10 Superhero Movie Actors Who Didn't Return For The Sequel

The superhero movie of theMCUand theDCUsometimes feature worker who take not to generate for the sequel . Though not all superhero motion-picture show are as successful as themovies of the MCU , the genre has still become the biggest in New cinema . As superhero franchises grow , so too do their roster of worker , with many signing deals that sign them to seem in multiple motion-picture show across a specific comic Scripture pic persistence .

However , this is n’t always what happens , as in some sheath , actors actually decline to return for superhero movie sequel . Themovie timelines of the DCEUand the MCU have seen many actors not reprise their function for various reasons , with their absence in superhero sequels being noted to depart degrees . Whether due to programming conflicts , behind - the - aspect dramas , or the character being left out of future narratives , here are 10 superhero picture worker who did n’t deliver for the subsequence .

10Alan Cumming As Nightcrawler

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Making his superhero pic debut inFox ’s X - Men movie franchisein 2003’sX2 : X - Men United , Alan Cumming was praise for his performance as Nightcrawler . The plastic film , which stay one of the best - loved in the full X - Men franchise , made great use of Cumming as the blue - skinned teleporting mutant , with Nightcrawler becoming something of an instant fan favorite . regrettably , Nightcrawler ’s futurity in the franchise did not involve Cumming at all .

When 2006’sX - Men : The Last Standwas in yield , director Bryan Singer was replaced with Brett Ratner . Cumming had already expressed that he discover the tenacious hours in the make - up chair to represent Nightcrawler difficult , and the change in director was enough for the role player to get out the continuation . However , by that sentence , Nightcrawler ’s function inThe Last Standwas reportedly minor , meaning thatmany factors were likely to have influenced Cumming ’s decisionnot to rejoin .

9Shea Whigham As Detective Burke

Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

Todd Phillips 2019 movieJokeris wide celebrated as one of the greatest comic book movies ever made , earning peculiar praise for the functioning of its casting . Among them was Shea Whigham , who appeared as Detective Burke , one of the police policeman assign to investigate the spate of murders in Gotham being perpetrate by Arthur Fleck . Burke ’s role in the movie is comparatively minor , but Whigham was still oneactor who did n’t return forJoker ’s sequel .

look at thatFolie à Deuxfollows Arthur Fleck ’s time in Arkham following the murders and see him place on his test for his criminal offence , Detective Burke ’s absence is all the more celebrated . As one of the officers task with catching Fleck , Burke ’s testimony could have been a all-important recall to Arthur ’s offense , but it was n’t to be . Thoughthe exact reason that Whigham did not return is n’t unmortgaged , Burke ’s absence seizure was fairly blatant .

8Nicole Kidman As Chase Meridian

Batman & Robin (1997)

After the departure of Tim Burton and Michael Keaton from the Batman franchise in the 1990s , they were respectively replaced by Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer . With the latter mold as the Caped Crusader and the former at the helm , 1995’sBatman Foreverwas far from the most successful amusing book film of all time . Even so , the film ’s remarkably talented cast have none other than Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian , the dear interest group for Bruce Wayne .

Though Kidman certainly is n’t anactor whose career was ruin by superhero picture , she did not reprize the role for the sequel . Despite being one of the few major characters not to have died or been otherwise incapacitated or recast , Kidman did not return for 1997’sBatman & Robin . For the subsequence , Meridian was replaced by Julie Madison , a Modern beloved interest for Bruce Wayne , who played a considerably smaller role inBatman & Robin ’s story .

7Liev Schreiber As Sabretooth

The Wolverine (2013)

2009 see the release ofX - world Origins : Wolverine , which , despite being a critical failure , boasted an fantabulous cast of actors . Among them was Liev Schreiber , who was cast in the prequel photographic film as Sabretooth , Wolverine ’s half - brother and tenacious - time curse . Schreiber was one of the movie ’s few full addition to the 10 - Men enfranchisement , and he proved to be far more popular in the use than his predecessor , Tyler Mane .

In venom of that , Schreiber did not return to play Sabretooth in subsequent moving picture , including the prompt follow - up , 2013’sThe Wolverine . In more late years , Schreiber has made it clear that he has been reluctant to reprise the role due to its physical demands . Sabretooth ’s absence seizure from the movies afterX - Men Origins : Wolverinewas notable , particularly after Schreiber ’s performance definitively evidence that the part had undeniable potency on the big screen .

6Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, & T.I.

Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

2015’sAnt - Manintroduced many authoritative fibre and ideas to the MCU . As well as the unveiling of Scott Lang , Hank Pym , Hope Van Dyne , and Pym Particles , the movie introduced three of the MCU ’s best keep going type , Luis , Kurt , and Dave . Scott Lang ’s former criminal admirer first support him in slip from Pym , and after get to assist in his hero work , reprising their roles in 2018’sAnt - valet de chambre and the Wasp .

Despite make two appearance in theMCU ’s motion-picture show timeline , they did not retrovert inAnt - Man and the Wasp : Quantumania . There were no major dramas involve the actor that give to their absence , but ratherQuantumania ’s story simply shifted to Kang and the Quantum Realm , andthere was no way to organically include the characters in the movie . Though Michael Peña , David Dastalmachian , and T.I. ’s characters provided some of the best moments of funniness in previous moving-picture show , they were not ever planned to be part ofQuantumania .

5Daniel Kaluuya As W’Kabi

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Throughout the 2010s , Daniel Kaluuya ’s vocation was on a meteoric flight that saw him go from an unknown to one of the well - known gift in Hollywood . Kaluuya ’s part inBlack Pantherin 2018 came shortly after the success of 2017’sGet Out , and despite his relatively circumscribed part in the story , he remained an exciting part of the torpedo ’s mythos . However , W’Kabi was not a part ofBlack Panther : Wakanda Forever , and Kaluuya did not return for the sequel .

Kaluuya announced ahead of the plastic film ’s release that he was not refund due to a scheduling conflict . At the time , he was shoot Jordan Peele’sNope , and could not conciliate the two production . Furthermore , W’Kabi was expatriate from Wakanda after the events of the first movie , meaning that his return would have had to be specifically write into the story , making his absence less detectable in a narrative sense .

4Willem Dafoe As Nuidis Vulko

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Aquamanis wide consider one of thebest picture show in the DCEU , thanks in part to its first-class cast . As well as the likes of Patrick Wilson , Nicole Kidman , and Yahya Abdul - Mateen II , Willem Dafoe appeared in the 2018 movie as Nuidis Vulko , Arthur Curry ’s wise man . Dafoe ’s part as Vulko examine critical as part of Aquaman ’s story , but the character was not included in the 2023 continuation , Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom .

The reason forDafoe not returning was merely down to scheduling conflicts with multiple project . However , the DCEU ’s handling of his absence leave much to be desired , as it was explicate that he was killed off - screen due to toxic condition as a resultant role of human pollution . Though Dafoe ’s unfitness to return was all apprehensible , the intervention of the grapheme was unnecessary , specially after he act such a major function in the first pic .

3Natalie Portman As Jane Foster

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

As one of the MCU ’s earliest supporting characters , Natalie Portman ’s Jane Foster was go under to play a specially influential role in the franchise . Introduced as a love involvement for Thor and a story reason for the Asgardian to become invested in the luck of Earth , Foster was a key part of both 2011’sThorand its 2013 sequel , Thor : The Dark World . When it arrive to 2017’sThor : Ragnarok , Jane Foster was nowhere to be seen .

The reason forPortman ’s absence was reportedly due to creative differences with Marvel Studios . As very slight ofRagnarokwas set on Earth , but rather on Asgard and Sakaar , Jane Foster not being a part of its account was n’t too jarring , especially as she returned in 2022’sThor : Love and Thunderin an even large persona . Even so , Portman ’s departure from the dealership was once well - publicized , making it particularly noteworthy .

2TJ Miller As Weasel

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

TJ Miller might not be the most in high spirits - profile Marvel movie histrion , but his departure from theDeadpoolmovies was decidedly bitter . The histrion played Weasel , Wade Wilson ’s best friend , in bothDeadpoolandDeadpool 2 , offering an element of prime to the superhero story . Weasel was generally pop , with the character cited as working particularly well alongside Ryan Reynolds ’ Deadpool . Miller did not reprise the role inDeadpool & Wolverine , on the face of it for multiple reasons .

Ahead of the third movie ’s sack , Miller in public slate Ryan Reynolds , and alleged that the superstar was implausibly difficult to work with . He leveled various accusations at his former Colorado - sensation , and take a firm stand that he would n’t return as Weasel even if asked . Additionally , Miller faced ravishment allegation and legal bother around this time , potentially contribute further to his absence seizure from the third Deadpool pic .

1Will Smith As Deadshot

The Suicide Squad (2021)

As one of the most dissentious movies in the DCEU , 2016’sSuicide Squadwas not a hugely popular film , despite infix many dear elements to the enfranchisement . Among the movie ’s cast was Will Smith as Deadshot , who suffice as one ofSuicide Squad ’s protagonists alongside Margot Robbie ’s Harley Quinn and Joel Kinnaman ’s Rick Flag . Despite negative reviews , a sequel was quickly declare , and Smith was ab initio attached to recapitulate his purpose .

However , Smith was not present at all in the ruined film , 2021’sThe Suicide Squad . The reason was simply that Smith had an specially interfering docket at the time , and was unable to make himself usable for the James Gunn picture show , though many sham that it was down to the largely negatively charged reception to the first film . alternatively , Will Smith ’s absence seizure inThe Suicide Squadwas merely another instance of an actor not retort in theMCUorDCUfor a superhero flick sequel due to a scheduling conflict .