The writer behind Iron Man 3 reveals that Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke originally had a role in the film before the script changed. Drew Pearce initially began working with Marvel Studios several years before writing the third Iron Man movie to try and make a Runaways movie possible. The project deteriorated - and now Hulu has a live-action series of their own - but Pearce was paired up with director Shane Black to figure out how to close out the Iron Man franchise.

Together, Pearce and Black developed a script that would see Tony Stark stripped of his Iron Man suit and The Mandarin as the villain until the twist came that he’s a fake. This backbone of the story, also loosely based on the Extremis comic run, is seen in the movie that hit theaters in 2013, but it also changed substantially. Iron Man 3 originally featured Maya Hansen as the secret main villain of the piece, but Ike Perlmutter had this changed out of concerns over toy sales of a female villain. Not only was Maya’s role reduced drastically, but so too were the roles of many other female parts. And the Mother of Dragons was apparently going to have a role.

Pearce recently posted a photo on Instagram from an early table read of Iron Man 3 from 2012, where he revealed that Emilia Clarke was present because she was originally cast in the film. The writer wouldn’t reveal what part she would play, however; only that she joined at one point before leaving as a result of script changes.

Clarke having a role at one point in Iron Man 3 is a big surprise, as her casting was never reported, and apparently for a good reason. Now that her almost appearance is known, many will wonder what role she could’ve had. There are only three significant female roles in the movie as a whole, and one of them is Pepper Potts. She could’ve been initially the one courted by Marvel to play Maya when she had a more significant role. If that was the case, then it is likely Clarke stepped away after they reduced the size of the part. If she wasn’t going to play Maya, though, she could’ve played the role that eventually went to Stephanie Szostak or a completely different character who was cut from the script entirely.

Whatever the role might have been, Clarke nearly joining the MCU back in 2012 could’ve led to an enormous change for both parties. Iron Man 3 would have been Clarke’s first major blockbuster, releasing toward the middle of Game of Thrones’ third season. There’s no guarantee that her role would have allowed for future appearances, but it would have given Clarke a bigger franchise debut than she eventually got with Terminator: Genisys and Marvel Studios another big star. Since this role in Iron Man 3 did not come to pass, and Clarke’s schedule is freed up with the hit HBO series having ended, maybe she could join one of the many Phase 4 MCU films currently in development.

MORE: Avengers: Endgame’s Iron Man 3 Cameo Highlights A Marvel Problem

Source: Drew Pearce

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