John Krasinski came very close to portraying Steve Rogers, and a new deepfake video imagines how the Jack Ryan star would have appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When the patriotic superhero was introduced into the MCU in 2011’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Krasinski was in consideration for the role before it ultimately went to Chris Evans. While the train has left the station as far as casting Krasinski as Captain America, the Avengers deepfake video does provide an interesting glimpse at what could have been.
Losing the role of Steve Rogers to Evans was understandable for Krasinski, who agrees that Marvel made the correct decision. “So as soon as they said Chris Evans got the part, I was like, yeah, look at that guy. Are you kidding me? He is Captain America,” Krasinski said this year when reflecting back on his near-casting. “I just saw Chris a couple of weeks ago and we were still laughing about it. I said, ‘I love that you retired in my role.'”
Krasinski has still found plenty of success outside of the MCU in the years since his Captain America audition. After finishing with his role as Jim Halpert in over 200 episodes of The Office, Krasinski would appear in a variety of movies before trying his talents behind the camera as well as a director. He famously directed the hit 2018 horror movie A Quiet Place, co-starring in the film alongside real-life wife Emily Blunt; a sequel is scheduled to release in 2021 with Krasinski back in the director’s chair. He also executive produces and stars in the Amazon series Jack Ryan and created the feel-good webseries Some Good News.
There are rumors that Krasinski might appear in the MCU when the Fantastic Four are introduced in an upcoming movie. Word is The Office star is in consideration to play Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic. It’s also rumored that Blunt is up for the role of Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. Like her husband, Blunt came close to appearing in the MCU as well when she was originally cast as Black Widow for Iron Man 2. Due to scheduling conflicts, she was forced to turn the role down, opening the door for Scarlett Johansson to become the MCU’s Natasha Romanoff. A Fantastic Four movie could be a great way of finally bringing both of them into the MCU in major roles.
Still, there’s no official word from Marvel as to when a new Fantastic Four movie will go into production. It’s not currently listed in Marvel’s slate of upcoming movies for the MCU’s Phase Four, which kicks off with the Johansson-led Black Widow. Still, it’s also worth noting that the Fantastic Four could potentially make an appearance in any upcoming Marvel movie, with or without Krasinski. Given its use of the multiverse, Doctor Strange 2 will also provide plenty of possibilities. In any case, chances are we’ll be seeing Krasinski in the MCU in one way or another someday.
The deepfake video with Krasinski as Steve Rogers comes to us from Shamook on YouTube.
