The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going for 14 years, and in that time, there have been many notable, established names that have been amongst the cast - Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, and even Robert Redford have all had MCU roles. Some actors of a certain generation are drawn to the MCU for its storytelling, others take on roles to please their young children or grandchildren, and some are likely just in it for a paycheck.
Jamie Lee Curtis, star of the recent hit Everything Everywhere All at Once said in an Instagram post that her new film "out-marvels any Marvel movie they put out there.” The line was phrased as a joke, and Curtis likely just wanted to poke fun at the competition, Marvel's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which she labels a "copycat" in the same post. Both films deal extensively with the concept of Multiverses and alternate dimensions.
Additionally, Curtis made a separate social media post containing a critic's review which favored Everything Everywhere All at Once over Doctor Strange 2. She ended the post with a hashtag that read "#guessiwillneverbecastinamarvelmovie"
While some may have taken Curtis' comments the wrong way, the actress has set out to clear the air.
Jamie Lee Curtis on Joining Marvel
Speaking to PEOPLE, Jamie Lee Curtis has explicitly clarified that she has no beef with Marvel Studios: "I have nothing against Marvel as an entity. I’ve seen a lot of Marvel movies.”
Curtis spoke further on the matter, clearing up any misunderstandings or controversy over what many fans saw as a slight to the MCU:
“What I was talking about is that Everything Everywhere All at Once was a little movie that could ... and [we] were able to tell a multiverse story that really touched people. What I was trying to talk about was it doesn’t have to be a Marvel movie in order to be a spectacle and to really move you.”
She noted that she might be "the most competitive person on the planet" and that she felt compelled to stir up "a little friendly competition:"
“Maybe I felt like stirring up a little friendly competition. And you can’t have a company called Marvel without somebody making fun of it and calling it Marvel-less. I mean, I think we out-marveled Marvel.”
But the actress was quick to admit that she might not be the type of person who gets cast in an MCU film, despite her openness to it, saying Marvel Studios might have a difficult time figuring out a role for "with a 64-year-old woman:"
“Honestly, I can’t imagine that they will ever come calling because I kicked up some dust But I’m a collaborating artist. I work with a lot of people on a lot of different things, and if the role was interesting and if I could bring what I do to it, of course I would [work with Marvel]. What am I going to do, say no? Of course! But I would find it hard to imagine that Marvel’s going to figure out something to do with a 64-year-old woman.”
Curtis was also sure to address her concerns that working on a Marvel film might be too restrictive for her liking:
“I’m afraid if I do a Marvel movie, they’re going to stick dots all over me and make me act by myself in a warehouse somewhere. Everything Everywhere All at Once was the absolutely most unexpected, delightful experience maybe of my career, just because the expectations were so low and I was so free in the work and just had a blast making it. And there was no green screen!”
Will Curtis Wind Up in the MCU?
If Jamie Lee Curtis' phone were to ring with a call from Marvel Studios, it certainly sounds like she'd be willing to at least hear a pitch from the studio. Her reservations about joining up with Marvel, of course, make sense to her, but it's worth considering that the MCU has been home to several older actors and actresses.
In addition to the aforementioned Redford, Close, and Bridges, stars like Annette Bening, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kurt Russell have all played Marvel characters at one point or another, so Curtis would be in very good company.
But who could the Halloween and Freaky Friday star play in the MCU? It's an interesting question to ponder for sure. An actor of her caliber would almost certainly not be relegated to playing someone's mother or grandmother. Maybe a fun villainous character? Or maybe an amusing supporting character in the vein of Benicio del Toro's Collector or Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster.
The MCU attracts actors of all kinds, so it's safe to say that Jamie Lee Curtis would be right at home. It's also encouraging to hear that she holds no ill will towards Marvel, despite it being clear that her original posts criticizing Multiverse of Madness were meant purely in jest.
Speaking of Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it's now streaming on Disney+.
