Starting with Iron Man in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe now spans eighteen movies, over thirty-eight hours, and dozens of superheroes. The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes, make up a collection of those heroes and stand as the hallmarks of each “Phase” in Marvel’s plan for movie releases.
The Avengers in 2012 represented an end to Phase 1, Avengers: Age of Ultron put an end to Phase 2, and Avengers: Infinity War (coming out April 27) will bring an end to Phase 3, marking Marvel’s nineteenth movie, an incredible feat for a ten-year span.
The heroes appearing in Marvel movies have become cinematic icons. Having stayed on the comic book pages for years, fans jump at each chance to see their favorites in action on the big screen.
Who can blame them? The MCU is now regarded well and has consistently released wonderful films year in and year out. However, what if the heroes that make up the squad had some embarrassing photos that they would never want their team members to see?
Well, luckily some of those photos have been collected right here. The purpose of the pictures is not to degrade the characters or their actors – we love the Avengers and each actor and actress that has helped bring them to life. However, who doesn’t like to see some funny pictures from someone’s past?
Here are the 15 MCU Cast Photos That Would Get Them Kicked Out Of The Avengers.
Ant Man’s Bad Hair Day
Paul Rudd has had an illustrious career in comedy, whether it was in Clueless (1996), Friends (2002-2004), or How Do You Know (2010). All things considered, it made perfect sense for Marvel to hire him to play one of the Avengers’ funniest heroes, Ant-Man.
After his hit debut movie, Rudd appeared as Ant-Man in Captain America: Civil War and will return in Avengers: Infinity War.
Unfortunately, Paul Rudd suffered from the same problem that many of us face in school as well – bad yearbook photos. While it could be worse, those long black locks certainly don’t do Rudd any favors.
Is this enough to get him kicked out of the Avengers? Maybe not. Is it enough for Iron Man and Thor to eternally torment the tiny hero? Most definitely.
Young Black Widow Isn’t Very Intimidating
Black Widow is one of the longest-tenured MCU Avengers, first appearing in Iron Man 2 in 2010. Fans quickly grew fond of Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, and have since clamored for a standalone movie featuring the heroine.
The demands finally appear to have led to some action, as a writer has been hired to begin work on a script for a believed 2020 release date.
Scarlett Johansson has been making her career portraying strong, intimidating females, not only as Black Widow, but also in movies such as Lucy, Under the Skin, and The Ghost in the Shell.
This makes it a surprise to see the iconic actress sporting pigtails, a wide smile, and what appears to be a koala bear in this 1997 photo. Granted, she was only 12 years old, but it’s doubtful that the Avengers would take that as a reason to ignore this photo.
Iron Man Gets Arrested
Iron Man of 2008 was the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and as a result, the superhero has become something of a poster boy for the Avengers and for the franchise as a whole.
Appearing in eight of the MCU’s movies so far, Robert Downey Jr. is a fixture in the team, and has taken on many roles, including hero, team member, recruiter, opponent, and mentor. The scope and importance of his character makes him irreplaceable and welcome in any role.
What is less well known is Robert Downey Jr.’s darker past, including this 1999 mugshot. Downey Jr was arrested multiple times throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s for drug possession, driving under the influence, and weapon possession.
Needless to say, Nick Fury would be none too pleased to learn that his Avengers poster boy has a record.
Star Lord Has Some Extra Bulk
Whether you prefer to call him Peter Quill or his legendary outlaw name (“Star Lord. It’s Star Lord, man.”), Chris Pratt’s lead character in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies has been a huge success, and this year he becomes a part of the Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War.
Star Lord’s heroic actions and hilarious antics have made him well known across the galaxy as a hero, but his smoldering glances and muscular body have made him well known for a different reason.
This wasn’t always the case though. In 2009, photos surfaced of a shirtless Pratt in Hawaii, looking far from the ripped man saving the galaxy that viewers see today. One has to commend Pratt, as he’s made quite the transformation in a short span of time. However, could the Avengers overlook such uncomfortable pictures from the past?
Scarlet Witch Gets Caught In The Wind
Scarlet Witch was first introduced to the MCU in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron alongside her twin brother, Quicksilver.
Although Quicksilver wasn’t fortunate (spoiler) enough to survive the movie, Scarlet Witch has remained a member of the Avengers, fighting with Captain America in Captain America: Civil War and appearing in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.
Elizabeth Olsen has confidently portrayed Scarlet Witch in the movie franchise and seems to be a perfect fit for the role. However, some poor fashion choices would be enough to lose her status as an Avenger if the other heroes found out.
In 2015, while attending Miu Miu’s Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, Olsen wore a short dress and (due to an unfortunate gust of wind) flashed all in attendance at the event. Not quite the image that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes would want to portray.
Doctor Strange Changes His Look
Portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange is one of the newest heroes in the MCU, appearing in the Phase Three movies Doctor Strange (2016) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
The Master of the Mystic Arts contains many powers, and showed the world just how much he could do by creating a time loop to defeat Dormammu of the Dark Dimension. Though the Avengers don’t quite understand him, they realize what a great asset he is to the team, boasting many skills that they cannot.
However, this 2016 photo shows just how strange Cumberbatch can appear when not cloaked as Marvel’s magical superhero. Performing in Zoolander 2, Cumberbatch briefly cameos as a transgender model competing with Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller. If Tony Stark saw this photo, we’re sure he’d have plenty to say about it.
Thor Goes On A Diet
Chris Hemsworth was relatively unknown as an actor before 2011’s Thor hit the big screen. In the eight years since his inclusion in the MCU, his career has taken off, including his latest outing as the God of Thunder in Thor: Ragnarok.
Hemsworth has been an idol from the beginning, sporting the hair, smile and muscles to charm just about anyone.
However, one role changed his appearance quite a bit. Hemsworth lost 33 pounds in less than four weeks in 2015 when preparing for his role in the film In the Heart of the Sea.
He shared that the diet “led to a pretty moody existence and inconsistent emotions.” The experience took the actor from being one of the Avengers’ mightiest to looking like a malnourished, decaying man.
Bucky’s Feeling Tipsy
Bucky Barnes has been in all three Captain America standalone movies, but really became a focus of the last two Captain America films as he internally struggled between his former good self and his brainwashed alter ego as a murderous assassin.
Although he is now helping the Avengers, he (and others) still worry that one day he could revert to his previous tendencies as a killer.
Bucky is already on thin ice with the Avengers – trying to hurt people and having the potential to be brainwashed doesn’t sit well with an organization needing reliable heroes.
Given his poor standing with the team already, Bucky can’t afford to be seen with a drinking problem, and a photo like this one would very likely end his association with the Avengers.
War Machine Takes “Iron Patriot” Look To The Extreme
War Machine has undergone quite a few changes in the MCU. He has been played by two different actors (Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle) and experienced a few superhero name alterations, at one point being called Iron Patriot.
If that wasn’t enough, War Machine suffered the most in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, becoming paralyzed from the waist down after a tragic accident.
From the looks of this photo, Don Cheadle took his old hero name a bit too far, and it might be too strange a style for the Avengers to handle.
Appearing in the 2007 movie Ocean’s Thirteen, Cheadle’s patriotic garb might be good as a distraction, but it wouldn’t do much for his standing as a part of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Hawkeye Goes Bananas
Hawkeye has never been the member of the Avengers with the most screen-time or powers, but he’s certainly been one of the most likable. Ever since Jeremy Renner made a brief Hawkeye cameo in Thor, he has played the hero with confidence and bravado.
However, this photo shows a more violent side of Hawkeye than what the Avengers have seen.
In 2000, Jeremy Renner guest starred on the television show Angel, a spinoff of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is where we get this terrifyingly murderous photo.
There’s no two ways around it– this photo would be cause for Hawkeye’s immediate removal from the Avengers. He’s proven to be lethal despite no superhuman qualities, and if he’s gone as crazy as he looks in this photo, he could deal a lot of damage to other beloved heroes in the MCU.
Spidey Senses Didn’t Work Too Well
After years belonging solely to Sony Pictures, Spider-Man and his comic book companions and villains are finally shared by Marvel. Tom Holland plays the webslinger in the MCU, as the youngest version of the character we’ve seen.
His portrayal has been widely praised by fans and critics alike, who have stated that it feels realistic and much closer to the playful, joking character who we see in the comics.
The Avengers welcomed the young team member, but they may regret it if they see this picture. Holland broke his nose (the second time it’s happened) while filming Chaos Walking, posting this bloody picture on Twitter.
The other superheroes are probably questioning why a superhero with so-called “Spidey Senses” seems to constantly get beaten. Spider-Man may not last long in the Avengers if he can’t even prevent a broken nose.
Nebula Parties Hard
Nebula began as a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy, working with Ronan the Destroyer to defeat her sister, Gamora. Alas, she is unsuccessful, which then begins her arc towards redemption. This redemption is explored in the movie’s sequel.
Now she’s a part of the team, and will return in Avengers: Infinity War to confront her father, Thanos.
Actress Karen Gillan portrays Nebula in the Guardian of the Galaxy movies, but her fellow Guardians and the Avengers may not be happy to see her lifestyle choices.
Would Gamora trust her sister to continue to make the right choices if she thought she was a partier? Seems like a big risk considering Nebula’s troubled past, and one that the Avengers are unlikely to take.
Captain America Becomes A Queen
Chris Evans plays Captain America, the moral compass of the Avengers. He starred in a standalone movie in 2011 and appeared in both Avengers films and two more standalones, not to mention a pretty unforgettable cameo giving PSA videos in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The Avengers look to Cap to make the tough decisions, and even though he’s often butted heads with other members– especially Iron Man– he always strives to choose the right path.
Captain America’s buff, muscular body and handsome face is another reason for his popularity, which is why this photo would most definitely make him the laughing stock of the Avengers.
Here comes Captain America, sporting his mighty shield, red lipstick, and brunette wig. It doesn’t quite have the sound of a force to be reckoned with.
T’Challa Finds New Career As A Singer
Black Panther continues to break records this year. The movie features Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa. T’Challa is the king of the African country of Wakanda, and grows into a strong, hardened, and wise leader over the course of the movie.
That being said, both the Avengers and his subjects in Wakanda might question his judgement if they saw his secret love: karaoke.
So maybe it’s not quite as embarrassing as karaoke, but Boseman did star in 2014’s Get On Up, a biopic following the life of James Brown. He trained with an instructor to dance like Brown eight hours a day for six weeks, and even danced when he was off-set.
“I would be with my friends, just talking, and I’d still be moving,” he says. “They’d be like, ‘What you doing?’” If only Ulysses Klaue could see those moves…
Hulk Endorses Clearasil
The Incredible Hulk was fairly successful as the MCU’s standalone Hulk movie, but Mark Ruffalo’s take on the character in The Avengers and further films has been the most lovable and popular take on the character that we’ve seen.
Ruffalo added dimension to the Hulk – he suffers from inner-turmoil, facing love, hate, fear, brokenness, and so many other different emotions. This makes him all the more intimidating (and enjoyable to watch) when he transforms into the big green hero machine.
Intimidation might not be the word for this cast photo, though. Ruffalo spent years as a spokesmodel for Clearasil, appearing in ads such as the one seen above. We’re glad the Hulk cares about his skin, but the Avengers likely want someone who is more interested in defeating villains than defeating his pimples.
Do you know of any other photos of MCU actors that would get them kicked out of the Avengers? Let us know in the comments!
