For the Fanboys and FanaticsLists of the best (and worst) times superheroes and villains took their fights off the pages of comic books and onto the big screen.
It seems that the best job an actor can get these days is on a Marvel or DC film, but some actors aren't the pickiest of people when it comes to taking a role. For most, it has to be something that interests them, and there isn't a lot out there that's more interesting than playing a superhero or supervillain. Granted, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn't necessarily agree, but that hardly matters when you see how many big stars have strapped on some tights and added their names to the likes of the Justice League and the Avengers.
Landing one acting gig for Marvel doesn't make it easy to snag one for DC, but there have been several actors and actresses who've jumped from one universe to another, playing characters in both a Marvel and a DC film. Most don't get the chance, but these performers have appeared in at least one Marvel and one DC film.
Marvel: Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007);
Steve Rogers/Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Chris Evans has appeared in more superhero movies than anyone else on this list, and while most of those appearances came as Captain America in the MCU, he crossed universes before landing that role with Jenson in The Losers. He was also Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, and while the movies weren't beloved by critics, he nailed his performance.
DC: Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in Green Lantern (2011)
Marvel: Wade Wilson/Deadpool (also the voice of Juggernaut) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018); Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity (2004)
Ryan Reynolds is all about playing superheroes, but few would argue that his performance as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was particularly good. He made up for it with his return to the character in his eponymous film, and he even voiced the Juggernaut in Deadpool 2. Reynolds also played reformed vampire Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity, which makes him a four-time Marvel superhero.
For DC, he was given the role of Hal Jordan in Green Lantern, but the movie failed to achieve much recognition.
Marvel: Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Zoe Saldaña has been in so many mega-hits over the years that she's become the casting equivalent of printing money. For DC, she played Aisha in The Losers, and while that movie didn't perform particularly well, that didn't slow her down. She jumped to Marvel as Gamora, which is a role she's played in four films. She's likely to continue reprising that role for some time, which means she should be popping up in the MCU's Phase 4.
Marvel: Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019); Cable in Deadpool 2 (2018)
Josh Brolin's initial entry into the world of comic book films came in the widely panned 2010 film Jonah Hex. The character wasn't well known outside of comic book readers before the movie, and he still isn't, as few people watched the movie. However, he redeemed himself over in the MCU with award-worthy performances as Thanos in the Avengers films and Cable in Deadpool 2.
DC: Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)
Marvel: Adrian Toomes/Vulture in Spiderman: Homecoming (2017)
When Michael Keaton was cast to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton, there were plenty of people who thought it was a terrible idea. He proved everyone wrong and played a perfect Dark Knight for two films.
Twenty-five years later, he returned to comic book films with the portrayal of Adrian Toomes, otherwise known as the Vulture, in Spider-Man Homecoming.
Marvel: J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
When J.K. Simmons showed up in the first Spider-Man film from Sam Raimi, he looked as if he had jumped off the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man. He played the character perfectly, which is why it was such a treat to have him hop Spider-Man franchises to appear as the same character in Spider-Man: Far From Home 17 years later.
Of course, he hasn't remained solely with Marvel, as he took on the role of Commissioner Gordon in Justice League. While it wasn't required for his character, he trained to put on the superhero look and got ripped in the process.
