Adam Driver, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in Girls and the recent Star Wars trilogy, has become a consistent no-show on Marvel's casting radar, with studio president Kevin Feige revealing that the star repeatedly declines offers to join the expansive cinematic universe. Feige, head of Marvel Studios, humorously described Driver's rejections as a recurring 'tradition' during a recent podcast appearance, highlighting the actor's candidness about his decisions.
While the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday is set to feature a star-studded ensemble, Driver will notably not be among them. The film, which released its first full trailer on 20 July, promises to unite an unprecedented number of Marvel heroes, including Chris Hemsworth's Thor and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, alongside characters from the X-Men and Fantastic Four universes. Robert Downey Jr. is also set to return in a new role as the villainous Doctor Doom.
Despite persistent rumours linking Driver to potential roles, including the character of Magneto in a forthcoming X-Men reboot, Feige confirmed that no specific casting choices have been made. Driver's career trajectory since gaining prominence in HBO's Girls has seen him take on diverse roles in critically acclaimed films such as House of Gucci (2021), Ferrari (2023), and Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis (2024). He has also garnered two Oscar nominations for his work in Marriage Story (2019) and BlacKkKlansman (2018).
Interestingly, while Driver has largely steered clear of major franchises beyond Star Wars, he has previously expressed a keen interest in reprising his role as Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in a spin-off. He revealed discussions dating back to 2021 for a project titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, stating his willingness to return with a compelling story and director. However, this concept reportedly did not gain traction with Disney due to questions surrounding his character's fate.
For UK audiences, Adam Driver's earlier work, including Girls, is available on various streaming platforms, while his more recent films often appear on services like Netflix and Prime Video. The anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday is building, with its release scheduled for 18 December, promising a significant cinematic event for Marvel fans across the UK.