Before Iron Man, there were discussions about how the universe could start with the revamped Ultimates

SUMMARY

Marvel Studios planned to add Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to the Ultimates before the MCU was even a thing

The Ultimates would have created a chaotic and dark universe that explored the minds of superheroes, rather than just their powers

Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man was the first movie that started the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, and The Avengers came out in 2012

Back in the days before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a thing, people over at Marvel Studios were planning out some great things. Adding Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to the team of superheroes calling themselves the Ultimates, Marvel had the wildest idea.

Creating a dark universe that would have been highly chaotic and delved deeper into the minds of superheroes rather than just their powers, the MCU would have turned out to be so different if the Ultimates had risen!

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp Would Have Been Iron Man

Marvel Studios started their journey of the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008 with the release of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Adding movies to the list, the MCU was truly unveiled in all its glory when The Avengers came out in 2012.

Robert Downey Jr. in & as Iron Man

Also read: “I was trying to calm the circus”: Johnny Depp Despised Partying With Hard Substances Despite Infamous Incident That Led To His 1994 Arrest

But before Iron Man, there had been countless talks and discussions as to how the universe could start. As per the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, the revamped superheroes were quite terrible to behold. Renaming the league as the Ultimates, the book narrated how Thor was an environmental activist who was mentally unbalanced enough to believe in the fact that he was actually the god of thunder!

Although there were no changes in the characters of Captain America and Iron Man, the character of Hulk had a grudge against American actor Freddie Prinze Jr. (for reasons unknown). And in this chaotic show, the Ultimates were leaning on Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to portray the iconic Marvel characters in the movies back in 2002.

Brad Pitt Would Have Been Thor

Brad Pitt in World War Z

The book further revealed that the 9/11 attacks also had a drastic impact on the team calling themselves the Ultimates as the comics took a turn in a darker direction. Artist Bryan Hitch recalled that it was terrorism, not villainy that changed in the comics.

“It was ‘super-terrorism’ not super villainy” 

Bryan Hitch also remarked how the casting would have been if the Ultimates were ever given a green light by casting Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt in the movies.

“Johnny Depp would have been Iron Man. Brad Pitt would have been Thor. And so on”

The 9/11 attacks also made the character of Nick Fury, a central authoritative figure who could keep the Avengers/Ultimates in check if all hell broke loose. Although the Ultimates was never made, the MCU kickstarted their journey with Robert Downey Jr.’s 2008 film Iron Man and haven’t looked back since!