MarvelBlog News for October 23rd, 2026

Marvel contracts are so airtight that actors can’t even die when they want.

I’ll explain the odd plight of Michael Douglas in MarvelBlog News.

Let Me Die!

I don’t want this conversation to be in poor taste, as it’s an awkward topic.

Legendary actor Michael Douglas is 82 years old and a 16-year cancer survivor.

So, I’m definitely not making light of his continued health struggles.

No, if anything, I’m wondering why Marvel keeps forcing the octogenarian to work!

As Douglas recently explained, he wants out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Actually, he asked out after his second performance as Hank Pym.

That fact makes Douglas the smartest actor in the cast, as he was ready to go after Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Unfortunately for him, Marvel said no, and they had him under contract.

Thus, Douglas wound up trapped on the set for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

I’m sure Douglas – and Paul Rudd – wish they didn’t have that one on their resumes.

Douglas sounds rather amused about the whole thing, as he should.

After all, the son of the Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas grew up in this business.

He’s seen, heard, and done it all, which makes stories like this one nothing new.

What Happened?

According to Douglas, “I would have been killed off after the second one, but they wouldn’t let me.”

These stories typically go the other way, with actors offering their firstborn for a role in the MCU.

Douglas, on the other hand, was over it, and asked out. Marvel said no.

“I said I’d like to have a serious [death], with all these great special effects.”

That goal should have been easy to achieve in a movie featuring Kang the Conqueror.

Kang was already bragging about killing other Ant-Man heroes across the multiverse.

Douglas could have easily been one of them, and it likely would have been dramatic.

Alas, Marvel wasn’t ready to say yes to the two-time Academy Award winner.

While Pym remains alive, Douglas makes it quite clear that he’s done with the role.

Presumably, he means in terms of live-action, though, as he has done some MCU voice work.

You can watch the full discussion here, but I’ll leave you with the funniest quote:

“We did ‘Ant-Man’ and Paul Rudd was a wonderful actor — a lovely group — but then you can’t get out of it.”

Apparently, Marvel’s contracts are straight out of horror movies. Once you’re in one, you can’t escape!

MCU Casting and Filming Updates

Speaking of Marvel casting, we’ve got plenty in play right now.

James Spader recently joked that he’s being asked whether he’s appearing in movies he’s never heard of.

There’s a lot of that going around right now due to so much being in flux.

For his part, Samuel L. Jackson spoke his mind on the subject.

Tired of answering when he’ll return as Nick Fury, Jackson finally had enough.

He flatly told an interviewer that he’ll be in the “Next movie…movie after this one.”

Taking him at his word, that would indicate Nick Fury’s return in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Holistically, that timeline makes the most sense for all involved at Marvel.

Fury would presumably show up to tie everything together for The Avengers.

Of course, we all know that MCU performers often lie about their upcoming roles.

Why do I believe Jackson? Well, he’s a notoriously straight shooter, and he’s 77 years old.

Past a certain point, these folks are beyond Kevin Feige’s control.

This is the second example of it just this week, so I expect Nick Fury in Secret Wars.

One actor who apparently won’t be joining the MCU is Charles Melton.

Many fans had expected him to appear onstage at D23 alongside the rest of the cast.

I knew Melton wouldn’t be there because he’d chosen a couple of other projects.

Marvel and his representatives were apparently negotiating a way for him to them all.

Alas, those plans fell through, and so Melton effectively chose Naruto over X-Men.

We’ll have to wait and see whether it works out for him, but…Dougray Scott. As for Secret Wars, the belief is that Marvel will begin filming early in 2027.

Given the current December 2027 release date, a delay into 2028 is looking more and more likely.

Marvel Miscellany

I’m not often caught off-guard by Marvel these days, but I was this past week.

To my surprise and delight, VisionQuest released two more episodes this week.

I won’t spoil you about the latest surprising twist, but if you haven’t watched it yet, you should.

Showrunner Terry Matalas clearly had terrific ideas for this series.

Also, James Spader seems to be having the time of his life in his return to Ultron.

That aspect likely plays heavily into all the fans asking when he’ll appear in another Avengers film.

Marvel doesn’t bring back Ultron unless he’s supposed to wreck the MCU.

Circling back to VisionQuest, the usage of Vibranium vs. Adamantium should delight fans.

So, there’s a lot to like about Marvel right now…unless you’re Michael Douglas.

 

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