It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Glenn Howerton Once Auditioned For A Major Marvel Role
Although actor Glenn Howerton has had starring roles in television series like "That '80's Show" and "A.P. Bio," his most iconic role is that of Dennis Reynolds on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" — which is unfortunate since Dennis is by all accounts a monstrous human being. Considering that Howerton is both an executive producer and a writer for "Sunny," you might think that he would have toned down Dennis' revolting behavior as the series went on, though that has not been the case.
At the start of the series, Dennis (along with nearly every other character in the show) was simply a delusional narcissist with a love for beer and a short temper. Yet, of all the characters in "Sunny," Dennis, in particular, seems to become more and more psychotic with each passing season, to the point that some fans have picked up on Dennis' concerning traits that compare him to serial killer Ted Bundy. Indeed, as someone who is known for playing a character as deranged and selfish as Dennis Reynolds, it seems odd to imagine Howerton taking on a role in a (relatively) child-friendly franchise like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perhaps that is why it is so surprising to learn that Howerton originally auditioned for the role of Peter Quill in 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Howerton was James Gunn's second choice for Star-Lord
During a 2013 interview with Chud.com, Glenn Howerton revealed that he had auditioned for the role of Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) but lost out to Chris Pratt. "I did audition recently for 'Guardians of the Galaxy' to play the role that Chris Pratt is playing," Howerton explained. "I know the director of that movie, supposedly, is a big 'Sunny' fan, which is cool." Indeed, director James Gunn confirmed in 2021 that he did seriously consider Howerton for the role and revealed that Howerton was his second choice to play Peter Quill. In response to a question about whether or not Howerton and his "Sunny" co-star Rob McElhenny auditioned for the film, Gunn tweeted: "If Rob did, I don't remember, but @GlennHowerton did, and he was probably my 2nd choice for Star-Lord."
Considering the fact that Peter Quill (Pratt) has become such a massively important character within the context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (playing a major role in "Avengers: Infinity War" and serving as the primary protagonist of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy), it's mind-boggling to know just how close Howerton was to becoming Star-Lord. Indeed, although the more deranged aspects of Dennis Reynolds' character may not have fit within the MCU, Howerton has certainly shown himself to be more than capable of playing a character as eccentric and egotistical as Peter Quill. Even though Pratt inevitably ended up winning the role, one still has to wonder what it could've been like to see the Golden God himself fighting alongside the Avengers.