Carrie Coon Refuses MCU Comeback Over Pay Dispute

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In the blockbuster hit “Avengers: Infinity War,” Carrie Coon‘s character Proxima Midnight made a significant impact on viewers, leaving some fans slightly disheartened by her limited appearance in “Avengers: Endgame.” Initially introduced in the 2013 issue #8 of “New Avengers” by Jonathan Hickman, Proxima Midnight was one of Thanos’ children, Nebula and Gamora’s adopted sister, and a major new villain in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Her popularity surged because Marvel Studios had successfully cast Carrie Coon, an actress with a strong reputation following her work on projects like “Gone Girl,” “The Leftovers,” and “Fargo” Season 3. It seems that Proxima Midnight’s silent cameo in “Avengers: Endgame” wasn’t due to story considerations but rather financial reasons, as Marvel Studios opted not to pay Coon additional funds for reprising her role.

In an interview on The Playlist podcast, Tracey Letts (husband of Carrie Coon) disclosed that Marvel declined to increase her salary for reprising her role as Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Endgame. This decision was made even though the preceding film, Avengers: Infinity War, had raked in an impressive $2 billion globally. Letts added that they both understood Proxima Midnight didn’t have any lines in Endgame, and if there had been more dialogue, they might have asked for a better deal. However, it seems they have little interest in watching Marvel films, as Letts hinted at with this comment: “It would have required us to watch the movies, which we weren’t inclined to do.” In other words, they didn’t feel like watching Marvel movies.

In the sequel, it’s thought that [Marvel] sought her out for a role, and they inquired if she would be interested. She then questioned the financial aspect, stating, “Given that the first film was the most financially successful movie ever, will I receive any additional compensation?” To which they responded, “No, we won’t be offering you any more money.

She expressed, “If you’re not going to give me any more compensation, I don’t believe I’ll participate.” To which they replied, “You should consider yourself lucky to be part of the Marvel Universe.” However, she opted out. Yet, it seems they included her despite our initial plans not involving extensive movie watching on our part. We would have made a bigger fuss about this, but we weren’t going to watch the movies.

Carrie Coon‘s earlier remarks about not returning as Proxima Midnight in the final film have taken on a fresh interpretation. In 2020, Coon stated that she couldn’t return due to a disagreement over payment, rather than a scheduling issue as many had initially assumed.

Marvel Makes a Lot of Money, But Doesn’t Always Distribute It Properly

Recently, Marvel Studios has garnered a mix of positive and concerning attention. The unveiling of the cast for Avengers: Doomsday and the title reveal of Spider-Man: Brand New Day have sparked enthusiasm, but there’s also been troubling news. A pay dispute between Marvel Studios and Coon surfaced shortly after Hayley Atwell discussed her unpleasant working experience on the set of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In both instances, it appears that two prominent female stars, who have made significant contributions, may not have been adequately recognized by the studio.

It’s disheartening that Carrie Coon didn’t appear in “Avengers: Endgame,” especially considering its massive box office success of $3 billion. The explanation for her absence is certainly troubling, and it raises questions about future Marvel films like “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Secret Wars.” It seems there might be issues with how Marvel Studios compensates actors to return, as some notable names were missing from the initial cast announcements. However, despite not returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon, Carrie Coon is thriving in other projects such as “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “The Gilded Age,” and “White Lotus.

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2025-04-01 20:02