by Recently, director Elizabeth Banks reflected on a period when she made an effort to join the exclusive group of MCU directors.
Over the past few years, Banks has made the move from a long acting career to being in front of the camera, leaning more in that direction with the Pitch Perfect series in the 2010s.
Even Banks herself has experience with the comic book movie genre, which a few years ago would have extended beyond her acting career.
Elizabeth Banks Proposed an MCU Film
Elizabeth Banks confessed to Variety that she put her name in the running to helm Marvel Studios’ 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok while on the press tour for Cocaine Bear.
When discussing her own directing approach, Banks said she “can’t do someone else’s vision” for a film because she like to “bring [her] sensibility to things.”
And while she admitted it made her less interested in joining well-known properties like the MCU, she pointed out that one exception was Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok.
Banks claimed that “nothing ever happened,” despite the fact that she thinks “a call was made” regarding her maybe presenting a take on the movie.
Taika Waititi was ultimately chosen for the position, and Banks thinks this was the proper choice:
“No one called me [back]. Taika Waititi got the job. Rightfully so.”
She accepted the position because she thought Thor was hilarious in that film, especially the way he made fun of himself repeatedly throughout the plot:
“I have an attraction to the sensibility. That character being funny and knowing how good Chris is at making fun of himself, that’s my vibe.”
She jokingly joked with the site that her quotes would immediately turn into a clickbait-style post once she realised she had named the MCU as a potential source:
“I brought up ‘Thor.’ You’re going to clickbait me in that fucking article now. I never should have said it out loud.’
Banks made it plain in a different interview with Variety that she doesn’t hold it against anyone for not getting to pitch Ragnarok because she wasn’t exactly keen to take on a superhero movie.
She was asked if she had contacted DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who she had collaborated with on the 2006 film Slither, after his promotion, and she said that she had once pitched the idea for a Catwoman movie:
“I had a pitch for a Catwoman movie a while ago, but I don’t think it’ll fit into the mandate right now. But maybe someday.”
Banks acknowledged that although she is always available, she doesn’t get approached very often about working with major studios:
“I don’t get approached that much about doing anything. But I’m open for business. That’s the thing: I’m open for business.”
Moving Beyond the MCU Pitch
Given how long the MCU has existed, it’s not surprising to see how many pitches and ideas are either completely ignored or put on the back burner.
Before becoming one of the biggest stars in the DC Universe, Peacemaker star John Cena said that Marvel repeatedly turned him down as an actor, most recently for the character of Cable in 2018’s Deadpool 2.
Jessica Gao, the writer for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, was turned down three times before Marvel finally hired her, demonstrating how picky the studio is when it comes to selecting the best candidate for the position at hand.
Unfortunately, it appears like Elizabeth Banks simply joined that list of people who were turned down after submitting her idea for Thor: Ragnarok, which Taika Waititi subsequently directed and went on to become one of the most well-liked MCU films. She also emphasised that this was the best course of action for both sides, since Banks felt the need to create her own original story and Waititi’s work was the ideal fit for the Thor series.
Even though Banks has expertise in the field of comic book movies on the acting front thanks to her portrayal of Betty Brandt in Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man trilogy, it doesn’t appear that she is actively seeking to work in the industry at the present. And even if things might change in the future, she is happy with the course she is now on as she develops her own distinct voice in her films.
