Christian Bale & 9 Other Actors the MCU Wasted Completely

The Marvel Cinematic Universe thrives on splashy casting, pulling in A-listers for heroes, villains, and scene-stealing supporting roles. Along the way, some major talents showed up for parts that were brief, tightly contained, or overshadowed by larger ensemble storytelling. That’s part of the MCU’s design—characters orbit a shared narrative—but it also means a lot of famous faces made quick exits.

Below are ten star turns that left audiences wanting more time with the performers behind them. For each actor, you’ll find the essential details on the projects where they appeared—what the story covered, who else was involved, and who brought it all together behind the camera.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale joined the MCU as Gorr the God Butcher in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, a Taika Waititi-directed adventure where Thor teams up with Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster—now wielding Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor—to stop a vengeful enemy empowered by the Necrosword. The film features Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Russell Crowe as Zeus, and appearances from the Guardians of the Galaxy led by Chris Pratt, with Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and voice roles by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum and co-written by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the story moves from New Asgard to Omnipotence City and on to the cosmic threshold of Eternity.

The production blends comedy and cosmic fantasy while tracing Gorr’s crusade after a personal tragedy, intersecting with Asgardian politics and the responsibilities Thor has tried to avoid. Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad contribute the score, and Barry Idoine handles cinematography, as the script balances Thor’s reunion with Jane against a broader saga about gods, faith, and found family across the MCU.

Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelsen appears as Kaecilius in ‘Doctor Strange’, directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Benedict Cumberbatch as neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer Stephen Strange. The plot follows Strange’s training under the Ancient One, played by Tilda Swinton, and his uneasy alliance with Mordo, portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, as they confront a rogue mystic who steals forbidden knowledge to access the Dark Dimension. Rachel McAdams plays Christine Palmer, a grounding presence from Strange’s former life, while Benedict Wong debuts as Wong, the steadfast Kamar-Taj librarian and sorcerer.

The film introduces mirror-dimension set pieces, Hong Kong’s time-reversal showdown, and Strange’s famous bargain with Dormammu. Jon Spaihts, C. Robert Cargill, and Derrickson share writing credits, Ben Davis serves as cinematographer, and Michael Giacchino scores the reality-warping battles, establishing the mystical corner of the MCU that later connects to larger cross-universe threats.

Christopher Eccleston

Christopher Eccleston portrays Malekith in ‘Thor: The Dark World’, directed by Alan Taylor and headlined by Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as Thor and Loki. The story centers on the Aether—revealed as the Reality Stone—awakening the Dark Elves and drawing Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, into Asgard’s orbit. Anthony Hopkins returns as Odin, with Rene Russo’s Frigga playing a key role in the conflict as Asgard faces a stealth assault.

The plot moves from Asgard to Svartalfheim and ultimately to Earth during the Convergence, as Malekith seeks to plunge the universe into darkness. Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely shape the screenplay, while Brian Tyler provides the score and Kramer Morgenthau’s cinematography frames aerial battles, portals, and a climactic fight that jumps across realms.

Lee Pace

Lee Pace brings Ronan the Accuser to life in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, directed by James Gunn. The story tracks Peter Quill—played by Chris Pratt—and an unlikely crew that includes Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) as they try to keep an orb containing the Power Stone out of dangerous hands. Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Michael Rooker’s Yondu, John C. Reilly’s Rhomann Dey, and Glenn Close’s Nova Prime bolster the ensemble, while Josh Brolin’s Thanos looms behind the Kree-Xandarian conflict.

Pace reprises Ronan in ‘Captain Marvel’, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, which explores Kree military operations through Carol Danvers’ Starforce mission. Brie Larson leads the cast alongside Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos, Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg, Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau, and Djimon Hounsou’s Korath, linking the Kree’s agenda to earlier cosmic tensions that ripple through multiple MCU chapters.

Idris Elba

Idris Elba appears across multiple titles as Heimdall, beginning with ‘Thor’, directed by Kenneth Branagh, where the vigilant gatekeeper oversees the Bifröst and watches Thor’s exile to Earth. He returns in ‘Thor: The Dark World’ for Asgard’s defense, and in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’—directed by Joss Whedon—he surfaces in a vision sequence that hints at looming cosmic stakes within the Avengers’ storyline.

Heimdall takes on a resistance-leader role in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, directed by Taika Waititi, guiding Asgardian refugees during Hela’s assault while Thor and Loki navigate Sakaar with the Grandmaster. In ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Heimdall opens the Bifröst one last time to send Hulk to Earth from the Asgardian ship. The character’s thread even touches ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ in a closing stinger, tying Asgardian legacies to ongoing MCU arcs.

Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis appears as Ulysses Klaue, first introduced in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, where the black-market dealer’s Wakandan vibranium stash draws Ultron’s attention during a tense encounter with the Avengers. The film’s ensemble includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and James Spader as the voice of Ultron, with Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Paul Bettany expanding the roster as Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff, and Vision.

Klaue returns in ‘Black Panther’, directed by Ryan Coogler, in a story that follows T’Challa’s rise to the throne and a challenge from Erik Killmonger. Chadwick Boseman leads the cast with Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, and Martin Freeman, as Klaue’s thefts, a Busan casino heist, and CIA interrogation set pieces help propel the plot toward Wakanda’s political and cultural crossroads.

Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley debuts as Trevor Slattery in ‘Iron Man 3’, directed by Shane Black, where Tony Stark faces the fallout of an extremist threat tied to Aldrich Killian’s AIM project. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, and James Badge Dale round out the cast as the film explores identity, deception, and technology through a series of attacks that push Stark outside his armor and into detective mode.

The character resurfaces in the ‘All Hail the King’ one-shot, written and directed by Drew Pearce, and later in ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Simu Liu stars alongside Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, and Benedict Wong, with Trevor’s storyline connecting the Ten Rings organization to broader MCU history while the film blends martial-arts action, family drama, and mystical creatures.

Frank Grillo

Frank Grillo portrays Brock Rumlow in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The plot follows Steve Rogers—played by Chris Evans—as a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission exposes a covert Hydra infiltration, with Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes driving a conspiracy thriller tone. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson joins the team, while Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce sits at the center of the intrigue.

Rumlow returns as Crossbones in ‘Captain America: Civil War’, also from the Russo brothers, where an operation in Lagos triggers international oversight that splits the Avengers into rival factions. The ensemble includes Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, and Daniel Brühl, and the character later appears during the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ time-heist sequence in a callback to the ‘Avengers’-era S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters shuffle.

Annette Bening

Annette Bening appears in ‘Captain Marvel’ as Wendy Lawson—revealed as Mar-Vell—and as the Supreme Intelligence, guiding and challenging Carol Danvers during her journey from Kree soldier to earthbound hero. The story, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, pairs Brie Larson with Samuel L. Jackson’s de-aged Nick Fury and centers on a search-and-rescue operation that evolves into a debate about war, refugees, and memory.

The supporting cast features Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg, Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos, Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau, and returning MCU faces such as Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson, with Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace connecting threads to Kree operations introduced elsewhere. Pinar Toprak’s score underpins aerial dogfights and ground action, as the film uses Lawson’s Project Pegasus and the Supreme Intelligence’s illusions to bridge cosmic lore with Earth-based MCU history.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje plays Algrim, who becomes Kurse in ‘Thor: The Dark World’, aiding Malekith’s campaign once the Aether resurfaces and draws Asgard into open conflict. Chris Hemsworth leads the action with Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, and Christopher Eccleston, as the Dark Elves launch covert strikes that test Asgard’s defenses and force uneasy alliances.

Kurse’s arc ties directly to key story beats inside Asgard’s halls and the broader chase to keep the Aether out of enemy hands, setting up confrontations that spill through portals during the Convergence. Under Alan Taylor’s direction, the film’s design travels from royal chambers to subterranean realms, while the screenplay by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely anchors the stakes to family, duty, and the Infinity Stone mythology.

Share your picks in the comments—who else delivered a memorable MCU appearance you’d like to see get a bigger spotlight next time?