Avengers Star Didn’t Return for Endgame Over Reported Pay Dispute

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In “Avengers: Endgame”, almost every actor who featured in “Avengers: Infinity War” returned, except one. Carrie Coon, who played Proxima Midnight in the previous film, chose not to reprise her role due to a salary disagreement. On the podcast “The Big Picture“, Coon’s husband Tracy Letts revealed the reason behind her decision to depart from Marvel Studios. When she realized that “Infinity War” was swiftly becoming one of the highest-grossing movies ever, Carrie requested a pay raise during negotiations for “Endgame”. However, when Marvel declined to increase her compensation, Carrie opted not to return.

According to Letts, she was approached for the second movie, and they asked her to join. But when they told her they wouldn’t pay her any more money, considering the first film was the most successful ever made, she expressed her doubts about participating. They responded by praising her for being part of the Marvel Universe, but she ultimately decided not to take part because they weren’t offering additional compensation.

Moreover, Letts clarified their reason for not treating the situation more seriously initially. “Had we taken a bigger approach,” he admitted, “it would have meant us sitting through the films, which wasn’t something we were keen on doing.

Debuting in 2018, “Avengers: Infinity War” stood out as the most significant occurrence within the Marvel Cinematic Universe at that point. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the series, “Infinity War” was met with widespread critical praise and shattered box office records, ultimately earning over $2 billion globally. At present, it ranks sixth among the highest-grossing films ever made.

In the movie “Infinity War,” Proxima Midnight was a significant secondary character, belonging to Thanos’ Black Order. Sadly, she met her end during the Battle of Wakanda. In “Endgame,” Monique Ganderton played an alternate reality version of Proxima Midnight (though Toby Jones’ voice could be heard for this character). Later, in the animated series “What If…?”, Toby Jones resumed his role as Proxima Midnight once more.

It’s reasonable to empathize with Coon’s position regarding the salary dispute. To begin with, she had earlier disclosed that her role in Infinity War transitioned from a voiceover part to full motion-capture, necessitating her to be physically present on set for filming. Moreover, although acting might appear glamorous and affluent to spectators, performers are often underpaid relative to their work. Djimon Hounsou, who has featured in Marvel and DC adaptations as well as received multiple Oscar nominations, admitted that he still finds it challenging to earn a living despite his high-profile roles. Given Coon’s Emmy nomination, the immense success of Infinity War, her unexpectedly increased workload, and her status as an accomplished actress, it is understandable why she would seek a larger share of the earnings.

It’s not just Coon who turned down Marvel due to salary concerns, as John Malkovich also passed on earlier MCU projects for the same reason. He found the work grueling and felt he wasn’t being adequately compensated. Given the size and time commitment of Marvel productions, actors often worry that signing up might limit their ability to pursue other creative ventures. It’s unfortunate that Coon and Marvel couldn’t reach an agreement, even though Proxima Midnight was not a major character in Endgame.

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2025-04-02 19:42