10 Superhero Movie Castings That Were Perfect

The superhero genre quickly expanded to be the biggest ticket seller to this day. It has a massive draw, a big budget, mass appeal, incredible moments, and star power. Superheroes can embody many things: a symbol of peace and hope, a warning to villains, or just straight-up entertainment. These are the things that draw people to superheroes and make them so important in today’s landscape.

Actors themselves can make the characters and even sell tickets if they’re a household name. Because of this, the casting seems to get better and better, with the actors perfectly embodying the role, almost like they were meant to play it. While there are many great castings, this list solely focuses on superheroes, no villains or side characters, even though J.K. Simmons is probably the best casting in a superhero movie ever.

10 Jason Momoa as Aquaman

First Appearance: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)

Making his debut as Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Jason Momoa would later earn himself a standalone movie that is still one of the DCEU’s best flicks. Momoa is known for his long hair and muscled physique, which lands him many roles as villains or intimidating characters. The Aquaman movie was the first leading role for the character and proved he could handle the silver screen.

While Momoa might not be the spitting image of the comics or even act the same, he single-handedly made the character relevant in a sea of hatred for the man who can only talk to fish. The main reason for the hatred was because he was “lame” compared to the rest of the Justice League, but Momoa turned the character a complete 180 and made him a badass hero capable of so much more than fans

thought.

9 Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

First Appearance: ‘Iron Man 2’ (2010)

The fan-favorite comic character, Black Widow, finally made her debut in Iron Man 2, where Scarlett Johansson played her. It took over a decade after her debut to finally star in her standalone movie, Black Widow. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t live up to fans’ standards and was much too late for one of the most iconic characters in the MCU.

Despite Marvel not knowing what to do with the character, Johansson gave the role her all to help create one of the most recognizable characters in the franchise. Her costume, appearance and demeanour were all accurate to the source material, and she even added deeper elements to the character to make her stand out more. However, Johansson confirmed that she has retired from the MCU after her last movie.

8 Brandon Lee as Crow

First Appearance: ‘The Crow’ (1994)

While many know Brandon Lee for his father, Bruce Lee, and his unfortunate passing, Lee was on the path to stardom and boasted impressive acting skills and martial arts talent. He never got to star in many movies, but he sure left an impression on the ones he was in. The Crow is based on the graphic novel of the same name and is receiving a remake featuring Bill Skarsgård set for release sometime in 2024.

Lee perfectly embodies Crow’s character and has proved that he isn’t just an action star but can deliver emotional performances and be a drama actor. He has the emotional range to feel hatred, sorrow, empathy, and grief to create an authentic character true to the source material. The Crow is Lee’s best movie and performance, which makes it all the more unfortunate that fans were robbed of a future star in the industry.

7 Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

First Appearance: ‘X-Men’ (2000)

Hugh Jackman and Wolverine have become synonymous. As the figurehead of the X-Men franchise and the most iconic mutant, Wolverine is in many movies, including most X-Men films and his own, which focuses on the characters’ past. Despite having a wonderful sendoff in Logan, Jackman returns in the newest Deadpool movie that is sure to break box office records.

Like Momoa’s Aquaman, Jackman didn’t quite fit the bill for Wolverine, mainly because of the height difference. Despite this, Jackman created the most well-known version of the character and still incorporated many mannerisms and overall personality. Many fans can’t imagine a Wolverine that isn’t Jackman because he has been the only live-action version, although that may change after his next appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine.

6 Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier

First Appearance: ‘X-Men’ (2000)

Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, made his movie debut in X-Men, where he would then continue as the character, even making a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Patrick Stewart was the first actor from the X-Men universe to cameo in the MCU, but he found it quite frustrating. Stewart is a legendary actor known for his roles in Star Trek and Hamlet and is one of the most talented people ever to play a superhero.

As the leader and teacher of the X-Men, the character is wise, kind and empathetic, values which Stewart perfectly manifests. Because of his experience in stage acting, Stewart could switch between serious and funny, making the character a fan-favorite with his incredible performance. He could also switch it up for Logan and play a hurting and dying version of the character while still trying to help Logan and be the teacher he always was.

5 Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn

First Appearance: ‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

While the character was originally a villain, lately, Harley Quinn has become more of a hero with flawed morals. This all started when Margot Robbie debuted as the character in Suicide Squad. Despite poor reviews, Robbie’s character stood out enough to gain international praise and follow-up movies, including The Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey. Robbie paved the way for the character, who now has her own TV show and role in the upcoming Joker: Folie à deux.

Robbie helped the character evolve from villainous companion to the Joker into a complex and exciting character capable of supporting an entire movie by herself. Despite her redesign and different role, Robbie’s Harley Quinn still feels like the crazy clown fans know and love. She nails the voice and unhinged nature of the character while adding human elements and character development to turn Harley Quinn into the most popular female superhero/villain.

4 Ron Perlman as Hellboy

First Appearance: ‘Hellboy’ (2004)

The Hellboy movie established itself as one of the few superhero movies to gain footing outside of Marvel and DC, thanks to some changes in the comic and Ron Perlman‘s stellar performance. Guillermo del Toro directs this cult classic with his notable style of humanizing monsters. Because of their friendship, Perlman and del Toro have worked together in various roles, including Pacific Rim and Cronos.

While David Harbour‘s casting for the character is excellent, and Jack Kesy has potential in the upcoming Hellboy: The Crooked Man, no one can live up to Perlman’s performance. Perlman naturally exudes the rough look and voice of the character and plays his sarcasm perfectly, making him the spitting image of the comics. Thanks to del Toro, he graced fans with this perfect casting as he relentlessly convinced the studio to get Perlman, knowing he was perfect for the role.

3 Christopher Reeve as Superman

First Appearance: ‘Superman’ (1978)

Superman is the most popular superhero in history and he really defined the whole genre with his creation. Since then, there have been eleven live-action versions of the character, but none more iconic than Christopher Reeve‘s take on the character. Superman was the first real movie for the character since the 1940s, and the most famous role for Reeve, even if he is more proud of his performance in The Remains of the Day.

Reeve did more than act the character; he essentially was the character with his good nature and helping attitude. He embodied all of Superman’s values, including empathy and kindness, but also played the role of Clark Kent just as well. Both he and Superman are American heroes who inspired generations of kids to become their best selves and always do good. Even though Reeve is the embodiment of Superman, David Corenswet looks to be another worthy casting as fans wait to see his performance in 2025.

2 Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool

First Appearance: ‘Deadpool’ (2016)

Despite first appearing earlier in the franchise, Ryan Reynolds truly became Deadpool when he got his own movie after years of delays. The character was always popular among fans because of his fourth-wall-breaking jokes and unique personality, but he reached worldwide recognition when Reynolds starred as the character in the 2016 movie. His popularity began to rise with the sequel and now is set to enter the MCU with Deadpool and Wolverine, the most anticipated movie of the year.

Luckily, Reynolds’s appearance in X-Men Origins Wolverine didn’t stop Marvel from hiring him to play the merc with a mouth properly. Even if they did hire someone else, all they would be doing is acting as Reynolds, and that’s because Reynolds is Deadpool. His natural charisma, wittiness, and sarcasm make him perfect for bringing the character to life, and his suit and dynamic white eyes accentuate this. His comedy and wall-breaking attitude were on point to make Deadpool Reynolds’ best movie.

1 Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man

First Appearance: ‘Iron Man’ (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man are one and the same, but that is only because Marvel took the risk of hiring Downey Jr. for what would eventually lead to the greatest comeback for an actor. He first sported the red and gold in 2008 and would stack on two more solo movies before becoming the lead Avenger and the star of the MCU. Despite the character’s death, Downey Jr. has expressed interest in returning as Iron Man.

People now know Iron Man to be one of the biggest superheroes in the world, but that wasn’t always the case. Before the movie, he was a C-tier hero who some people knew, but it was Downery Jr. who made the character into the most popular hero. He suits the character so much and even admitted that Iron Man/Tony Stark is the character most similar to him. His natural swagger and charisma easily flow into the character as he looks, acts and feels like Iron Man, and without him, the MCU wouldn’t be nearly as successful.