The Rings of Power Star Nearly Played Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

After becoming a big part of the Lord of the Rings franchise, actor Ismael Cruz Cordova has his sights set on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Cordova plays Arondir, one of the show’s main characters. He has also had roles in other major shows like The Good Wife, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, and The Mandalorian. Cordova has also appeared in movies like Mary Queen of Scots, Miss Bala, and Settlers.

If casting for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 had turned out just a bit differently, however, we could be seeing Cordova on the big screen right now with a key role in the film. In a new interview (per Variety), Cordova explained how he has spoken with Marvel Studios about different roles he could potentially play in the MCU. He reveals how he was up for the role of Adam Warlock in the new Guardians film, but Will Poulter was ultimately cast. For his part, Cordova admits that it stung getting passed over, but he still fully understands the decision after seeing how Poulter did in the role. With that said, he’s still hoping that he’ll get his chance to join the MCU soon enough.

“I have very good relationship with the Marvel casting directors… I really wanted that one, but Will Poulter looks amazing doing it, so I’m not mad. But that was a hard one because I love that whole storyline… I always think that I haven’t gotten those roles because they’re keeping me open for the one that I want to do.”

Related: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Who Are the New Team Members?

White Tiger Is a Dream Role for Ismael Cruz Cordova

Adam Warlock wasn’t mean to be, but there’s another Marvel character Cordova still has his sights on. He spoke about how his dream role in the MCU would be playing the Hector Alaya incarnation of White Tiger. The character, who was Marvel’s first Hispanic superhero, has been appearing in Marvel comic books since 1975 but has not yet made his debut in the MCU. Cordova explains how he’d love to take on that role because he’s so intrigued by White Tiger’s backstory.

“I think that’s just another character that’s just fantastic. I love characters that are improbable heroes that are people that have got the worst deck dealt. That is my story. And I find that is many of our stories. And life is not just this little journey of redemption. How many of us were bullied? How many of us were poor? How many of us cast away? How many of our identities were something that you couldn’t be. A lot of us got cards that were a bad deck.”

Time will tell if Cordova joins the MCU, but we will see him in the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is in development. He will also appear in the upcoming film Finestkind alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, and Jenna Ortega.