Bruce Campbell Turned Down Big MCU Roles For Years — Then Cracked A Cameo In Doctor Strange 2 With The Most Bruce Campbell Line Ever
Bruce Campbell turned down major MCU roles for years, only to steal the spotlight in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with a hilarious cameo
Bruce Campbell’s Pizza Poppa Cameo in Doctor Strange 2 Is Peak Chaos—and Totally Iconic(Photo Credit –YouTube)
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Bruce Campbell has always marched to the beat of his own bloody, chainsaw-wielding drum. So when the MCU came knocking with big roles? He said no. Repeatedly. That’s the kind of chaotic energy only Campbell can pull off — the cult legend who could have been a major Marvel baddie, but instead chose to beat himself up in a pizza cart for two glorious scenes.
Turns out, he wasn’t looking for franchise fame. He was looking for something smaller. Something… stranger.
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“Well, the MCU just finally caught up with me. Because I’ve turned them down for so many of these big parts. And they said, ‘How about a small part instead?’ I go, ‘You know what? That’s what
I’m looking for,’” Campbell joked during San Diego Comic-Con, per Screenrant.
And so, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Campbell finally stepped into Marvel territory. Not as Mephisto, not as Mister Sinister, but as Pizza Poppa – the street vendor who becomes collateral damage in one of Strange’s chaotic spells. Two scenes, one very bruised face, and the most Bruce Campbell exit line ever: “It’s over!”
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Bruce Campbell’s Cameo Was Pure Raimi Nostalgia – And 100% Bruce Being Bruce
Campbell’s MCU debut isn’t just a gag, it’s a nod to decades of bromance with director Sam Raimi. These two go way back to Evil Dead, and Campbell’s fingerprints are all over Raimi’s filmography. His cameos in the Spider-Man trilogy are fan-favorite easter eggs. This one? Same deal.
Asked if Raimi’s presence was the tipping point, Campbell grinned:
“That does help. I tend to say yes when Sam wants to do something, yes.”
And frankly, that’s the vibe. He’s not chasing capes or serious arcs. He’s there for the laugh, the legacy, and the fans who’ve followed his unhinged ride from Ash Williams to Pizza Poppa.
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Would Campbell have crushed a major MCU villain role? Probably. Would it have been as iconic as him punching himself in the face while yelling about mustard? Unlikely.
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Sometimes, the best Marvel moment is just letting Bruce Campbell be Bruce Campbell – weird, wild, and completely unforgettable.
