Mark Wahlberg Hints at Marvel Phase 6 Role — Is the Play Dirty Star Joining the MCU?
At 54, Mark Wahlberg says he’s unlikely to join Marvel—even with Phase 6 approaching—and he’s glad a DC hero didn’t pan out, as Play Dirty lands on Prime Video October 1, 2025.
If you ever wondered whether Mark Wahlberg might pop up in a Marvel suit, he pretty much answered that one: probably not. The 54-year-old was chatting about superheroes while rolling out his new movie 'Play Dirty,' which hits Prime Video on October 1, 2025. And yes, there is some inside baseball here involving Robert Downey Jr., a character named Parker, and a Robin that never was.
Wahlberg on Marvel: love the movies, not the spandex
At the 'Play Dirty' premiere, Wahlberg told Entertainment Tonight he genuinely enjoys superhero movies, but actually being the guy in the suit is another story. Specifically, he shouted out 'Iron Man' as his gold standard for how good these things can be. At the same time, he says he has never really chased comic-book roles and, conveniently, the offers have not forced the issue either.
"I don't know if I have the confidence to walk out of my trailer in one of those costumes."
Worth noting: 'Play Dirty' is produced by Team Downey, the company run by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey, and Wahlberg says Downey Jr. was actually lined up to play Wahlberg's character, Parker, before he came aboard. So when ET asked if Downey Jr. could recruit him for the MCU, Wahlberg gave the above very honest answer. Translation: he is happy watching, less thrilled about suiting up.
The DC near-miss he is glad he dodged
Wahlberg also revealed he was once in talks to play Dick Grayson/Robin in 'Batman & Robin' and is perfectly fine that it did not happen. That 1997 movie went to Chris O'Donnell and got roasted by critics, so no lingering FOMO there.
Where he actually lands: action guy with range
Wahlberg has been at this since the late 1980s, and while he leans action these days (he has the thriller 'Flight Risk' on the way), his resume is broader than the tough-guy lane. Superheroes? Not really. Superhero-adjacent chaos? Absolutely, hello 'Transformers.' If you need a refresher, here are some of the big ones:
- 'The Basketball Diaries' (1995)
- 'Fear' (1996)
- 'Boogie Nights' (1997)
- 'The Italian Job' (2003)
- 'The Departed' (2006)
- 'The Fighter' (2010)
- 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' (2014)
- 'Transformers: The Last Knight' (2017)
The gist: Wahlberg loves a good superhero movie, especially 'Iron Man,' but do not expect him to squeeze into a cape for Marvel or DC. Between 'Play Dirty' (where he took over a role Downey Jr. once had dibs on) and the rest of his action-heavy lineup, he is getting the explosions without the spandex. Honestly, sounds like a fair trade.