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Credit: Marvel StudiosWow. Was this ever a good idea?
Related: Chris Evans Has Been Recast in Upcoming Marvel Movie: Report
Since director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) has notably been absent from Marvel’s narrative, now embracing his role as a (spoilers) father.
However, the narrative focus has shifted towards his adoptive brother, Loki Laufeyson/Loki Odinson (Tom Hiddleston), whose story has taken a Multiverse-expanding trajectory. A variant of the original Loki, who met his demise at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin) at the onset of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), has diverged into a separate storyline of his own.
Now, fresh from his stint on Loki Season 2, where he played a major role in resetting the known Marvel universe (or Multiverse), it appears that Mobius M. Mobius actor Owen Wilson is now keen on being careful when it comes to the roles he plays in Hollywood.
Loki Star Says Goodbye to Major Role
Related: Marvel Star Discusses Female Loki and Thor Crossover
The “satirical thriller”, originally titled Nicole and O.J., now titled The Juice, is set to debut in theaters in 2025.
A new movie written by directed by Iron Cross (2009) director Joshua Newton, it will explore the life of controversial former National Football League (NFL) football star Orenthal James Simpson, AKA OJ Simpson of the Buffalo Bills and later the San Francisco 49ers, whose famous 1995 murder trial surrounding the deaths of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ron Goldman captivated the world — as did the star’s controversial acquittal.
Instead of telling a straightforward story about controversial Naked Gun star OJ Simpson, this new movie will explore an alternate timeline of events. One would think that Wilson, well-versed in exploring alternate universes and worlds in Loki, would be perfect for the role. Apparently, so did British director Newton.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Loki star Owen Wilson, however, disagreed. Wilson reportedly turned down a major role in the film as attorney Douglas McCann, citing one very particular sticking point that pushed him to say “no”. Director Newton recounts the in-person dressing down he received from Wilson:
Owen Wilson was perfect for the role. I actually had a meeting with him in Santa Monica. Everybody loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million. But at the end of the lunch, Owen stood up and said, ‘If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how O.J. didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me.’
The Juice will star German-born actor Boris Kodjoe as Simpson, English actress Charlotte Kirk (Vice, Ocean’s 8) as Nicole Brown Simpson.
A teaser for the film can be viewed below. Warning, it depicts capital punishment — the actor playing Simpson in a (functioning) electric chair.
Apart from Wilson recently starring as a Bob Ross-esque television painter in the comedy-drama Paint (2023), there hasn’t been much news regarding Wilson’s future roles lately.
It’s possible that fans of Wilson will get to see him cameo as Mobius of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) during this summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine — although rumors indicate that Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Paradox will potentially take over his role as the TVA’s “exposition guy” in Marvel Studios’ only 2024 movie.
Either way, a role in The Juice is definitely out of the question for the star.
What do you think about The Juice? Should Owen Wilson have accepted the role? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on Loki Season 2
Sophia Di Martino reprises her role as Sylvie — a female variant of Loki from another universe — and the character who initiated the Multiverse’s unraveling.
Among the familiar faces are Gugu Mbatha Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, and Jonathan Majors, now playing Victor Timely instead of He Who Remains — yet another variant of Kang the Conqueror. A popular new addition to the cast was Ke Huy Quan, who portrayed Ouroboros, AKA “OB”.
The ensemble for the second season also included Eugene Cordero as Casey/Hunter K-5E, Rafael Casal as Brad Wolfe, Tara Strong as Miss Minutes, and the two-dimensional Time Variance Authority (TVA) mascot. Furthermore, the cast featured Kate Dickie as General Dox, Liz Carr as Judge Gamble, and Neil Ellice as Hunter D-90.