It goes without saying that Joaquin Phoenix has always been one of those actors who fans have been dying to see in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but if you've been a longtime follower of the franchise, you're very much aware of the fact that the Joker star nearly played Doctor Strange in 2016.
Obviously, negotiations between Marvel Studios and the actor ultimately fell flat but we never really knew how close the two parties were to closing a deal, or if it was actually close at all. Now, the studios' former production lead attorney Paul Sarker is opening up about Phoenix's MCU rejection and how it left a lasting impact on Kevin Feige.
Speaking with The Direct, Sarker revealed that Joaquin turning down Marvel's offer might have led to Kevin Feige's decision to offer actors lighter contracts that wouldn't leave them feeling obligated to work with Marvel.
He explains: "The Joaquin Phoenix thing was unique to me, because there was a deal and because it was pretty far along. And we were hopeful that it would close, but it didn't. And that happens. And that to bring it back full circle, things like that may be why Kevin is saying we don't want to do these super long-term deals because we want to see what works and if it works, and people want to do more than we'd love to have [them]. We don't want someone to feel like they're forced."
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Joaquin may have rejected the role but it ended up being a blessing in disguise for Benedict Cumberbatch who has already starred as the Master of Mystic Arts in several projects. As for Joaquin's chances of actually appearing in a Marvel film, I don't see it happening anytime soon especially considering he'll be working on DC's Joker sequel but who knows, right?
Joker 2: Folie à Deux is currently in development.
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