Thanks to the emergence of franchises like the MCU, superhero films have overtaken the box office over the last decade, providing long-time comic book fans with the vindication they needed to trust in the popularity of their favorite characters. However, not every superhero film is received well; in fact, plenty have been universally panned by both fans and critics alike.
While there are plenty of lackluster superhero films out there, sometimes the actors therein are shortchanged by the backlash. Some Redditors have decided that certain actors and actresses starred in bombed superhero films that deserve another shot in the genre, in whatever form that might take.
Edward Norton
Redditor The Incredible Hulk, before being replaced by Mark Ruffalo in future MCU films.
While The Incredible Hulk was not a terrible film by any means, it was far from seeing the same kind of success as other films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and few of its elements have carried on throughout the franchise. However, recent years have reversed this trend, with characters like General Ross and Emil Blonsky returning to the fold. Additionally, with the introduction of the multiverse, it isn't out of the question for Norton to return in some manner as well, perhaps as a multiversal variant of Banner.
James McAvoy
Reddit Dark Phoenix.
Despite early acclaim, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness indicate that his predecessor may make his return instead.
Nicolas Cage
ToddVRsofa suggests "Nicolas Cage" as a viable candidate to return to the big screen as a superhero, with another Redditor under the handle of Pedgrid imagining an encounter between Cage and Gabriel Luna's versions of Ghost Rider. Cage portrayed the Ghost Rider throughout two films in the late 2000s, with both movies being panned critically.
Though Cage has made strides in redeeming his name within the superhero fandom through his voicework in Teen Titans Go To The Movies and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, he has yet to make his big return to the genre in live-action. While a cameo in Multiverse of Madness isn't out of the question, some fans may prefer that he take on a different role in the MCU or DCEU moving forward.
Christopher Eccleston
Thor: The Dark World wasted the talents of Christopher Eccleston, who portrayed the main antagonist, Malekith. They write, "It was unfortunate to see a great actor's potential squandered like that."
Eccleston had a surprisingly small amount of screentime in The Dark World, especially because he portrayed the film's main villain, and was covered in heavy makeup to the point of being near-unrecognizable. Given how colossally the film let him down, this Doctor Who actor deserves another crack at a role in the superhero genre.
Uma Thurman
"[I] wouldn't mind seeing Uma Thurman be given a good role," writes Reddit ccReptilelord. Thurman has appeared in two films featuring super-powered people, including My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and, more famously, in Batman and Robin, in which she played comic book villain Poison Ivy. Both films were critically panned and failed commercially.
Despite rumors that Poison Ivy could be the next nemesis of Robert Pattinson's Batman, there is little fan demand that Thurman reprise her role as the supervillain. The Golden Globe-winning actress is likely more suited to a more prominent role in a better film, though nothing yet seems to be in the works.
Iwan Rheon
"I hate the Inhumans show with a burning ion," writes Inhumans series that premiered in 2017, starring Rheon as the villainous Maximus.
Despite the British actor being better received in more competently made series, there is very little chance that he return as his character in Inhumans, given that the series has been largely swept under the rug by Marvel Studios. If Rheon should ever return to the superhero scene, it will be in a role far removed from anything relating to the Inhumans.
Ken Leung
Reddit Pedgrid has no hard feelings toward Inhumans actor Ken Leung, feeling that they could see him "getting another chance in the MCU." Leung's previous superhero role was that of the quasi-psychic Karnak in ABC's Inhumans, with no indication of him ever reprising that character.
Leung has a long history with superhero projects, also appearing as the mutant Quill in X-Men: The Last Stand, a film that was similarly panned by fans and critics alike. Despite the back-to-back superhero catastrophes, Leung's acting skills may someday be put to good use in another project.
Jennifer Connelly
Redditor lanwopc feels that "Jennifer Connelly was robbed" in the making of Hulk, wherein she portrayed Bruce Banner's love interest, Betty Ross. The film was generally poorly received, leading to a reboot only five years later, where Connelly's part was recast with Liv Tyler.
Though Jennifer Connelly's career hasn't suffered as a result of her part in Hulk, she needs a second chance within the superhero genre. Connelly does have a voice role as Karen ("Suit Lady") in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but could still make waves with a new live-action role.
Michael Chiklis
One Reddit , Abject_Cellist_4896, writes that they are "not sure Michael Chiklis gets the love he deserves for playing the Thing in the original Fantastic Four movies." The Redditor goes on to say that they consider Chiklis to be "by far the best part of those films."
Despite the general failure of the original Fantastic Four movies, Chiklis's commitment to the role shines through in each film. He shows a genuine love for the source material and makes the most of the script given him. Chiklis deserves a second shot in the superhero genre, and could even make his return in the , as one of the many rumored multiversal cameos.
Michael Fassbender
"I think they should let... [Michael] Fassbender play... Magneto again," writes borntolose1, indicating that Marvel should once again hire the German-Irish actor when the mutants enter the MCU. Fassbender inherited the role from Sir Ian McKellan, playing Magneto four times, ending with 2019's Dark Phoenix.
While the prequel X-Men series suffered from poor writing and directing in its latter years, Fassbender always remained one of the strongest aspects of the franchise. Carrying the perfect weight behind such a tragic character, the actor always seemed to land every scene he was in. Fans would certainly be ready to see more of him as the metal-bending mutant, or even in another role within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
