As the fresh installment of Daredevil emerges, the entry of actor Wilson Bethel into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is poised to showcase the iconic antagonist Bullseye. Yet, Bethel’s trajectory nearly steered towards an entirely different portrayal, one where he stood on the brink of becoming the leader of the Avengers.
Roughly ten years ago, Bethel underwent auditions for the role of Captain America, progressing admirably through the selection stages to a juncture where it boiled down to a two-way choice. Familiar to avid Marvel enthusiasts, his contender was none other than Chris Evans, who eventually clinched the role.
Wilson Bethel Reflects On Captain America Audition
Prior to the premiere of Daredevil’s third season on Netflix, Wilson Bethel spoke to ComicBook.com. During this discussion, he delved into his audition experience and its reverberations on his professional journey.
“I mean that was both, probably the single most exciting time of my life and also the single most devastating when it didn’t happen. But, yeah, that was eight years ago now,” Bethel said. “They put me in the Cap suit and did everything. So, I screen tested it at Marvel with a number of other guys. They ended up releasing all the other guys… I was meeting with Joe Johnson to discuss the role and see story boards. So, it was this insane period where during that time I kind of thought that maybe I was going to actually get the role. I actually screen tested again a second time a month later on my birthday.”
Bethel was experiencing a fortunate turn of events, especially considering it was his birthday when suddenly Marvel Studios unveiled the identity of the actor set to portray Captain America.
“And then, I think it was like one or two days later that they made the announcement that Chris Evans got the part,” Bethel said. “So, to be perfectly honest, that was one of the hardest moments in my professional career. And it spun me out for a while to be honest with you. But I’m also a firm believer that things happen as they’re supposed to, and obviously, Chris did an incredible job in that role. And my life, while it hasn’t brought me to lead the Avengers, has been really rich and rewarding in other ways.”
Occasionally, Bethel might find himself pondering the realm of ‘what could have been.’ Nonetheless, the present offers him the chance to wield significant influence within Marvel Television’s premier production. Daredevil has stood as the centerpiece of Netflix’s lineup, garnering substantial praise as one of the most lauded serialized series in the domain.
Charlie Cox’s Journey As Daredevil
Prior to Charlie Cox’s ascent as the beloved embodiment of Daredevil, the landscape was dominated solely by Ben Affleck’s somewhat exaggerated portrayal in the 2003 rendition helmed by Mark Steven Johnson. Despite its financial success, the film garnered a blend of lukewarm and unfavorable critiques. Notably, Affleck distanced himself from the project, categorizing it as “ludicrous.”
Daredevil underwent a vital transformation through the renowned collaboration between Marvel and Netflix, culminating in the iconic Daredevil series. Originally, the notion of revitalizing the character emerged as a cinematic endeavor after the rights to the superhero and his related cast reverted from 20th Century Fox back to Marvel.
However, the visionary creator Drew Goddard discerned that the narrative of Matt Murdock would find a more suitable home as a series, given its divergence from the more science-fiction-oriented landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Source: Comicbook
