Lots of rumors surround the MCU and DCU. So many filmmakers have been attached to various characters and films over the years, we could be here all day trying to present an exhaustive list. One rumor has been laid to bed, though, as Charlie Hunnam confirms he was asked to join the DCU, but turned it down.
Hunnam was attached to an early version of the DCU as DC character Green Arrow. Around the time Zack Snyder was the main man on the DC movies — so think between Man of Steel and Batman V Superman — Hunnam was a regular fancast to played Oliver Queen. We’ve never known how legit this was, until the leader of Sons of Anarchy cast confirmed it recently.
“I never talked to Zack about it. Honestly, I don’t remember who,” he told Comicbook.com. “It was some people in suits, brought the idea to me and thought it would be terribly exciting for me to play Green Arrow. I did not share their enthusiasm.”
Hunnam admits he’s a total layman when it comes to DC’s roster, and he literally saw one image and just wasn’t feeling it. “I looked at one picture and I was like, ‘I’m not sure green’s my color and I’m pretty sure spandex isn’t my material.’ Beyond that, I was like, one image, ‘Thanks, not interested’.”
Honestly, fair enough. Superhero movies aren’t for everyone, and especially if you’re an actor, there’s a lot of baggage if you don’t know the source material. As a leading man, Hunnam has skewed more towards thriller movies like The Gentlemen and drama movies like The Lost City of Z over straight blockbusters.
Yes, he did make science fiction movie Pacific Rim with Guillermo del Toro, but that’s del Toro, and it was an original concept. The DCU would be a totally different commitment, not least because it likely would’ve required multiple appearances.
At that point, Hunnam was just coming off Sons of Anarchy, a mammoth eight-season TV series. He probably wasn’t keen on such huge commitments as a performer, and mightn’t have wanted so much attention either. Sometimes you just want to focus on the work, rather than the circus surrounding it.
Alas, we haven’t had any Green Arrow in movie form yet. Just Stephen Amell in the Arrowverse. Perhaps James Gunn’s upcoming DC movies will rectify that — we did get an offhand mention in Peacemaker, so we’ll see.
In any case, Hunnam’s currently promoting Rebel Moon, the new movie from Zack Snyder. It arrives on Netflix December 22, and you can check out our Rebel Moon cast interview for more insight into the production. We have guides to Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold as well, if you want more info on the DCU.