Alex Carter
Tom Hanks, the acclaimed actor, has not been in talks to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or DC Universe (DCU).
With a stellar filmography that includes iconic roles in 1988’s Big, 1992’s A League of Their Own, 1994’s Forrest Gump, and countless others, Hanks is a household name. His most recent role was as Richard Young in Robert Zemeckis’ Here, where he shared the screen with Robin Wright.
In a candid conversation with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Hanks was asked if he had ever discussed potential roles with James Gunn of DC or Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios.
“No,” Hanks responded. “I think it’s because, you know, I’m not in their wheelhouse. I’m not against it, I guess, but, at the same time — I’ll tell you this, right now, Josh Horowitz. My plate is overflowing. I’ve got a lot of projects that I’m dreaming of and trying to bring to life.”
What are Tom Hanks’ thoughts on superhero movies?
Hanks also offered his perspective on the current landscape of comic book movies, suggesting that audiences are primarily seeking fresh, unheard stories.
“Remember in the 1970s and 80s, they tried to do TV versions of Captain America and Spider-Man? And even Batman, the Adam West Batman,” Hanks reminisced. “The technology did not exist to make it look like it did in the comic books. And now it does. You can do anything at all. You can probably say the Christopher Reeve Superman was the first one that came close because [the cutting-edge technology] allowed for wire removal…I think we’re now enjoying the luxury of riches. You can make anything happen on screen now, we’re being brought back to the concept of, ‘Okay, that’s true, but what is the story?’”
He continued, “You can drain Lake Michigan and fill it with cuckoo clocks that then form a three-headed dragon that breathes fire and destroys the city of Chicago. You can do that. But what’s the point? What’s the story and what is it going to be saying about us? I think there was a period of time — and I certainly felt that way, too — we’d see these fantastic movies, either DC, MCU, or whatever it is, in order to see these better versions of ourselves. God, I feel like an X-Man sometimes. I am as confused as Spider-Man. I am as angry as Batman is. I love my country as much as Captain America…I think we’ve been down that road. We’ve had probably like 20 years, 15 years in order to explore that kind of thing. Now, I think we’re in an evolutionary place: ‘And the story is what? And the theme is right? And the point of the movie is what?’ That’s a good challenge for any filmmaker.”
