10 Incredible Marvel Movie Performances That Didn't Get Enough Screen-Time

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The movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and wider Marvel Comics adaptations have seen several great performances that deserved to be given more time on-screen. Throughout the MCU’s movie timeline, the franchise has brought the stories and characters of Marvel Comics to life on the big screen, earning massive success along the way. Adapting comic book characters into live-action is far from a simple task, especially when the characters in question are steeped in decades of history and rooted in pop culture significance.
This means that adapting characters from the comics into the movies of the MCU and other Marvel franchises requires careful consideration about which actors will be up to the task. Even though these decisions may not always prove perfect, many of the chosen actors deliver truly exceptional performances. Sadly, their characters aren’t always given the attention they deserve, being overlooked by the franchise or written out far too hastily. With that in mind, here are 10 incredible Marvel movie performances that simply didn’t get enough screen time.
10 Anthony Hopkins As Odin First appearance: Thor (2011) Close Anthony Hopkins is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors to have appeared in MCU movies, and his long history of celebrated performances and awards speaks for itself. His turn as Odin in 2011’s Thor was absolutely perfect, with the actor again lending himself to the role for Thor: The Dark World in 2013 and Thor: Ragnarok in 2017. Despite having featured in three movies, Odin was never more than a supporting character in the MCU, thereby limiting his screen-time considerably.
Hopkins’ performance as Odin was brilliant, lending a Shakespearean touch to the Asgardian king that perfectly fit the task, especially in Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 movie that marked Odin’s debut. Everything about Hopkins’ performance helped to elevate Thor and its sequels, and made both the character and Asgard itself feel an organic part of the MCU. With that considered, an actor of Hopkins’ stature undeniably deserved far more screen-time than he received.
9 Clark Gregg As Agent Coulson First appearance: Iron Man (2008) Close Perhaps down to the fact that he may not be the most famous actor in the MCU, Clark Gregg’s turn as Agent Phil Coulson was one of the most overlooked in Phase 1 of the franchise. First introduced in 2008’s Iron Man, Coulson featured in the majority of Phase 1’s movies leading up to his death in 2012’s The Avengers. Though his death served a purpose in the MCU, it still killed off a great character somewhat prematurely.
As well as serving the MCU’s story, Coulson offered subtle levity thanks in part to Gregg’s nuanced performance. Though he was afforded more attention in MCU TV shows – or, MCU-adjacent, at least – he was killed off quickly within the franchise’s timeline. Even with limited screen-time, Gregg made Coulson one of the most lovable characters in the MCU, and deserved many more years as a supporting character to the Avengers.
8 Michael Fassbender As Magneto First appearance: X-Men: First Class (2011) Close Though Fox’s X-Men movie franchise left a lot to be desired in many ways, the majority of its casting decisions were good ones. Following up Ian McKellen’s performance as Magneto in prequels to the original trilogy was never likely to be a simple task, and Michael Fassbender was cast as the younger Erik Lehnsherr. Fassbender was more than up to the task, however, delivering an eye-catching performance that carefully toed the line between tragic anti-hero and outright villain.
Having appeared in just a handful of movies, it would seem that Fassbender’s Magneto was not given enough screen-time. As Magneto is one of Marvel’s most interesting mutant characters, Fassbender’s performance had so much scope to grow and develop along with the character. He was one of the highlights of Fox’s prequel movies, and arguably one of the only elements that deserved more attention.
7 Willem Dafoe As Norman Osborn First appearance: Spider-Man (2002) Close Initially appearing in the first movie of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn was one of the earliest exceptional comic book movie villains in the modern genre. Released in 2002, Spider-Man saw Dafoe deliver an incredible dichotomic performance as both Osborn and the villain the Green Goblin, though the movie ended with his death. However, the MCU was able to bring him back in Spider-Man: No Way Home via the Multiverse, allowing Dafoe to reprise the role 19 years later.
Dafoe’s remarkable performance made Osborn simultaneously terrifying and sympathetic, and commanded an incredible screen presence as a result. However, having fully appeared in just two movies, Dafoe’s turn as the villain was far too short. The capable way that the actor brought Osborn to life perfectly adapted him into live-action, and the majority of Spider-Man fans would have loved to see him given more screen-time in the role.
6 Hayley Atwell As Peggy Carter First appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Close Making her MCU debut in 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger, Hayley Atwell’s turn as Peggy Carter simply doesn’t get enough credit. As one of the first truly engaging female characters in the MCU, Atwell stole the show with her supporting role in The First Avenger, and her chemistry with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers made it seem that the pair had an exciting future in the franchise. Sadly, this wasn’t to be, with Rogers ending up frozen and then being revived decades later.
Though Peggy Carter popped up again – in aged-up cameos and as part of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’s Illuminati – she was simply not given much screen-time in the MCU’s major releases. She was featured in her own TV show, though it is rarely considered a true entry into the MCU’s canon. Atwell’s Peggy Carter was an exceptional character who simply deserved much more attention in the MCU, though she may yet get it, with a rumored return in upcoming Avengers movies.
5 Dominic Cooper As Howard Stark First appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Close After being briefly introduced and referenced in Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Howard Stark made his first true MCU appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger, with Dominic Cooper brought in to play the wartime iteration of Tony Stark’s father. Cooper’s version of Stark was everything that he needed to be; he was witty, charming, likable, and just a little arrogant – not unlike his future son.
Despite playing the role to perfection, Cooper was unable to properly reprise it due to the MCU’s timeline. After Steve Rogers found himself in the present, there was no need for Cooper to continue playing Howard Stark, as he was already confirmed to be dead in the MCU’s main timeline. In almost an identical manner to Hayley Atwell"s Peggy Carter, Dominic Cooper’s turn as Howard Stark only received limited screen-time, despite being a brilliant performance worthy of far more attention.
4 Michael B Jordan As Killmonger First appearance: Black Panther (2018) Close It’s no secret that Erik Killmonger is one of the most popular MCU villains to date, and that’s partly due to Michael B. Jordan’s performance in Black Panther. The complex antagonist was established to have understandable grievances with the people of Wakanda, and his intentions were decidedly noble despite his brutal and villainous methods. Jordan’s performance communicated that complexity well, delicately balancing rage and efficiency in a short-lived turn as an MCU villain.
As he was killed in his MCU debut, Killmonger’s screen-time in the franchise was limited. Though his popularity has seen the MCU bring him back for a cameo in the sequel and multiple appearances in the animated What If...?, Jordan’s chance to shine in the role was all too short. Even so, he was able to make Killmonger one of the most compelling villains in the entire MCU, even in spite of his lack of screen-time.
3 William Hurt As Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross First appearance: The Incredible Hulk (2008) Close First appearing in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, William Hurt’s General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross was undeniably one of the movie’s least controversial casting choices. Hurt’s performance perfectly captured the gruff, no-nonsense Ross, and made him stand out as an important player in the wider MCU that seemed destined to play a major role in the franchise. However, Ross was subsequently absent from the MCU for years, returning in Captain America: Civil War to push the Sokovia Accords on the Avengers.
William Hurt’s death in 2022 saw his time in the role come to an end, though Ross’s MCU story was not yet over. However, Hurt’s own chance to make the role his own in these movies was surprisingly limited in terms of Ross" screen-time within them, even though the actor more than achieved the task. In spite of his incredibly limited screen-time, Hurt was able to make Thaddeus Ross an imposing and compelling figure in the wider MCU, proving the quality of his performance.
2 Angela Bassett As Queen Ramonda First appearance: Black Panther (2018) Close First appearing in the MCU in 2018’s Black Panther, Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda stole the show from her first moment of screen-time. Even playing a relatively limited supporting role, Bassett helped to make the role her own, bringing an incredibly regal energy to the Wakandan royal family in the process. Bassett was able to make Ramonda a hugely popular character, which led in part to her playing a larger role in the 2022 sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Sadly, the sequel saw Ramonda die during Wakanda’s war with Talokan, ending Bassett’s time in the role. Though she was a major part of both movies, her actual screen-time was surprisingly limited, as she did not play an integral part in the first movie’s story. Even so, Bassett’s performance stands out as one of the best in the MCU, leaving many to wish that Ramonda had been given more attention in the franchise.
1 Chadwick Boseman As T’Challa First appearance: Captain America: Civil War (2016) Close When it comes to incredible MCU performances that didn’t get enough screen-time, no one stands out as clearly as Chadwick Boseman. First appearing as T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, Boseman’s turn as the MCU’s Black Panther helped bring the character back into the mainstream, cementing the hero’s pop culture relevance for decades to come. Boseman went on to reprise the role in 2018’s Black Panther, in which he starred, and both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, bringing his time as T’Challa to an end. Considering the incredible dramatic depth and emotional impact of his relatively short time in the role, it’s plain to see how more screen-time would have helped him elevate the character even further. Ultimately, Chadwick Boseman’s time as T’Challa still remains one of the greatest pieces of casting in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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