Matthew McConaughey wanted to play the Hulk, but Marvel was like "no thanks, no thanks, no thanks"
Every actor wants to be famous enough that they can star in whatever project they want, but the danger of that is transcending that level and becoming too famous to star in certain things. Take, for example, a Tom Hanks or a George Clooney: No matter who they play, you’re pretty much always going to see them as Tom Hanks or George Clooney. Matthew McConaughey might also be at that stage of his career, if Marvel’s complete disinterest in handing him a dream role is anything to go by.
Speaking with Josh Horowitz on his Happy Sad Confused podcast (via /Film), McConaughey mentioned that he was a big fan of the old Incredible Hulk TV series and made it clear in Hollywood circles that he wanted to play Bruce Banner/David Banner at some point. He says he even brought it up to Marvel and offered his services, but it sounds like the company quickly turned him down. It’s unclear if this was pre-Mark Ruffalo or pre-Edward Norton or what, but /Film McConaughey’s reaction to the topic is a bit stilted, suggesting that he’s bummed about not getting the opportunity.
Longtime McConaugh-fans, though, will remember that he did have a chance to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe a few years after the Hulk first showed up. In 2015, James Gunn revealed that he wanted Matthew McConaughey to play a villain in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, with McConaughey later explaining that he turned the offer down because he didn’t want to just cash in on his persona and be “an amendment” to an existing series. Instead, he chose a more meaty role that he could make his own, one that had the potential to kick off a whole new franchise that McConaughey would then be a key part of: The Dark Tower. So yeah, things didn’t really work out in his favor with any of this, so it’s a good thing that McConaughey is so famously chill.
Actually, now that we think about it, why would someone “famously chill” play the Hulk in the first place? He’s all about getting angry, and McConaughey just lets the stress of the world roll off his back like a soothing ocean wave.