When the casting was underway for the second installment of Guardians of the Galaxy, we expected a headliner for the role of Star-Lord's father. Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey was considered the first choice to play the character. The latter turned down the role, which was eventually given to Kurt Russell.
So why did the actor refuse to sign for the Marvel sequel? As he explains in an interview for Playboy magazine, he had to make a choice between The Guardians and the adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Dark Tower. In the same interview, he detailed the reasons for his preference for Nikolaj Arcel'
s film: "I like Guardians of the Galaxy, but what I've seen is "it's successful, and now we have room to create an original role for another well-known actor." I would have felt like a piece brought back. The script of The Dark Tower was well written, I like the director (Nikolaj Arcel) and his vision of the film, and I can be the creator, the author of The Man in Black – aka the Devil – in my version of this Stephen King novel. We made the first adaptation. It's a fantasy thriller set in another world, an alternate universe, but it's very rooted in reality. For example, the bandit's weapon is not a lightsaber or whatever; It's a gun. I loved approaching my character as if I was the Devil who has a good time, excited by exposing human hypocrisy wherever he finds it. "
Indeed, by wearing the costume of The Man in Black in The Dark Tower, Matthew McConaughey has chosen to contribute to the construction of a franchise by taking part in his very first opus, rather than appearing in a franchise already started – the adaptation of Stephen King's book will indeed be done in several films. McConaughey therefore wanted more challenge than almost guaranteed success, which is quite understandable, knowing the actor. We can only hope that his choice was the right one!
Release of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 on April 26 and The Dark Tower on August 9.
