Tom Hanks Addresses Whether He’ll Ever Be In A Marvel Movie
Will Tom Hanks ever be in a Marvel movie? The star recently addressed this question, and his answer was probably spot-on. Here's what he had to say.
This article is more than 2 years old
Marvel Studios has a reputation for turning new actors into superstars and snagging Hollywood legends for various roles, no matter how small. But Tom Hanks, one of the entertainment industry’s most respected stars, has never been approached by Marvel in its 13-year movie arc. Speaking to Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes on their podcast SmartLess, Tom Hanks was asked if he would be interested in being in a Marvel movie. The iconic actor gave a surprising response, saying that the studio has never offered him a part in the mega-franchise. “Here’s the problem. First of all, they’ve never called me once. Nope, never.”
Tom Hanks also joked that if he ever did get a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it probably wouldn’t be as one of the superheroes. “And I think, that if one of these days they will, they’d say, ‘Is there any way you’d consider playing a secretary of defense?’ You know, a guy who comes and says, ‘Please, help us Ultraman, we can’t survive!’ I’d be one of those guys. I don’t get to play the punk.”
However, Tom Hanks might still get a call from Marvel in the future. The superhero franchise is currently in its fourth phase of films with an array of projects and sequels in the works. A wide range of established stars have had roles in various Marvel movies, from Robert Redford to Kurt Russell. Young up-and-comers will also be making their mark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Florence Pugh and Harry Styles set to star in various movies/series going forward.
While Tom Hanks can’t see Marvel offering him a role, other elite actors have made their way into the MCU. Most recently, Bill Murray revealed that he will be making an appearance in a Marvel movie. In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine (via Deadline), the often-unpredictable actor alluded to working with Ant-Man director Peyton Reed. “I’m probably not allowed to tell you, but whatever,” he said. Speaking about the Marvel project Bill Murray added, “Anyways, some people were pretty surprised why I decided on a project like this, of all things. But for me, the situation was completely clear. I got to know the director and liked him. He was witty, humble, everything you want from a director. So I agreed.” Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, is set to hit the big screen in 2023. So if Bill Murray is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Hanks might still get called up.
Besides the Bill Murray news, there isn’t a lot of information about Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Directed by Peyton Reed, the film will see Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily return as Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne respectively. Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kathryn Newton also star. And Jonathan Majors is reprising his role as Kang the Conqueror, who first appeared as The One Who Remains in the Disney+ series Loki.
Meanwhile, Tom Hanks can be seen playing a robotics engineer in Finch. The story follows an engineer, his dog, and his robot as they explore a post-apocalyptic Earth. Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel about the film, the actor joked about how he could probably recreate a space trip for free. He rocked in his chair to simulate a bumpy ride in a spacecraft and pretended to be weightless much to the audience’s delight. Finch is directed by Miguel Sapochnik from a script by Craig Luck and Ivor Powell. It stars Tom Hanks, Caleb Landry Jones, Samira Wiley, Laura Harrier, and Skeet Ulrich. The film is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.
