Comic books dominate the media landscape of the 21st century. Specifically, it's the titans of Marvel and DC Comics who now populate blockbusters. With the same batch of characters featuring over and over in adaptation, many actors have gotten their chances at playing these pop icons.
Of course, there have been foul-ups on the casting front. Here are 10 comic book characters who have featured in multiple adaptations yet been lucky enough to avoid that.
10 Every Live-Action Alfred Pennyworth Is Amazing
As Bruce Wayne's aide and surrogate father, Alfred Pennyworth is the most vital supporting character in Batman's world. Whenever there's a new Batman, a new Alfred almost always follows. Every actor has brought the appropriate amount of Britishness and snark to the role, from Michael Gough across all four Batman films to Jeremy Irons as directed by Zack Snyder. The best in the part was Michael Caine, with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy handling Alfred and Bruce's relationship the most affectingly. Time will soon tell what Andy Serkis brings to Alfred in The Batman.
9 The Black Panther Always Commands Presence Of A King
For now and many generations to come, T'Challa/Black Panther will be synonymous with the late legend Chadwick Boseman. Playing the character across the MCU, Boseman brought the exact regal charisma the role demands. That said, other Black Panther performers, from Keith David in the 1994 Fantastic Four series to James C. Mathis III in both Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes then Avengers Assemble, deserve praise too.
8 Even When Sidelined, Commissioner Gordon Is Well-Cast
Just after Alfred, Commissioner Gordon is the most important non-costumed character in the Batman universe. Viewers introduced to the Caped Crusader via Batman: The Animated Series will associate Gordon most with the stern voice of Bob Hastings. On the live-action front, Pat Hingle and JK Simmons fit the part but were underutilized, Gary Oldman takes the top prize, while Jeffrey Wright looks very promising.
7 Doctor Octopus Shines Across All Mediums
The most prolific Spider-Man villain is Doc Ock himself. Remarkably, every actor who's played the part excelled. The sole live-action Octavius, Alfred Molina, remains the best Spider-Man movie villain. Looking to animation, Peter MacNicol hammed it up for a much less tragic Otto for Spectacular Spider-Man, while Tom Kenny played against type as a colder, creepier Ock and proved one of the highlights of Ultimate Spider-Man.
The biggest deviation from type, however, was Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Kathryn Hahn played Doctor Olivia Octavius and knocked it out of the park with villainous mania attuned to the film's sensibilities.
6 Every J. Jonah Jameson Actor Strikes The Perfect Pitch
Daily Bugle EIC J. Jonah Jameson remains Spider-Man's greatest frenemy. Paul Klingman was the first to voice the character in the 1967 Spider-Man series. Every subsequent animated Jameson, from Ed Asner in 1994's Spider-Man and Daran Norris in Spectacular Spider-Man, has only been better than the last. That said, the real star here is JK Simmons, who played JJ in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. Simmons' performance was so pitch-perfect that he's been called back as Jameson many times, from animation in Ultimate Spider-Man to the MCU as of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
5 Even The Worst Harley Quinn Voice Is Passable
Unlike most Batman rogues, Harley Quinn originated in animation, not comics. This means that Harley's voice, provided by Arleen Sorkin, has been intrinsic to the character from the beginning. While no one can dethrone Sorkin, most subsequent Harley actors haven't tried to. Instead, they, from Hynden Walch to Tara Strong to live-action performer Harley Quinn, mostly follow the mold Sorkin set and are at least entertaining while doing so.
4 The Kingpin Is Always Intimidating
Wilson Fisk may just be a mortal man, but the Kingpin Of Crime is no one who anyone wants to mess with. In animation, Roscoe Lee Browne starred in 1994's Spider-Man, where Fisk was the series' main villain, while Liev Schreiber voiced the character in Into The Spider-Verse. Looking to live-action, Michael Clarke Duncan's Kingpin was a highlight of the otherwise ill-received Daredevil. Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal in Netflix's Daredevil was even better.
3 The Martian Manhunter Is Reliably Well-Cast
The Martian Manhunter is usually an ancillary part of the Justice League - not much of one for the spotlight of solo books, J'onn J'onzz is still one of the team's founding members, almost always present even if in the background. Fitting this persona, he's also always reliably well-cast. Carl Lumbly's vocal performance in the DCAU is the definitive one, but an illustrious list of performers, from Kevin Michael Richardson to Jonathan Adams to Miguel Ferrer, follow him. In live-action, J'onn hasn't been as prolific as in animation, but this can't be laid at the feet of his performers, from Phil Morris on Smallville to Harry Lennix in Zack Snyder's Justice League.
2 Every Actor Has Brought Gravitas To Magneto
The X-Men films had a mixed track record on casting. One character who they hit a home run with not once, but twice, was Magneto. In the original trilogy, Ian McKellen combined the precisely right mix of charismatic, imposing, self-righteous, and smug for Magneto. In the prequel films, Michael Fassbender's performance was just as powerful, though befitting his take's youth, less restrained.
Many actors have played Magneto besides these two, though. The most famous voice in animation remains David Hemblen in 1992's X-Men - he brought theatricality that fit the role and the series' overall tone. Later ones, from Christopher Judge to Tom Kane, work just as finely.
1 Professor X's Casting Is Always On Point
A villain is only as strong as their hero. It's lucky then that Magneto's counterpart, Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X, is always just as well-cast as the Master Of Magnetism is. Adaptations of Xavier downplay his comic counterpart's moral sketchiness, depicting him as the team's surrogate father. For this, the gentle tones of Cedric Smith to the commanding, paternal baritone of Patrick Stewart both worked wonders. James McAvoy played a younger, less self-assured Xavier, yet was still entirely believable as a man who would one day become the more familiar Professor X.
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