Shaquille O’Neal recently revealed in a candid interview that he won’t be making an appearance in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” or any other film within the Marvel franchise. The NBA legend discussed his Hollywood aspirations during a conversation about his “Dunkman” league, the first professional dunking league that culminates in a $500,000 grand prize, with finals airing on TNT on August 25.
Hollywood’s Giant Dilemma
While O’Neal, 54, expressed a desire to take on more action roles, he has faced challenges due to his larger-than-life presence. “I would love to do more action roles but we were told by top Hollywood executives that I’m too big,” he explained. “What they mean by that is when I pop up on the screen everyone will go, ‘Oh, that’s Shaq!’ So, if I’m trying to play a doctor or anything, my character won’t be believable.”
A Longstanding Dream
O’Neal has been hoping for a chance to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, specifically through an “Avengers” film. His enthusiasm for participating in the franchise dates back to a 2018 interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he articulated his aspirations to be part of the superhero ensemble. “I wanted to be in the ‘Avengers’ and they were like, ‘Shaq, we f***in’ love you and we’d love to put you in, but if your face pops up on screen people are going to go, ‘Hey, that’s Shaq!’” he recounted with a wry smile.
Cameos and Future Co-Stars
Despite the setback with Marvel, O’Neal has made some memorable appearances, including a humorous cameo in this year’s “Scary Movie” and an upcoming role in “Grown Ups 3.” With his Marvel dreams dashed, the basketball superstar now has his sights set on a new goal: sharing the screen with another action icon, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. “I want to do a movie with The Rock so I can beat him up,” O’Neal declared with his trademark bravado.
A Confident Challenge
When asked if he believed he could defeat The Rock, O’Neal confidently replied, “Oh, easy! Barbecue chicken.”
Variety’s full feature on Shaquille O’Neal and “Dunkman” will run Tuesday, Aug. 25.
