Marvel Ignored Elizabeth Banks’ MCU Directing Pitch, Reveals Star

Director Elizabeth Banks recently looked back on a time when she attempted to join the MCU’s ranks of elite filmmakers.

Elizabeth Banks Pitched MCU Movie

Speaking with Variety during the press tour for Cocaine Bear, Elizabeth Banks revealed that she threw her name into the hat to direct Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, which released in 2017.

Looking at her own directing style, Banks explained that she “can’t do someone else’s vision” for a movie, wanting instead to “bring [her] sensibility to things.”

And while that’s made her not as interested in joining major franchises like the MCU, she noted that one exception was Thor: Ragnarok from Marvel Studios.

While she believes “a call was made” about her possibly pitching a take on the movie, Banks noted that “nothing ever happened.”

The job ended up going to Taika Waititi, which Banks believes was the right decision:

“No one called me [back]. Taika Waititi got the job. Rightfully so.”

What drew her to the job was how funny Thor was in that movie, particularly the way he poked fun at himself throughout the story:

“I have an attraction to the sensibility. That character being funny and knowing how good Chris is at making fun of himself, that’s my vibe.”

Once she realized she mentioned the MCU as a possibility, she joked with the outlet that her quotes would make for a clickbait-style article instantly:

“I brought up ‘Thor.’ You’re going to clickbait me in that fucking article now. I never should have said it out loud.’

In a separate interview with Variety, Banks made it clear that she doesn’t have any hard feelings about not getting to pitch Ragnarok, not exactly eager to take on a superhero movie.

The outlet asked if she’d reached out to DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, with whom she worked on 2006’s Slither, after his promotion, to which she mentioned a pitch she had at one point for a Catwoman movie:

“I had a pitch for a Catwoman movie a while ago, but I don’t think it’ll fit into the mandate right now. But maybe someday.”

Banks admitted that she isn’t approached very often about working with big studios but that she’s always available:

“I don’t get approached that much about doing anything. But I’m open for business. That’s the thing: I’m open for business.”

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