Some actors are born to play superheroes. They have the charisma, physique, optimism and acting chops that perfectly fit into the costume. In spite of the abundance of talents, Hollywood always finds its way back to these stars. And to be honest, even fans aren’t bored with them. Not every person with a jacked-up body can become a superhero. They need to carry an aura that makes fans want to look up to them. Even though the following actors have worked in other critically-acclaimed films, they owe their worldwide stardom and hundreds of millions of dollars net-worth to the comic book genre. So, find out the 10 actors who have worked in the most superhero movies.
Ben Affleck
Not just comic book fans, but any cinephile, who understands good acting and writing, enjoys Ben Affleck’s work. One might also say that Ben is more popular for films outside the superhero genre. He has played two well-known heroes in both DC and Marvel universe. His first work was in “Daredevil” as the titular anti-hero that didn’t draw positive reviews. A few years later, Ben landed yet another dark but coveted role of Batman in “Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice”, “Justice League”, and the upcoming “The Flash”.
Josh Brolin
It’s not common for an actor to play both villain and anti-hero in two different Marvel movies in the same year. But none of the makers minded sharing him because they had faith in Josh Brolin’s calibre. It’s phenomenal how Brolin was believable as Cable in “Deadpool 2” and also as Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War” without affecting either of the characters. That’s not it. He is also remembered as Jonah Hex.
Chris Evans
Chris Evans has experimented with almost every kind of role- hero, villain, rebel, and romantic partner. Considering his out-of-the-world and Greek God-like appearance, it’s no wonder why he is approached by every superhero director. He started with “Fantastic Four” as the Human Torch and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” as Lucas Lee. But Chris owes most of his international fame to Captain America in the MCU.
Ryan Reynolds
No one! I repeat! No one can play the goofy and witty Deadpool other than Ryan Reynolds. He became an overnight sensation after stepping into the shoes of the Merc with a Mouth. Even non-comic book fans rush to the theatres to watch his shenanigans. Ryan has also played other superheroes before Deadpool, which he is still trying to forget. He may deny it, but it was him behind the mask in “Green Lantern”. The actor also had to endure the pain of playing Deadpool in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” where his mouth was sealed.
Paul Bettany
We understand why any action movie director would want to cast Paul Bettany. He has moved millions of hearts even as an android with brilliant expressions and body language (we feel you, Wanda). Apart from playing Vision in the MCU, he gave his voice to J.A.R.V.I.S. in “The Avengers”. Bettany’s lesser-known roles are Dryden Vos in “Solo: A Star Wars Story”, the archangel Michael in Legion, and the titular hero in “Priest”.
Scarlett Johansson
The badass Black Widow’s character arc is best defined by Scarlett Johansson’s performance. She has left big shoes to fill for future Black Widows in the MCU. While her hard stare could make the villains cry, Natasha Romanoff’s heartfelt smile with a twinkle in her eyes melted our hearts. That’s the magic Johansson did with the character. She also played Motoko Kusanagi in the anime-sci-fi “Ghost In The Shell”.
Brandon Routh
Many have donned the cape of Superman over the decades and one of the most prominent ones is Brandon Routh. Everyone was smitten by his performance and charm in Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” despite the mixed reviews of the film. He is the only reason why DC fans revisit this movie. Brandon’s sturdy body and stern features earned him a spot in the league of heroes on the small screen as well. It started with “Arrow” and soon extended to “Legends of Tomorrow” and “Flash” as Atom. Fans were thrilled to see him revive his role as Superman from the parallel universe in “Crisis on Infinite Earths”.
Doug Jones
Doug Jones stands out from the rest on this list because of the projects he has undertaken so far. Be it Silver Surfer in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” or Abe Sapien in “Hellboy” 1 and 2, most of his heroic characters were created with CGI and motion capture. He also appeared in “Batman Returns” as Penguin’s Man, “Men in Black” as Joey, and “Mystery Man” as “Pencilhead”.
Michael B. Jordan
The charismatic Michael B. Jordan imprinted his name on MCU fans’ minds with a killer performance as Killmonger. Even though he played a villain, his popularity was no different from what a hero received. Other roles included in his bio are Human Torch from “Fantastic Four” 2015 and Steve in “Chronicle”.
Michael Jai White
Just turn on any comic book movie or TV show and you might find Michael Jai White in it. This actor has an impressive number of experiences in the genre. He started as the dark hero Spawn in the 1997 film. Michael further went on to add Bronze Tiger from “Arrow” and “Batman: Soul of the Dragon”, Doomsday from “Justice League” series, and Morris from “Silver Hawk” under his belt.
