Crime 101 Almost Starred Another MCU Actor in Mark Ruffalo’s Role

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Before Mark Ruffalo joined the cast of Crime 101, another well-known actor was originally going to play the part. This A-list actor was set to star with Chris Hemsworth in the thriller, but things changed during the film’s development, allowing Ruffalo to take over the role in the Amazon MGM production.

Pedro Pascal was the first choice for Crime 101

Pedro Pascal was initially going to star in the film Crime 101, based on a book by Don Winslow, alongside Chris Hemsworth. However, due to a busy schedule, Pascal had to leave the project. Mark Ruffalo will take his place, marking the first time Ruffalo and Hemsworth will act together outside of their Marvel roles. Deadline first reported this change in casting before filming began.

Amazon MGM Studios won the rights to the film Crime 101 after a competitive bidding process that reportedly cost $90 million, beating out Netflix. A key to securing the project was Amazon’s commitment to release the film in theaters, as offered by studio head Courtenay Valenti. Bart Layton directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Straughan. Crime 101 first premiered in London on January 28, 2026, and was then released in U.S. cinemas by Amazon on February 13, 2026.

I’m really excited about this movie! Chris Hemsworth plays a charismatic jewel thief named Mike Davis, and Mark Ruffalo is the detective trying to catch him. The story follows Davis as he pulls off a series of daring robberies along the 101 freeway, and everyone thinks it’s connected to a cartel. But this detective, Lubesnick, has a hunch it’s not that simple and is determined to stop Davis before he hits his last target. They’re calling it a fantastic crime thriller, kind of like ‘Heat,’ which gives you a good idea of the intensity to expect!

The film features a strong supporting cast including Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, and Halle Berry. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Derrin Schlesinger, Dimitri Doganis, Bart Layton, Shane Salerno, Chris Hemsworth, and Ben Grayson produced the movie, with Joely Fether serving as executive producer.

Filming started in Los Angeles in October 2024. Erik Wilson was in charge of the visuals, Blanck Mass created the music, and Jacob Secher Schulsinger and Julian Hart edited the film. Amazon MGM distributed the movie in North America, while Sony Pictures handled distribution elsewhere. The film is 140 minutes long and has an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon.net.

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2026-02-13 11:06