The Top 10 Comic Book Movie Castings Ever

10. Alfred Molina as Doctor Otto Octavius/ Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2

Kicking off the list is one of the best on screen villains of recent times. Alfred Molina’s performance as Doc Ock pre dates the superhero silver screen boom but it remains one of the greatest. Molina perfectly captures both sides of the villain; from wondrous scientist to twisted foe. Spider-Man has one of the greatest rogue’s galleries in comic book lore yet very few actors have had the same effect as Molina in bringing them to life - the less said about Giamatti’s Rhino the better. It is a true sin that we never got to see Molina as Doc Ock lead the Sinister 6 in a movie. As arguably Spider-Man’s second greatest nemesis (Green Goblin takes first place) we may see the character face off against Tom Holland’s spectacular hero, but good luck to the actor brave enough to take on the part.

Patrick Stewart was doomed to an existence where he was best known for Star Trek’s Jean-Luc Picard until X-Men came along. Casting the wheelchair bound X-Men founder must have been a no brainer given the uncanny resemblance to his comic book counterpart but its Stewarts talents that really brought the character to life. The X-Men franchise isn’t synonymous with comic book accuracy but they certainly got this one right at least. Professor X could have been a gimmick with the wrong actor. From the metal cycling helmet that always seems to hurt him to psychic disintegrating it could have been a disaster. Whilst James McAvoy might be keeping the seat warm for now it will be a welcome sight to see Stewart back in action in a rumoured role in Wolverine 3.


Chris Evan’s casting was somewhat unexpected/controversial due to his mediocre Human Torch in Fantastic 4. Although Evans has managed to transform an arguably bland (at times) character into one of the MCUs best. The First Avenger is an underrated film yet a solid introduction to the character charting his journey from aspiring soldier, to a propaganda mascot to a fully-fledged hero. But it was Winter Soldier that really put the spotlight on Captain America. The political uncertainty, Bucky’s emergence and one of the biggest MCUs twists to date gave Evans lot to work with and he knocked it out the park. Civil War looks to be even bigger but let’s hope it doesn’t follow the comics ending and we lose the MVP of the MCU.


If Bryan Singer had stayed faithful to the source material we would never have had Hugh Jackman as Wolverine – we would have had a 4ft Canadian instead. Jackman is the glue that holds the franchise together and whilst there have been mishaps (looking at you Origins) Jackman has still shined. Wolverine has been at the centre of the franchise from the start. He’s had some great relationships with Rogue, Jean, and Cyclops and some incredible battles with Stryker and Sabretooth. All good things must come to an end as Jackman is retiring his claws. With one final R rated solo performance left, here’s hoping Jackman goes out on a high note, yellow suit and all. Good luck to Fox giving the character a fitting send off, whether that be death or a happily ever after.


The first non-powered player in the list J.K. Simmons is masterful as the hardnosed Daily Bugle editor. Jameson is something of a dated stereotype of a newspaper editor but Simmons brought an authenticity to the role that made him steal every scene he was in. Jameson isn’t necessarily a nice character; he’s self-centred, disrespectful and brash yet strangely likeable making him difficult to play. Many fans were clamouring for a Judi Dench M style return in the new franchise but DC has snatched up the talented star. The real challenge now for Marvel is getting an actor as good as Simmons and for the man himself, nailing Commissioner Gordon and placing twice on this list.


Robert Downey Jr launched the MCU back in 2008 in Iron Man but little did Marvel know that the film would kick off the highest grossing series of all time. Downey’s performance is now so iconic that the comic book character has been retconned to be more like him. Tony has been through more than probably all the other Avengers. He is a self-made hero with a genius intellect who has some pretty impressive tech to back him up. But Tony’s more interesting stories have been personal such as his post New York anxiety, his inability to separate man and machine, and his struggles with Pepper Potts. Civil war is a risk for Downey, it could really tarnish his characters image. Yet, it just makes Iron Man all that more interesting as a character. The MCU would not be the same without Downey.


Samuel L. Jackson as the S.H.I.E.L.D director is literally the most comic book accurate casting ever because the Ultimate Nick Fury was designed to look like Jackson. Yet Jackson brings more to the role than just resemblance, he is responsible for some of the MCU’s greatest moments. Even now, the Iron Man post credits sting is one of the most chilling cinematic moments ever. It truly was a sign of what was to come. The Winter Soldier really let Fury have some fun, the car chase sequence is extraordinary and it was brilliant to see the famed director in some real danger. Jackson is also a team player, appearing in many minor cameos (Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger) and even popping up in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the down side, it seems that Fury’s role in the MCU is diminishing as without S.H.I.E.L.D, the character does not have much focus. Let’s hope that Fury makes his presence felt in phase 3.

Heath Ledger’s Oscar winning performance as the clown prince of crime is flawless. The actor committed fully to the role giving us the most psychological Joker portrayal yet. Despite only appearing in one Batman film before his unfortunate death, the Dark Knight contained a brilliant showcase for the actor’s talents. The Joker was also a villain that actually succeeded in some ways namely by killing Rachel Dawes. Bringing the most popular comic book villain to the screen required extreme discipline and skill and Ledger had heaps of both. In a melancholy way it’s perfect that Ledger got one note perfect shot at the role, a sequel could have taken away from it. It’s also the reason he didn’t take the top spot as we never got to see the other sides to the Joker. Jared Leto has the biggest boots to fill in the DCEU as Ledger is not only the greatest Joker but also the benchmark for onscreen villainy.
Disclaimer: Origins doesn’t count and never will). Ryan Reynolds broke the superhero movie wheel (and the fourth wall) in Deadpool to give us the most comic book accurate on screen portrayal ever. Reynolds embodies the character in every way possible from the actual film to the marketing. Reynolds swore, fought, wanked, joked, sung, scribbled, and laughed his way through the movie - it was phenomenal. It was as if he was lifted from the pages of the comics. Deadpool was universally welcomed by fans and critics alike (the box office speaks for itself) and it was all down to one man. The sequel has a lot to live up too but I don’t think anyone doubts Reynolds can’t do it.

Do you disagree with this list? I bet you do! So share your top 10, honourable mentions and everything else in the comments section below.