Back in 2004, GOTTI actor John Travolta starred as villain Howard Saint in director Jonathan Hensleigh's THE PUNISHER featuring Thomas Jane as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher. Since that time, the Marvel brand has grown by leaps and bounds, transforming itself into a multi-billion dollar juggernaut of comic-related entertainment.
Recently while attending FAN EXPO Boston, Travolta expressed interest in returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so long as his part is more "reality-based."
“I’m more reality-based in acting choices. So whatever Marvel scenario invites more of a reality — like The Punisher was very reality-based, and I’m more attracted to that than fantasticism,” Travolta explained. “So that’s all I could say about that. That’s why I like the Bond movies, because even though they’re bigger than life, they’re still reality-based.”
When speaking about what attracts him to a project, Travolta let on that he prefers when a script "is a story that I love and want to tell." The LOOK WHO'S TALKING alum then added, “And is the character [one] that I can believe I can do differently enough to be entertaining to the audience? And maybe that you couldn’t imagine another actor [in the role], if I did it well enough,” Travolta said. “You say, ‘well, I don’t want to see anyone else do that role.’ And then I would feel that I had achieved my goal.”
While Travolta was once an actor in high-demand, his star had flickered significantly leading up to the release of director Kevin Connelly's GOTTI. Travolta starred as crime boss John Gotti in the film penned by Leo Rossi and Lem Dobbs, which was universally panned by fans and critics alike. The 2018 crime drama currently has a 0% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, as well as an Audience Score of 47%. That's not to say that Travolta isn't due for a comeback. In fact, he recently reprised several of his most iconic roles while appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Granted, it was only for Fallon's Travolta generator bit, but who's to say that the FACE/OFF and PULP FICTION actor can't rise like a mighty phoenix, and go to star in some contemporary blockbusters? Stranger things have happened, and Travolta obviously still has a burning desire to act his pants off, so let's get Kevin Feige on the horn, shall we?
Would you like to see Travolta return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Who would you have him play? Let us know in the comment section below.