- Chris Evans, Captain America: The First Avenger, 2010. The giant, 6ft 5ins actor-model tweeted on January 22: “Call me Steve Rogers.” He was was, though, jumping the gun about the first screen version of the WWII propaganda comicbook hero – Defender of the Defenceless – since Republic’s 1944 serial (with Dick Purcell), two 1979 tele-quickies (Rep Brown) and the 1989 movie (Matt Salinger, son of the monumental JD, no less). A 1981 Universal plan For Jeff Bridges never flew. Nor did Cannon’s 1984 take which UK director Michael Winner never got around to casting (well, not out loud). In 2010,Theler, a giant, 6ft 5ins actor-model, tweeted on January 22: “Call me Steve Rogers.” He was jumping the gun… Also missing the nine-picture deal for Cap Am sequels, Avengersmovies and cross-overs were… Jensen Ackles, Michael Cassidy, Dane Cook, Chace Crawford, Garrett Hedlund, Kellan Lutz, Ryan, McPartlin, Johnny Pacar, Ryan Phillippe, Scott Porter, Alexander Skarsgård, Will Smith, Sebastian Stan (chosen for Bucky Barnes), Channing Tatum (in last three), Mike Vogel, Sam Worthington. Plus two of the Jonas brothers band (Joe and Kevin), three of the TV-Marvelverse: Wilson Bethel (Daredevil), Chad Michael Murray (Agent Carter), the Alaskan-born Derek Theler (New Warriors). And John Krasinski. “This is stupid,” he yelled during his costumed test, “I’m not Captain America!” And he wasn’t. But he was Amazon’s TV’s surprise Jack Ryan in 2018.
- Zachary Levi, Shazam!2018. A month after Brie Larson’s Captain Marvelopened in 2019, Levi arrived as… Captain Marvel. (He sold more comics thanm Superman in the 40s). The fact that DC and Marvel had superheroes with the same name was solved in 2011 when DC rebranded him… Shazam! He’s really a kid of 14, given superpowers (and body) by the wizard called, er, Shazam. When Billy Batson yells Shazam, he becomes, er, Shazam. Think Superboy in Superbloke’s body. With Robert Downey/Ryan Reynolds insouciance, Levi won what he calls Superman Meets Big (his favourite films as a tot), so he’s surely the sole actor in DC, Disney and Marvel movies. “That leaves only Harry Potterand Star Wars…” Other contenders were Derek Theler (and his superhero height of 6ft 5ins), wrestler John Cena, The Hulk’s sonLou Ferrigno Jr, Zane Holtz (TV’s From Dusk To Dawn), Jake McDorman, Billy Magnussen, Brandon Molale, Joshua Sasse (Galavant), Parker Young (Alex Davies in Arrow). Plus Seinfeld’s Puddy, Warburton – but that was in 2001 when he was another superfunny, TheTick… and Shazam!had just started development.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2