Zac Efron says he would jump at the chance to join the Marvel Cinematic Universeif the right role came along. Efron’s role as Troy Bolton in the popular Disney Channel original High School Musicalserved as the launching pad for his career. He’s since proved himself a diverse performer, starring in the big-budget comedy Neighbors, Hugh Jackman’s musical The Greatest Showman, and indie dramas like Lee Daniels' The Paperboy and Netflix's Ted Bundy film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
As the MCU expands across all platforms, Disney and Marvel Studios continue to recruit top-tier talent—from Oscar Isaac and Florence Pugh to directors such as Chloé Zhao (Eternals). Given the MCU’s certified-fresh track record on Rotten Tomatoes, and unrivaled profit margins, pretty much everyone in Hollywood would at least consider joining its universe. Recently, Efron has been a popular fan cast for characters like Nova, Adam Warlock, and the Human Torch and it appears he’d love to play a superhero/villain in the MCU.
In a recent interview with Extra TV, Efron talked about joining the MCU. When the topic of his fancasting was brought up, the onetime High School Musical star was asked if he’d ever be interested in playing a superhero. Read what he said below:
"I love the Marvel universe. I've been a fan of Marvel since I started walking. If the right character comes along, and they want me to jump in, I would jump at the opportunity."
Similar to Robert Pattinson’s journey from Twilight to the latest Caped Crusader, Efron has made a concerted effort to shed his High School Musical pretty boy image. As one of the biggest stars on the planet who also happens to have a working relationship with Disney, it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn Efron had something of a near brush with a comic book role. When Marvel Studios was casting Adam Warlock for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it was rumored they were looking for someone fitting Efron’s description, which eventually led them to Will Poulter. Suffice to say, the studio already sees the Baywatch actor as a stereotypical superhero. It seems only a matter of time before he plays one or subverts expectations as a villain.
Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox brought characters like Deadpool, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men under the control of Marvel Studios. As films akin to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness extend the MCU’s reach and flood its reality with even more characters, mutants like Cyclops or even the hyper-muscular Wolverine could be the perfect fit for Efron. Until that right character comes along, Efron can be seen in the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter on May 13 before appearing in a remake of Three Men and a Baby on Disney+.
