One of the most iconic franchises of the past decade, starting as comic books and then adapted into a film series; Marvel superhero movies continue to dominate at the box office as one of the most successful genres of our time. Now, with television shows and too many spinoff films to count, the franchise has become a massive success, pulling millions of fans into the greatness that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

But, what if this behemoth of a franchise was started a decade or so earlier? It seems as though films in the ’90s were dominated by the action genre, but imagine instead that the successful superhero genre took off during that period. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine, and it’s likely that the entire genre would look somewhat different. There would be a slightly different tone, different directors, more practical effects, and most importantly, a whole different set of actors to define the characters that we know and love. Here is who would play the Avengers, if the franchise was produced in the 1990s.

8 Kevin Costner as Captain America

     Gordon Company

Good ole Cap; clean-shaven, a strong leader, and a powerful voice in The Avengers. There would be no better cast than Kevin Costner. With a clean-cut, all-American look, he fits the bill from an aesthetic point of view. Additionally, we have seen him in a military environment with his film The Postman, and he does a pretty spectacular job. Costner is a very talented actor with both an Emmy and an Oscar under his belt. There wouldn’t be a more apt actor to have the honor of wielding Captain America’s shield.

7 Brad Pitt as Thor

     Sony Pictures Releasing

With his long hair, stylish facial hair, and already close to looking like a Norse God, this is another actor who would match the aesthetics well. Like Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt has range. He can be both serious and intimidating, and switch his cadence on a dime to show humor and sensitivity. With two Oscars and an Emmy, he has the resume and wit for the prestigious role of Thor.

6 Bruce Willis as Hawkeye

     20th Century Fox

Bruce Willis as Hawkeye would be quite the dream cast; his history of action roles assures he would be able to accomplish the stunt work and choreographed fighting. His foreboding and ominous voice would bring a darker tone to the character, but it would fit well with Hawkeye. With two Primetime Emmy wins and one nomination, he is sure to fit well among our 1990s casting.

5 Sigourney Weaver as Black Widow

     Via: Columbia-Delphi Productions

Sigourney Weaver is a master of drama and has a range of experience in the science fiction and fantasy genres. She boasts the record of two Academy Award nominations and four Emmy nominations. It is easy to imagine her as the cunning, talented, and powerful character of Black Widow.

4 Daniel Day-Lewis as Hulk

     Paramount Vantage

This may be one of the best casts on our list; Daniel Day-Lewis would crush really any role in the MCU, but picturing him as the conflicted and easily tempered Bruce Banner is just too perfect of a fit. We know Day-Lewis will be able to channel all the rage necessary for the Hulk side of the performance as well, with his exemplary explosive line delivery in There Will Be Blood. As a well-decorated actor with three Oscar wins, Day-Lewis would play an extraordinary rendition of the Hulk.

3 Denzel Washington as Iron Man

     TriStar Pictures

The performance from Robert Downey Jr. is hard to beat. The actor does a superb job at capturing the ethos of a tech billionaire, and only an equally talented actor would be able to do the character justice. Denzel Washington would be at the top of the list for Iron Man in a 1990s Avenger film. With two Oscar wins and an incredible history of on-screen performances, Denzel Washington would have no issue with rising to the occasion.

2 Nicolas Cage as Ant-Man

     Minds Eye Entertainment

Keeping the light and funny tone that Paul Rudd brings to the character, there would be no better casting than Nicolas Cage in a 1990s version of the film. Whether you are a fan of Cage is beside the point, his addition would bring a unique personality to the MCU — and seeing a super large Nicolas Cage fighting against Hydra would be pretty hilarious. Although his role in National Treasure gave the actor a sort of meme status, he is quite an accomplished actor, with an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his film Leaving Las Vegas.

1 Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

     Mutual Film Company

Finally, we round out our fantasy list with a familiar face, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Jackson did a beautiful job with the Nick Fury character; it’s hard to imagine anyone else — so we won’t. With an Oscar and Emmy nomination as well as a recent Honorary Oscar Win, Jackson would be just as good, if not better, in a ’90s Avengers film.