The uphill climb of portraying a highly-coveted superhero role is not only reserved forDwayne JohnsonorChanning Tatum. A lesser-known journey has been undergone by none other thanAdam Brody. It’s a bit ironic considering Seth Cohen’s – hisThe O.C.alias – passionately geeky personality. The man even worked in a comic book shop. With this background, making the jump to play a real superhero was bound to happen sooner or later, but it happened much later than planned.
Brody’s first attempt at a comic book film was way back in 2007, when he was set to star inGeorge Miller’s infamously-defunct project,Justice League: Mortal. A little-known fact,revealed by Brody himself, is that he went on to audition forJames Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxy. As we all know, he wasn’t part of that film saga, and his superheroic big break came through the now-defunct DCEU inShazam!. Although Brody would’ve made a great Star-Lord, this rocky road shows he is willing to do what it takes to be part of any of these universes.
Adam Brody Auditioned for the Role of Star-Lord in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
That’s right, Brody didn’t audition for just any role inGuardians of the Galaxy, he did it to play the titular role of Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord. And as we know the part ultimately went toChris Pratt, who actually appeared onThe O.C.as well – playing Ché in a recurring role for nine episodes. In retrospect, playing Star Lord would’ve made total sense for Brody.His careerhas proven that he has the ability to play charismatic dorky characters who find themselves in the most awkward situations.
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FromThe O.C.all the way up toScream 4andReady or Not, Brody proves he’s a man you’d be fortunate to land in trouble with. Most of his roles – even those where his moral compass is somewhat skewed – have heart, and Brody embodies them with nuance and charm.These qualities would’ve fit in with Gunn’s vision and the MCU’s version of Quill. But,just asRobert Downey Jr.did with Tony Stark, Pratt made the role of Quill completely his. The actor’s iteration of Star-Lord is an equally dorky and adorable one, albeit one that is more buff and jacked up.
Adam Brody Was Also Attached to Play Another Well-Known Comic Book Character
Brody was no stranger to the superhero mania. When he was attached toJustice League: Mortal, he was set to play Barry Allen, better-known as The Flash. Had this pre-Ezra Milleriteration come to fruition, Brody would’ve been the first actor to play Barry on the big screen. The cursed production had already flown cast and crew into Australia,table reads and costume fittingshad already happened, with Brody describing his suit as “only kinda nerdy,” somewhat indicating he would’ve also fit in perfectly in the scarlet speedster’s boots. Setbacks stemming fromthe WGA strike– plus Warner Bros.’ lack of commitment to the DC Comics franchise – ended with the cancelation of the film.
Adam Brody Finally Got to Play a Superhero in ‘Shazam!’
Finally, in 2019’sShazam!, Brody got his chance at playing a superhero. His role as the shazamed-up version ofJack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy was kept tightly under wraps given it was a surprise cameo. During the final minutes of the film, we get to see Brody in his maximum comic book hero splendor – along withD.J. Cotronanonetheless, theSuperman-that-would’ve-been fromJustice League: Mortal. Brody’s versatility makes his casting as the adult version of Grazer spot-on. Thankfully, this spilled over to the sequelShazam! Fury of the Gods, with him having more screen time – offering a sense of justice.
Had Brody been cast inGuardians of the Galaxy, his career would’ve been transformed, skyrocketing him to new levels of popularity. With the Guardians franchise now being comprised of a mainline trilogy, a Christmas special, andthe possibility of a Star-Lord spin-off– plus the team’s larger presence in the MCU – Brody would’ve been better utilized than in the DCEU. While we never got Brody in the MCU, it doesn’t mean his career stalled, he is currently starring in thehighly-recommendedNetflix seriesNobody Wants This, oppositeKristen Bell. Plus, we’ll always have him asThe O.C.‘sloveable and charming Seth Cohen – and that’s still pretty epic.
A troubled youth becomes embroiled in the lives of a close-knit group of people in the wealthy, upper-class neighborhood of Newport Beach, Orange County, California.
The O.C.is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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