The Marvel Cinematic Universe is responsible for many amazing quotes, and some of the best lines spoken by the series’ stars aren’t even in the movies at all. The best lines of dialogue in the MCU are incredibly memorable and poignant, carried by their delivery by the franchise’s increasingly impressive roster of famous actors. The MCU’s stars have so much raw personality and charisma that they often generate amazingly quotable lines without even trying, even when not given the context of a Marvel Studios script.
In promotional materials for the MCU’s many movies, the series’ cast has let slip some amazing lines that are at once funny, heartwarming, and instantly memeable. Some of these zingers come from press tours and interviews, whereas others still are the result of carefully crafted social media posts drumming up excitement for the next major release. In any case, the MCU has a knack for producing instantly classic quotes even when it isn’t necessarily trying.
10 “New Mask, Same Task”
Robert Downey Jr. takes on his second MCU character
The recent announcement that Robert Downey Jr. will be returning to the MCU to play none other than the highly-anticipated Doctor Doom was an earth-shattering revelation to many MCU fans. The divisive announcement instantly drummed up hype for the next major Marvel crossover movie, with vocal critics of the casting choice lamenting the return of Downey after having such a perfect send-off in Avengers: Endgame. But the MCU is nothing if not self-referential, and Downey’s return as Doom is highly anticipated.
After his dramatic reveal at 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con, in which Robert Downey Jr. strode across the stage in a full Doctor Doom costume only to take off the mask to wordlessly make the announcement, the actor elaborated on his thoughts of the role. Downey’s first words following the reveal were “New mask, same task“, before following up with “What can I tell you, I like playing complicated characters.“, drawing some parallels between Doom and Iron Man. Regardless of how his performance turns out, this is a legendary quote that won’t soon be forgotten.
9 “In Deadpool & Wolverine, Hugh Didn’t Just Make Dreams Come True For Fans Of Wolverine. He Made MY Dreams Come True Too. He Is THE X-Man.”
Ryan Reynolds gushes over his co-star
Not every memorable line from an MCU cast member comes out before the relevant film is released. Few stars are closer to their Marvel characters than Ryan Reynolds is to Deadpool. Reynolds famously fought tooth-and-nail for the first Deadpool to get made, and years later, Deadpool & Wolverine became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. This likely wouldn’t have been possible without the involvment of Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine, something Reynolds is all too aware of.
In an emotional Instagram post, Reynolds gushed over his Australian co-lead in Deadpool & Wolverine, admiring his dedication to making the film happen. Echoing the words of the film itself, Reynolds clarifies that Hugh Jackman is indeed THE X-Man, being the face of Fox’s original franchise before smoothly making the transition to the MCU proper. All Jackman could respond with at the top of the comment section was “And … I’m crying. Again.” Clearly, Jackman and Reynolds both have a fierce love for their historic team-up movie.
8 “Yeah, Tom Holland, F**k You!”
Anthony Mackie gets the last word in his rivalry with Tom Holland
If there’s one MCU cast member whose off-screen personality outshines his actual screentime in the movies, it’s Anthony Mackie, the actor behind Sam Wilson, a.k.a. The Falcon, a.k.a. Captain America. Famously, Mackie got in a friendly feud with Tom Holland after their banter began to infiltrate the press tours of various Marvel movies. It started with Mackie accusing Holland of being a diva and making fun of his age, only for the British actor to fire back by pointing out that Mackie hadn’t yet received a solo movie.
Now that Sam Wilson will officially take over the mantle of Captain America in the MCU with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, Holland’s diss no longer applies. Triumphant at this fact, Mackie said “Yeah, Tom Holland, f**k you!“, at the movie’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, calling back to their rivalry. It’ll be interesting to see how Tom Holland responds to this evolution of his “beef” with Anthony Mackie, if he does at all.
7 “No, You Shouldn’t Have Said That. I’m Special And Different”
Robert Downey Jr. clarifies he isn’t an average Joe
One of the best parts of Iron Man 3 was seeing Tony Stark interact with a normal kid, Harley Keener, played by (at the time) child actor Ty Simpkins. During Iron Man 3‘s press tour, Simpkins was eager to share his new friendship with the prolific actor, hoping to take away some of his mystique by saying “Robert is a person just like everyone else.” Clearly taking offense at being referred to as “just” a normal person, Downey was quick to clarify, “No, you shouldn’t have said that. I’m special and different.”
By all accounts, Robert Downey Jr. is actually quite a down-to-earth and friendly individual as far as major Hollywood stars go. But there’s no denying that he enjoys putting on a tongue-in-cheek public persona of arrogance at official events, blurring the line between his actual personality and the character of Tony Stark. Robert Downey Jr.’s quick dismissal of Simpkins’ words here is one of the best examples of his quick wit in keeping up this charade.
6 “Oh My God! Sebastian Stan!”
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan give an insight into their bromance
Anthony Mackie’s rivalry with Tom Holland is far from his only notable relationship with an MCU co-star. In multiple instances, Mackie has demonstrated a powerful bromance with co-star Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier. One of the most amazing examples of their chemistry is the moment in which Mackie steals an interview of Stan from a hapless Entertainment Tonight interviewer, opening the impromptu conversation with “Oh my God! Sebastian Stan!”
From there, Mackie went on to fawn over how handsome he thought Stan was, bringing up topics ranging from his workout routine to his Prada suit. It’s hard to say the Entertainment Tonight interviewer was expecting Mackie to actually grab her mic when she jokingly suggested he should be the one to interview Stan himself. Clearly, The Winter Soldier and The Falcon’s relationship in the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was inspired by Stan and Mackie’s off-screen antics.
5 “Gracefully, I’m Switching With Paul Rudd”
Jeremy Renner and Paul Rudd are impossible to be contained
Clearly, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan are far from the only pair of hilariously off-script friends among the MCU’s many stars. Paul Rudd and Jeremy Renner also seem to be something of kindred spirits, as demonstrated by their chaotic dual interview with Fandango. The fact that both actors have their roots in comedies only fuels the fire of their relentless hi-jinks.
In the interview, the two are asked which Avenger they’d like to switch places with. Almost telepathically, Rudd and Renner instantaneously agree to hastily switch seats in the interview, prompting Renner to elaborate “Gracefully, I’m switching with Paul Rudd.” As if that weren’t unruly enough, Renner continues by clarifying “I can’t wait to be little!” as Rudd literally falls out of his chair with laughter. It’s moments like these that make interviews with MCU stars so priceless and memorable.
4 “Get That B***h Off The Monitor!”
Robert Downey Jr. cusses out a fan
It’s rare for a Marvel Studios fan to get the chance to interview their idol, but as one hilarious moment with the cast of The Avengers proved, fans should always be careful what they wish for. During an interview segment with all six original Avengers on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a handful of fans got the chance to ask a question directly to some of Marvel Studios’ biggest stars via video call. However, one of them touched a nerve when she asked who the biggest diva of the cast was, implying that she might know the answer.
After lots of prodding, the caller eventually admitted that she thought that Robert Downey Jr. would definitely be the biggest diva. Without missing a beat, Downey simply uttered “Get this b***h off the monitor!“, causing the studio audience to roar with laughter. On paper, this barb might seem quite cruel, but the moment was all in good fun, with the caller herself aghast with equal parts delight and embarrassment at hearing her idol curse her out.
3 “Let Me Borrow 20 Dollars!”
Anthony Mackie compares himself to a Disney princess
No matter who he’s paired up with, Anthony Mackie has demonstrated time and time again that he has some of the funniest off-the-cuff answers when it comes to press tour interviews. During an interview with Yahoo! alongside Chris Evans, the pair were asked to name all seven dwarves, something which Evans was impressively able to do with little difficulty. However, the true laughs came next when the interviewer asked both Captain America alter egos which Disney princess they’d be.
For his part, Evans gave a thoughtful, well-composed answer, comparing himself to Belle from Beauty and the Beast due to her tenacity and intelligence. Meanwhile, Anthony was quick to blurt out that he felt represented by Cinderella because they were both broke, turning to Evans to say “Let me borrow 20 dollars!” to prove his point. Once again, the MCU star’s quick wit was so funny that Chris Evans wasn’t able to stay in his seat, melting to the floor thanks to Mackie’s ridiculous answer.
2 “I Folded Like Fresh Laundry, My Friend”
Winston Duke was star-struck by Rhianna
One thing about being flung into stardom by the MCU is the fact that it gives one the opportunity to meet many celebrity crushes. Winston Duke, the actor behind M’Baku of Black Panther fame, experienced this first hand. In an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Duke described a meeting with one of his all-time favorite celebrities, Rihanna, whom he was able to come into contact with following his rise to fame thanks to M’Baku.
Though he had intricately rehearsed a whole plan on what to say to the singer sensation upon meeting her for years, Winston Duke became genuinely star-struck shortly after meeting Rihanna, especially once he learned that she knew who he was. By telling Jimmy Kimmel that he “Folded like fresh laundry“, Duke ironically proved his possession of the very charm and wit that got his career far enough to land a meeting with Rihanna in the first place. Hopefully, his next meeting with his celebrity idol will go over more smoothly.
1 “Wait ‘Till You See This Next One, Everybody Dies!”
Mark Ruffalo spoils Infinity War on live TV
While Tom Holland is also notorious among the Marvel Cinematic Universe cast for accidentally spoiling key plot elements of Marvel movies, Mark Ruffalo just might have him beat with one of the most infamous examples of interview spoilers ever. In a fateful interview with Good Morning America, Ruffalo was seated next to Don Cheadle as the two discussed the then-upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. Soon, the conversation became dicey when the topic of dead superheroes came up.
Forgetting his place for a moment, Ruffalo matter-of-factly stated “Wait ’till you see this next one, everybody dies!“. Cheadle’s immediate reaction of genuine disappointment, not to mention the earnestness with which Ruffalo made the claim, made this by far the biggest spoiler for the film ever to hit official channels. Hilariously, the interviewers and audience had no idea just how accurate Ruffalo’s statements were until they finally could see the movies for themselves, making this one of the most legendary MCU quotes outside the films for all the wrong reasons.
