With over 20 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become the most successful franchise in movie history. That also means that it turned many of its top stars into household names. While some of these people, such as Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson, were already stars, names like Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston enjoyed a boost in their careers.
However, outside the MCU, many of these stars had careers that had highs and lows of their own. Some saw the highest of highs, such as Downey Jr., who is a former Oscar-nominee. However, these actors also saw the lowest of lows, and here are 10 movies that the MCU's biggest stars would like you to forget.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. - GOTHIKA (2003)
Robert Downey Jr. was one of cinema's brightest stars in the '90s. However, after an Oscar nomination for Chaplin and a Golden Globe-winning performance in Ally McBeal, Downey's addictions almost killed his career. Thankfully, Mel Gibson (The Singing Detective) and Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) helped resurrect his career.
There were also flops in that comeback, including the 2003 horror film Gothika, which was also part of Halle Berry's post-comic book collapse in the early aughts. The film has a 14 percent rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
CHRIS EVANS - FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER (2007)
Chris Evans found his calling when he signed on with the MCU to portray Steve Rogers — Captain America. However, this wasn't Evans' first comic book property. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even his second, Evans has starred in two Fantastic Four movies, TMNT, The Losers, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Snowpiercer.
Out of those movies, the one that received the most disdain was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Evans was great as The Human Torch, but the film itself helped kill any enthusiasm Fox had toward the FF and finished with a 36 percent rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
CHRIS HEMSWORTH - RED DAWN (2012)
Chris Hemsworth has not been in as many movies as his fellow MCU heavyweights. He made his name mostly off the back of playing Thor, and it was that role that gave him a chance for other big franchise opportunities such as Men in Black and Ghostbusters.
The year after he appeared for the first time as Thor, Hemsworth starred in the remake of the '80s Red Scare movie Red Dawn. While Hemsworth was getting started as Thor, it was Josh Hutcherson at the time who was the bigger star, thanks to Hunger Games. Hemsworth may be at the front of the poster, but his role here was a throwaway at best in a film with a 12 percent rotten score.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON - HOME ALONE 3 (1997)
Scarlett Johansson was a star before she took on the role of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, she was mostly known for her sex appeal, despite gaining in credibility over the years and proving she was just as brilliant of an actor as she was a movie star.
That is because Johansson has been acting since she was a child. She impressed everyone with her breakout roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World. However, before those, she was in Home Alone 3, the first of the series without Macaulay Culkin.
MARK RUFFALO - RUMOR HAS IT (2005)
Before he took on the role of The Incredible Hulk, Mark Ruffalo was mostly an indie darling, appearing in several critically acclaimed, independently produced productions. However, not all of Ruffalo's bigger movie efforts paid off, even those with a great cast and director.
Rob Reiner directed Rumor Has It in 2005, with Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, and Shirley MacLaine also in the cast. Sadly, it was a disappointment, with a 20 percent rotten score and a total worldwide box office take of $88.9 million, despite a Christmas Day release.
JEREMY RENNER - NATIONAL LAMPOON'S SENIOR TRIP (1995)
In some interesting trivia, two members of the MCU both tried out for the same movie role in what they hoped would be their Hollywood debut. However, it was Paul Rudd who won the role of Alicia Silverstone's stepbrother in Clueless.
The man who lost out on the role was Jeremy Renner. Instead of winning the Clueless part, Renner ended up cast in a National Lampoon sex comedy called Senior Trip. The film made a total of $4.6 million at the box office and has a zero percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN - FANTASTIC FOUR (2015)
Michael B. Jordan came into Black Panther and did something impressive. He proved to the best villain since Loki, reversing Marvel's fortunes when it comes to their villains. However, this wasn't Jordan's first time to play in a comic book movie, and it was his second Marvel character.
Michael B. Jordan played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch in the 2015 relaunch of the Fantastic Four franchise. He likely came on thanks to his relationship with director Josh Trank, but the director lost control of the film, and it ended up with a nine percent rotten rating and received the Razzie for Worst Picture.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON - XXX: STATE OF THE UNION (2005)
When XXX was a success, Sony rushed out to make a sequel. However, the only star they kept was Samuel L. Jackson, as the studio felt that the idea of different agents in movies would be enough to carry it. The problem is that the original film had Vin Diesel in the lead role, and he is who people wanted to see.
Ice Cube took his place in this sequel, and no one came to see it. The film finished with a total worldwide take of $71.1 million, a considerable loss for the studio. Add in the 17 percent rotten score, and it ended up as one of Jackson's worst movies.
PAUL RUDD - DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (2010)
Paul Rudd has the most success when he appears in movies as the lovable yet clueless star. He has a few that broke that rule, such as his role as a jerk in the comedy Wet Hot American Summer, but mostly, he is best as the affable and easy-going guy, which fits perfectly in the Ant-Man movies.
However, in 2010, Rudd took on a role in the film Dinner for Schmucks, where he manipulated an eccentric Steve Carell to win his boss' support. The movie was a critical bomb, with a 41 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
JOSH BROLIN - JONAH HEX (2010)
Josh Brolin found the role of a lifetime, where he took on the most powerful being in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thanos. With the snap of his fingers, he wiped out half the universe, killing everyone from Spider-Man to Doctor Strange in the process.
This had to feel especially good for Brolin since he tried his hand at a DC Comics movie earlier in his career to terrible reviews and a franchise killing box office. Even Brolin dismisses Jonah Hex, saying the film was not ready to shoot yet and blaming the studio for rushing it out and ruining the entire experience.