The original best friend to Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel wasn’t always going to be Lashanna Lynch, but rather DeWanda Wise.
Replaced during the casting process, the original Monica Rambeau has spoken about the change, and why exactly she didn’t end up with the role in the multibillion dollar franchise. Lynch ended up with the role, and recently appeared as a Captain Marvel variant in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But what led to Wise losing the role?
Speaking to Gizmodo to promote Jurassic World: Dominion, she explained what happened, and the complicated legalities of the decision to leave the role. Wise stressed that she did not want to miss out on the role, and how her Netflix contract impacted her hopes of playing Monica.
“Well, I always correct people. I did not choose to leave. Like, I would never make that choice for myself, that sounds ridiculous. You know, you sign a contract for a TV show and it’s in first position, and that’s just a responsible…you have audience members who are like ‘I would’ve taken a lawsuit.’ Good for you. I don’t wanna be sued! Not trying to be sued by Spike Lee and Netflix. So, you know, at the time it was very disappointing, and also difficult in that context, you know.”
It’s all a very familiar story, with many actors typically choosing against signing multi-picture, multi-year deals out of fear of complications with signing up with other projects. Marvel Studios has typically offered multi-picture deals to actors, and while the pay is good, it’s understandable why it can be such a daunting prospect.
Brie Larson signed up for several films, beginning with 2019’s Captain Marvel. She’s set to return to the role in 2023’s The Marvels, with the Academy Award winning actress rumored to appear in Ms. Marvel.