The McConaissance is still upon us, and Matthew McConaughey is in high demand. He almost had a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but instead opted for the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. With the Guardians sequel poised to rake in the billions, why take a chance on a franchise-starter that might not have the same box office heft? McConaughey explained that he chose it for just that reason, and because he didn’t want to join a franchise as an afterthought.

Speaking with Playboy, he revealed that the reason he made his choice is because he didn’t want to feel like an “afterthought.”

I like Guardians of the Galaxy, but what I saw was ‘It’s successful, and now we’ve got room to make a colorful part for another big-name actor.’ I’d feel like an amendment. The Dark Tower script was well written, I like the director and his take on it, and I can be the creator, the author of the Man in Black—a.k.a. the Devil—in my version of this Stephen King novel. We’ve done the first one. It’s a fantastic thriller that takes place in another realm, an alternate universe, but it’s very much grounded. For instance, the gunslinger’s weapon isn’t a lightsaber or something; it’s a pistol. I enjoyed approaching my character as if I were the Devil having a good time, getting turned on by exposing human hypocrisies wherever he finds them.

Guardians of the Galaxy is great, and Vol. 2 looks just as fun, but this sounds perfectly reasonable. And, to be fair, Marvel’s franchise machine only allows for so much creativity, which is probably something McConaughey just didn’t want to deal with. This way, with The Dark Tower, he’s allowed total control over the beginning of a potential series, rather than a guest spot within an already-established arc.

The Dark Tower is directed by Nikolaj Arcel, stars Idris Elba, Jackie Earle Haley, Fran Kranz, and Abbey Lee Kershaw, and hits theaters July 28, 2017.

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