Star Trek’s Spock was nearly Captain America in the MCU

Star Trek and the MCU may be different franchises, but there’s one character who may have been able to connect them – the actor behind Spock nearly played Captain America.

Chris Evan’s Captain America is pretty much solidified as one of the most iconic casting choices of recent years. But there was always a chance that someone else could have landed the role.

This previously included Bucky Barnes’ Sebastian Stan, John Walker’s Wyatt Russell, and John Krasinski, who has since become a potential option for Reed Richards. But in the end, Evans landed the role, and the rest is MCU history.

However, there was someone else, who has now become known for playing another iconic character: Star Trek’s Spock.

This Star Trek Spock actor could have played MCU’s Captain America

At Atlanta’s 2022 DragonCon, actor Ethan Peck, who plays Spock on Star Trek: Discovery, revealed to The Direct that he had been in the running to play the Star-Spangled hero.

When asked about his most memorable auditions, Peck recalled being one of “a smaller few” to be considered for Captain America.

“I’ve had a lot of bad ones and some good ones, I guess. But some memorable ones, I was of a smaller few to be considered for Captain America many years ago, which stands out,” he said.

Peck also revealed that he was in the running for a character on dark superhero show The Boys: “And also, I came pretty close to the role of The Deep in The Boys.” The role instead went to Chace Crawford.

The actor, who has played Spock since 2019 – appearing in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – went on to discuss a recurring dream where he has a big audition but fails massively, which perhaps occurred from not scoring these previous big roles.

“I have a recurring dream – this is the worst audition – where I am reading for Spielberg or someone of that caliber,” he explained.

“It’s happened a few times. I get the callback, and I’m like ready to go, I’ve signed as. And I’m one person away from getting called in, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know my lines.’ And that’s a true terror for me.”

What will happen with Captain America next?

While we will never know how Peck would have performed in the role, most people would agree that Chris Evans was the best choice. But with Evans having departed from the role – at least for now – Captain America is at a crossroads.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw Sam Wilson take the mantle, and he’ll return for Captain America 4 – but he is definitely his own version of the hero, perhaps leaving a future version of Steve Rogers up for grabs?

The Multiverse arc also means anything could happen in terms of casting, and with new superheroes popping up every day in the MCU, perhaps Ethan Peck hasn’t seen the last of Captain America yet.