The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a lot of great actors in it. It has stars from A-list and previously undiscovered nobles who have gone on to become stars after fans discovered them there. There are also a lot of roles that still need to be cast in the MCU, so the potential for adding more great actors is always there.
One actor who has not yet been in this universe, but could one day be, is Michael Shannon. Several fans even suggested him for a few potential roles. So how could Shannon potentially fit into this extremely diverse and talented group of players?
The great acting talent to be seen in the MCU
The MCU has one of the biggest backlogs of characters of any franchise (in fact, only DC Comics can participate). That means there are plenty of opportunities for great actors to fill the roles in this box office-created series.
Think of some Academy Award-winning actors who have played in this sandbox:
- Cate Blanchett as Hela in Thor: Ragnarok
- Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man
- Anthony Hopkins in the Thor series
- Brie Larson in Captain Marvel
- Michael Douglas in Ant-Man
- Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3
That’s not an extensive list, but you get the idea. What is also interesting is that there is room for great artists in all kinds of roles: heroes, mentors, villains or anything else. Blanchett portrayed a character that could no longer be evil, while Larson will likely be the leader of the Avengers going forward. The MCU has no shortage of opportunities where they can put their talent.
That’s why fans are so excited about the possibility that Shannon will enter the MCU.
Michael Shannon’s career overview
RELATED: MCU heroes with secret identities are relative
Shannon has become one of the most sought after names in Hollywood, and is often portrayed or otherwise as “unhinged” characters, according to his IMDb profile. When asked why he was attracted to these types of characters, Shannon had an explanation:
‘It’s probably a combination of things. When people cast things, film movies and what not, they go on impressions they have of people, you know. The impressions they have of you are based on what they have seen in you. But I also think I find a lot of differences in the characters I have played, regardless of whether they are violent or angry or elaborate, or know, have likes of control. ”
Shannon has a lot of experience playing different types of roles. He made headlines for his performance as a ban on Nelson Van Alden on the HBO show Boardwalk Empire. In recent years, he has also had standout roles in Knives from, The form of water, and the limited TV series Waco.
If Shannon were to enter the MCU, it would not be his first prey in comic book movies. He also portrayed Zod, one of Superman’s biggest villains, in 2013’s Man of Steel.
Who do fans think Michael Shannon could portray in the MCU?
A Reddit thread discussed potential actors participating in the MCU, and two fans speculated about Shannon possibly getting into trouble. The two roles they assumed were rather interesting selections: Professor Xavier and Magneto.
Both roles are against type for Shannon, but that does not mean he could not portray them. Xavier nor Magneto play in the ravenous, sometimes manic approach that brings Shannon to some of his heavier roles. That said, it would be great if he could try to pull one of them off. Magneto would be the more logical choice, but seeing him perform his acting kits as Professor X would also be fascinating.
Will we see Shannon in any potential X-Men movie? It’s hard to say. The better money is betting on Shannon entering the MCU in any kind of role. While he may not get in the way of playing a mutant, it just seems like a matter of time before the talented actor somehow joins Hollywood’s most powerful franchise.
