Whether or not you’re a fan of superhero films, there’s no denying the impact the movement has made. Over the course of 12 years, Marvel managed to crank out success after success.
But when you’re trying to connect the dots spanning more than a decade and across 23 different films, it’s easy to get lost.
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Take a look and check out these 10+ obscure Marvel facts fans might not know.
1. Captain America’s list of cultural ‘To-Do’s’ changes depending on the country.
From Thai Food and down, the lists remain consistent.
Each country has its own unique twist on what Cap’s top five should be and it ranges from everything from Daft Punk to the 2002 World Cup.
2. Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. was never supposed to have a recurring role in the MCU.
Originally, Coulson was only slated to appear in the very first Iron Man movie.
However, due to the fact that contract negotiations with Samuel L. Jackson had stalled, Coulson was thrown into the first Thor film.
3. Marty McFly from *Back To The Future* was the inspiration behind Tom Holland’s *Spider-Man*.
“My goal was to try and kind of be our generation’s Marty McFly . That was what my all-time goal was, and I was actually lucky enough that a journalist said, ‘Oh, you’re kind of like Marty McFly in this movie.”
4. Mark Ruffalo was director Louis Leterrier’s first choice for *The Incredible Hulk*.
The studio, however, insisted upon going with Edward Norton . It’s not difficult to understand why: Edward Norton was one of the most popular actors in Hollywood at the time.
Will we ever get to see a standalone Hulk movie with Ruffalo? I sure hope so.
5. The intro to *The Incredible Hulk* is an homage to the 1970s *Hulk* TV show.
Remember the scene where it shows Bruce Banner (Norton) receiving the gamma radiation? It’s almost a shot-for-shot remake of the original TV theme.
It’s too bad that they couldn’t find a way to give Lou Ferrigno a cameo.
6. Benedict Cumberbatch played two separate roles in *Doctor Strange*.
Benedict is both the hero and villain in Doctor Strange !
You likely didn’t know that Benedict also provided the CGI mapping for Dormamu’s facial expressions. He’s uncredited in the film, but rest assured it’s him!
7. The Russo Brothers have directed more MCU films than any other director.
So far to their credit, the brothers have been at the helm of Captain America: Winter Solider , Civil War , as well as Avengers: Infinity War , and Endgame .
Of all the films in the MCU, they’re the most commercially and critically acclaimed.
8. There’s an *Arrested Development* Easter Egg in *Avengers: Infinity War*.
Before debuting in the MCU, The Russo’s produced shows like Community and Arrested Development .
Look closely, and you’ll see a Blue Man version of Tobias Funke among The Collector’s collection on Knowhere.
9. The cat in *Captain Marvel* is a reference to *Top Gun*.
The cat’s name is Goose . Fans of the classic Tom Cruise action flick will no doubt remember that Goose was Maverick’s best friend.
He dies tragically and heroically.
Hopefully, that’s not foreshadowing events to come!
10. Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t the highest paid actor in the first *Iron Man* film.
That honor goes to Terrence Howard , who took home more than double what RDJ made.
At the time, Howard was an academy award-nominated actor who commanded a much bigger payday.
The payday difference was one of the biggest factors in Terrence Howard being recast.
Supposedly, director Jon Favreau wasn’t overly impressed with Howard’s work in the first film. Terrence was offered one quarter of his previous payday and quickly refused.
Which opened the door for Don Cheadle to step in and fill the part.
11. Believe it or not, the X-Men are a part of the MCU.
For years, the rights to the franchise were owned by Fox. However, when Disney bought Fox back in 2019, they technically acquired the rights back.
This means that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman could still one day give us the Deadpool vs. Wolverine movie we’ve all been clamoring for!
12. Nick Fury is the most stressed-out character in the MCU.
The events of Thor , Iron Man 2 , as well as The Incredible Hulk , all unfold within one week of each other.
If there’s anyone in the MCU that deserves a vacation, it’s unquestionably Nick Fury.
13. The bible verse inscribed upon Nick Fury’s tombstone is a reference to his role in *Pulp Fiction*.
” Ezekiel 25:17 , The Path of the Righteous Man.”
Fans of this Tarantino cult classic will no doubt recognize the verse Jules quotes before killing someone. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most badass moments in the history of film.
14. Chris Hemsworth is kissing his wife, not Natalie Portman, in *Thor: The Dark World*.
Natalie and Chris had scheduling conflicts and were unable to film the end kiss scene. Chris’ wife was available and stood in as Natalie’s replacement.
With the wig and some crafty camera work, audiences were none the wiser.
