Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

[Mister Six]

Reilly made sense because you needed to recognise his face for the family reveal at the end to work, and he is a very recognisable face.

Close was an odd one. Likewise Jenny Agutter in Cap 2, Powers Boothe (also Cap 2?), and Julie Delpy in Avengers 2. I suppose some of those they may intend/have intended to bring back, so a talented actor (but not one famous enough to demand an immediate starring or supporting role) is a useful bit of future-proofing. With Close, I assume her role was originally intended to be bigger but Gunn's firing and the events of Infinity War kiboshed that, or she just fancied an easy paycheque and a role to delight the grandkids.

[VelourSpirit]

Julie Delpy in Avengers 2.

I've been assuming Julie Delpy would be in the inevitable Black Widow movie ever since AoU came out, but she's not even on the cast list. It could still be left as a surprise but I don't know why they wouldn't just announce it.

[phantom_power]

I think it is a fat paycheck for little effort for the big name and someone to put on the poster for Marvel. Win/win

[The Culture Bunker]

I did read that Robert Redford appearing in both CA2 and Endgame was the only time he's played the same character in two different films. Is that true?

[Kermit the Frog]

I did read that Robert Redford appearing in both CA2 and Endgame was the only time he's played the same character in two different films. Is that true?

It is indeed. Kind of makes you think a little bit about where cinema is going

[mothman]

It is indeed. Kind of makes you think a little bit about where cinema is going

Well, true, but Paul Newman for example (to pick, if not quite a contemporary of Redford, but they co-starred in two of either of their's most famous films) played the same character in two different films (Harper in 1966 and The Drowning Pool in 1975), so it wasn't unheard of even then. That Redford managed to avoid sequels for so long says more about him than the state of cinema in his heyday or now.

[The Culture Bunker]

Well, true, but Paul Newman for example (to pick, if not quite a contemporary of Redford, but they co-starred in two of either of their's most famous films) played the same character in two different films (Harper in 1966 and The Drowning Pool in 1975), so it wasn't unheard of even then. That Redford managed to avoid sequels for so long says more about him than the state of cinema in his heyday or now.

Well, Newman got his Oscar by reprising the part of Fast Eddie in the mid 80s.

[mothman]

Yeah, forgot that one! There are probably loads of people who've never been in a sequel to something they were in previously... Woody Allen? Though one might say he just played the same character with different names...

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis... all repeatedly played the same characters from the 70s onward. Redford reprising a role for all of two minutes though? It really makes you think.

[Kermit the Frog]

I should have known better than to throw very mild shade on the most popular and financially successful franchise in cinema right now. The rot did indeed set in in the 80s, direct sequels were rare before that (although you can always find a few examples to prove whatever version of history you want, yes Paul Newman and Gene Hackman repeated roles within the 70s, it was still pretty rare in mainstream cinema before the blockbuster 80s), but will everyone please stop acting as if this sequel/franchise thing hasn't gotten even worse since then, which is the point I was rather obviously gesturing towards. There are film actors around now who have never played the same character twice, like Leonardo DiCaprio, but in terms of big stars they are getting fewer and fewer, and older talent is increasingly getting roped in too. That's all I was saying, sorry if pointing this out provokes more snippy reflexive responses just because films you like are implicated, not in the mood to argue about something that is pretty self-evident.

[Kermit the Frog]

Yeah, forgot that one! There are probably loads of people who've never been in a sequel to something they were in previously... Woody Allen? Though one might say he just played the same character with different names...

Removing my own edit glitch by pointing out that Woody Allen played the character of Victor Shakapopulis in two films. Reprising roles wasn't unheard of pre-star wars, but nobody could deny that it has become more and more prevalent in the years since. In the 70s it was still widely perceived as a sign of artistic stagnancy or studio cash grab to do a sequel, with the director of the original rarely returning to do the honours. Nowadays attitudes are different, sequels are more likely to be accepted as prestigious affairs. At least by some.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I dont think anyone has denied that. The Redford cameo just seemed like a strangely minor example to flag up.

[Kermit the Frog]

Of course it was minor, that's why I only gave it a single line of consideration and still somehow managed to provoke sarky defensive cawing regardless.

[Mister Six]

Re-reading the page, you're doing a lot more sarky defensive cawing than anyone else, Kermit.

[Chedney Honks]

You're spot on, Kermit. Don't dare besmirch the superheroes.

[The Culture Bunker]

I dont think anyone has denied that. The Redford cameo just seemed like a strangely minor example to flag up.

I was the one who mentioned it, not for any real reasons than to check it was true that the character was the only time he'd repeated a role. I don't have any positive/negative feelings about it, was just surprised he hadn't done it before over such a long career.

[Kermit the Frog]

Re-reading the page, you're doing a lot more sarky defensive cawing than anyone else, Kermit.

I am not, I have not made a single sarcastic comment. I have simply sincerely stated my case after being sniped at for saying something completely uncontroversial.

[mothman]

I dont think anyone has denied that. The Redford cameo just seemed like a strangely minor example to flag up.

This, basically. Nobody's denying that contemporary cinema has a sequel/franchise problem. And we're not having a go at you kermy, so sorry if you feel set upon.

[Kermit the Frog]

No worries, sorry for getting flustered 👍

[mothman]

I'd forgotten he was even in Endgame. It'll make for a nice Pointless answer, I reckon.

[Mister Six]

Be interesting to see how the villain plays out. There was a small ruckus in China when people learned that Shang-Chi in the comics is the son of Fu Manchu, a famous yellow scare character from the Victorian Era. I imagine they'll just leave Fu out of it, but it does sound like his dad is an Asian villain.

Will also be interesting to see if people complain about Marvel's first big-screen hero being a martial artist, which is a wee bit clichéd.

[beanheadmcginty]

Some blokes on a YouTube video told me that his dad is the Mandarin (the actual one, not the bloke from Croydon or the bloke from Australia)

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

The Mandarin is some Youtuber's dad?

[Mister Six]

Gonna be Logan Paul's dad in yellowface.

[Glebe]

Some blokes on a YouTube video told me that his dad is the Mandarin (the actual one, not the bloke from Croydon or the bloke from Australia)

This has amused me.