bruce Banner, A.K.A. The Hulk
Nobody would look at The X-Files star David Duchovny and think he’d be the Hulk, but that’s exactly why he’d be the perfect casting choice for The Avengers in the 1990s. While the Hulk is perhaps the most formidable member of the Avengers, thanks to his ability to transform into a giant, green, rage creature, the actor in charge of the role also needs to represent Bruce Banner, the unassuming human behind the Hulk. Mark Ruffalo walks this line brilliantly in the modern-day MCU, but in the ’90s, this onus should have fallen on Duchovny, whose charm, sense of humor, and screen presence would have made him an excellent Banner.
Matt Damon as Clint Barton, A.K.A. Hawkeye
Matt Damon rose to stardom in the 1990s with projects such as Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, and The Talented Mr. Ripley under his belt, and quickly cemented himself as a charming and attractive action star, who could also pull off emotional and heartfelt moments. This balance makes him the perfect choice for Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, in a 1990s set The Avengers. Jeremy Renner proved his worth as Hawkeye, debuting in 2011’s Thor, but getting a huge amount of development over the years, particularly when his family was introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron. For the ’90s, Damon would have made a fantastic Hawkeye.
Jim Carrey as Loki
Initially, Jim Carrey might seem too goofy to portray the sinister and menacing Loki in the ’90s set The Avengers. However, grounded and emotional moments in films including The Truman Show, Liar Liar, and even Bruce Almighty prove that Carrey might be the perfect casting. He even has experience playing a terrifying super-powered being, thanks to his work in The Mask. Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of the God of Mischief provided a lot of frightening moments, but also light-heartedness and personality, of which Carrey has in spades. Carrey’s more recent work in the Sonic the Hedgehog films also imply he’d jump at the chance to play a complex villain like Loki.
Halle Berry as Maria Hill
While Halle Berry became one of the highest paid female actors in Hollywood during the 2000s, the 1990s saw the actor break into the business in a huge way, starring in hits including Jungle Fever, Executive Decision, and B*A*P*S. Berry would later star as Storm in Fox’s X-Men franchise, proving that the role of the badass and formidable Maria Hill would have been perfect for her in the 1990s. Nick Fury’s right-hand-woman was portrayed by Cobie Smulders in The Avengers, but Berry would have infused the character with charm and personality, as well as being the tough soldier.
Tom Hanks as Phil Coulson
Tom Hanks might have been the perfect 1990s casting for the SHIELD agent who tragically lost his life in The Avengers, especially since he potentially could have gone on to star in an Agents of SHIELD-style spinoff just as Clark Gregg did. With the combined mixture of attractiveness, wit, comedic timing, and screen presence, Hanks could have brought a sense of youth and energy to the role of Phil Coulson. Gregg expressed this in spades during his time on Agents of SHIELD, giving the character a new lease of life after his time was cut short in The Avengers, and Hanks could have perfectly replicated this.
