Dev Patel has been a highly sought-after talent ever since his breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, but for the most part (we won't dwell on The Last Airbender), he's avoided mainstream blockbuster-type roles.
That doesn't mean he's never had a few brushes with any of the major franchises, however.
While speaking to Total Film about his latest project, A24's Arthurian drama The Green Knight, Patel recalled an unsuccessful audition for one of the recent Star Wars movies. He doesn't say which film or mention the role (we assume it was either Finn or Poe Dameron), but he didn't land the gig... obviously!
"I don’t know if you’re allowed to talk about it, because you sign an NDA. But yeah, I think everyone did. Everyone auditioned for Star Wars," he says. "I remember, I think I was doing Marigold 2, and I sent them an iPhone video from my trailer in India. The next minute, I got a call-back, and I was there, and that was fascinating."
Patel went on to reveal that he has either auditioned or been offered (he doesn't specify) superhero movie roles in the past, but for whatever reason, none of them seemed to be right for him.
"I mean, look, I’m not opposed to it. Those movies are a real spectacle when done right. I guess if I fit in these worlds... I don’t know. The alchemy hasn’t been right for me, personally yet. These journeys with people like David [Lowery, director of The Green Knight], and stuff like that, have really been the most nourishing."
"I don’t want to shit on those movies, because there are some incredible performers that manage to go off and win Oscars, and then go and do a big Marvel movie," he added. "And there are films like Black Panther that culturally changed the paradigm in massive ways. I liked the first Captain America. I thought that was amazing, the action in that. And so it’s just finding the right one. It’s being invited along, and also finding the right one. The ones that I have been offered, which I can’t talk about, haven’t quite worked for me."
What do you guys think? Do any specific characters come to mind that you'd like to see Patel play? Drop us a comment down below. The Green Knight hits US theaters on July 30.