The Difference Between WB and Marvel Casting

Believe it or not, there must be a reason to their madness. Here is how I think about the casting decisions between Marvel and DC.

Editorial Opinion
By DannRamm113 - Oct 29, 2014 02:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Comics

This all goes back a while, to about the time that Batman Begins was casting.  Christian Bale as Batman didn't really get underniegh people's skin last I remember.  The main focus was a new take on characters after Batman and Robin.  They started to anounce casting, but kept one actor under wraps, Liam Neeson.  Credited as Ducard, not Ra's al Ghul, there wasn't much to be said.  However, can you imagine what MIGHT have happened if they didn't reveal the twist?  The internet would have gone mad!  An arabic charcter, being played by an Irish actor!  However, he ended up doing a good job, becoming a very underrated villain.  This was a risky choice, deviating from the source material like that.  And Neeson wasn't even known as an action star back then.  Warner Brothers didn't focus on looks or race to pick the actor, they chose an actor to potray a character with the traits defined by the comics but adapted for film!

Next we have Heath Ledger, who is the stereotypical "out of the box" argument.  He didn't potray a character straight out of a comic, but a charcter in a movie based on a comic book character.  And he wasn't well responded to as a casting choice, he really was ostracized.  Now, he is considered to have given the best potrayal of a comic book charcter ever!  And Michael Shannon wasn't really accepted as Zod. But again, this was proved wrong.  Now we have people swearing up and down that Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, and Ezra Miller aren't right to potray the charcters Warner Brothers have casted them for.

Well here's the thing, and I know this may be shocking:  Warners does NOT go out on the street and say "hey, you, do you want to be in our multi-million dollar picture?".  They go through the lists, have actors audition, make offers, and choose actors based on how they want their charcters potrayed.  Look at any fancast, and you would probably have seen none of these choices.  Well, thats because Warners knows that fan's don't always know what they want.  They go with who they think will potray their version of the character based on the comic.  It worked with Liam Neeson, Heath Ledger, Michael Shannon, and others that I may have failed to mention, why would their process stop working now?

Moving to Marvel, they do deliver fan serivce.  They have had their share of controversies, but most of the time they chose who they think fan's want.  Their recent choices of Chadwick Boseman for Black Panther and Benedict Cumberbatch for Dr. Strange proves that they know who fans want.  But, what if this does fail?  Many don't think this is possible, but I assure you, it only takes one bad movie.  Right now, Marvel can do no wrong I supposed.  Until they take a risk.  Until they say "hmmmm, maybe so and so isn't a great choice, maybe we should go with so/so"  Can you imagine that?

The true difference between WB and Marvel casting is what they are filming for.  Warner Brothers casts for a comic book MOVIE, while Marvel casts for a COMIC BOOK movie.  Is either wrong?  No.  But what if, and I'm just shooting idea's right now, both actually have an idea for the future?  What if WB isn't "trying to run their movies into the ground" and Marvel isn't "just feeding the fan's what they want so they don't get backlash".  There are reasons for every bit, a method to their madness.

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Nick56
Nick56 - 10/29/2014, 2:38 PM
I agree. I personally don't get upset over casting especially before Ive even seen the film. There is a reason for casting these actors and actresses and all one can do is have faith in the people making the film. I like that Marvel picks fan favourites but I also like that DC takes risks. I wan't to come out of the theatre saying that actor was really great or I would have never expected that person to be that good in that role.
RustyGeek
RustyGeek - 10/29/2014, 2:39 PM
Great editorial. i still don't understand though how people can be so negative towards superhero movie casting especially after Heath Ledger. they dont care if they don't see the movie as soon as a casting call comes out people are just incredibly angry, well why don't you see the movie first and examine how these actors portray the characters and then state why you're so pissed. I'm not aiming any of this towards you article creator i'm just venting a little bit.
String
String - 10/29/2014, 2:46 PM
This really is just opinionated speculation. Saying that Marvel goes with fan service is a gross exaggeration of facts. I've always seen it they go with the best actor that best exemplifies the character in the comics -the timing of their projects with a particular actors schedule -and if that actor will fit in the dynamics of the MCU. NOT let's see what fans want and let's try to get those actors.
XFanMan
XFanMan - 10/29/2014, 2:50 PM
@string I agree, Marvel doesn't go with Fan Casts. for example, Chris Evans as Captain America, Scarlet Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and finally Samuel L. Jackson as Nick fury
COREY6487
COREY6487 - 10/29/2014, 3:40 PM
marvel dont get the people the fans want. they get the person right for the role. fans may push in a movie and make marvel go with it with enough demand. but thats really it. if anything marvel are pointed in a direction they may have not thought about with casting and thats really it.
AsgardianHobo
AsgardianHobo - 10/29/2014, 9:11 PM
Marvel only casts what the fans want? I agree with the BP and Strange casting, but did the fans wants RDJ for IM? Nope. Did they want Evans for Cap? Nope, and in fact there was upset about it. Same with Hemsworth as Thor.

Not to mention the backlash over Heimdall and the actor that portrayed him......

Besides BP and Strange, what other hero was cast "for the fans"?
AsgardianHobo
AsgardianHobo - 10/29/2014, 9:15 PM
Just read it again, lol. Marvels just casts for fan service, as evidence shows from Strange and BP.

Forget about the last 10 movies that came out! Haha
Pedrito
Pedrito - 10/29/2014, 10:03 PM
No matter how you try to skew it, nobody is excited about the casting choices for Flash and Cyborg.
At least Gal Gadot has a special look to her and Jesse Eisenberg is a proven actor (although they're still questionable choices).

But nobody has a reason to be excited about these other choices of more obscure actors and actors that don't look the part. The best you can say is "let's wait and see".

Just because Marvel's choices are solid actors that look the part it doesn't mean they don't put a lot of thought into the casting. Chris Pratt is a good example of careful casting.
huckfinnisher
huckfinnisher - 10/29/2014, 11:16 PM
Just no. Warner bros knows better than the fans/comic accuracy? No. Marvel does fan service, but have had their controversies in terms of casting. Nobody liked the idea of human torch being cap, robert Downey was considered a project killer at the time of his casting. The Norton Ruffalo switch. In the end it's the fans that matter, not the studio execs. As mentioned above nobody is excited about cyborg or flash, on a personal note mamoa as aquaman, Gadot as whispywoman eisenberg in anything. These are just strange decisions. Somebody thinks they are being clever and have a new take on the character that people didn't know they wanted. Sod off and give me my comic accurate casting.
Wolf38
Wolf38 - 10/29/2014, 11:47 PM
"Warner Brothers casts for a comic book MOVIE, while Marvel casts for a COMIC BOOK movie."

I kind of agree with that...Marvel films do tend to be closer to comic books visually speaking.

As Pedrito mentions, though, Marvel Studios has a knack for getting us really excited about casting even after they announce who they've picked for roles. Part of that is just positive-feedback hype from the films that we have already seen.

I do think that Gal Gadot is kind of a singular, special case. Most of the other "controversial" casting choices differ from her in that she isn't proven as an actor of any kind, yet. Hopefully, that will work out, but only WB knows what the logic is.

(Also, Liam Neeson was in Star Wars before Batman Begins, so some preexisting action credentials there.)
EhMaybeSays
EhMaybeSays - 10/30/2014, 6:52 AM
Gadot, Miller and Eisenberg are just shit decisions no offence to them. Affleck was never a bad casting.
SoFresh
SoFresh - 10/30/2014, 12:35 PM
@nighteagle
Olivia Munn are you serious?
And you bitch about Ray Fisher and Ezra Miller?
Ray Fisher's portrayal of Ali was amazing.
And Ezra is an amazing actor as well.
SoFresh
SoFresh - 10/30/2014, 12:37 PM
@nighteagle
And RDJ is nothing, NOTHING like the comic's Tony.
Wolf38
Wolf38 - 10/30/2014, 5:52 PM
Isn't the Cyborg film set to release in 2020? I would not be concerned about Fisher still being unknown in five years.

One might point out that WB already tried Ryan Reynolds, and as much as he may look like Hal Jordan, the results didn't come through.

Personally, I'm cool with Eisenberg because a Mark Zuckerberg-type of character seems like what Lex Luthor would be in this day and age. If he was a bigger, older guy, he would still be a threat for reasons other than those.
SoFresh
SoFresh - 10/31/2014, 5:24 AM
@nighteagle
"Look mum I'm using the maymay images"
Ever heard of Chris Hemsworth before Thor?
Olivia Munn has talent and is established?
Pffffft please get out, she's only known for using her looks to get by the videogame industry.
SoFresh
SoFresh - 10/31/2014, 6:24 PM
@nighteagle
1st I didn't mention Gal Gadot [spoiler]learn to read[/spoiler]

2nd That's what you call good acting?


Serious question.
[spoiler]What's it like having shit taste?[/spoiler]
SoFresh
SoFresh - 11/1/2014, 6:56 AM
Lol dude whatever I'm too happy and excited today to argue, all's good that ends good.

See ya around the website, we can argue about something another time😁
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