Emily Blunt — Lost Black Widow to Scheduling

Emily Blunt was initially cast as Black Widow in “Iron Man 2” but dropped out due to a contract for “Gulliver’s Travels,” which underperformed with $237 million worldwide against a $112 million budget. Scarlett Johansson replaced her and earned an estimated $75 million from 10 MCU films, including a solo “Black Widow.” Blunt has since built an acclaimed career with “A Quiet Place” and “Oppenheimer,” but that windfall highlights a pivotal loss that haunts Hollywood’s “what ifs.”