Real Nerds Can Name The Actors Who Played These Superheroes
- by Ben Sherlock
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Now that the superhero genre has become the leading market in Hollywood, more and more movie stars are donning a cape and joining a franchise. Next year, according to IMDb, Academy Award winner Brie Larson will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of Captain Marvel, while Zachary Levi will join the DC Extended Universe in the comedic superhero tale Shazam! in April.
It can go one of two ways: either a big name actor will make a superhero well known or a big name superhero will make an actor well known. As soon as an actor has played Spider-Man or Batman or Superman, they're one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Similarly, if an A list star like Samuel L. Jackson or Bradley Cooper plays an obscure role from the comics, the general public won't soon be forgetting that character.
The casting of these movies and the press tours of the actors are followed very closely by real superhero fans, so this quiz should be a breeze for them. Only the truest of nerds will be familiar enough with the world of comic book movies and characters with superhuman powers to be able to name all the actors who played these iconic heroes.
Which of these actors has NOT played Batman?
The role of Batman has been played by a number of different actors. The current actor is playing the Caped Crusader as a member of the wider Justice League team for the first time on the big screen in the DC Extended Universe franchise. The actor who played Batman in Christopher Nolan's trilogy of movies is, according to Variety, one of the front runners for the Academy Award for Best Actor this year for his turn in the movie Vice. According to Den of Geek, nine actors have played the role of Batman. Which of these actors has NOT played Batman?
Who plays Thor?
Thor has been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011 and in that time, he has appeared in seven feature length movies. He's had three solo movies, appeared in three Avengers movies, and had an uncredited cameo in Doctor Strange (IMDb). In recent years, this actor has shown his comedic chops in movies like Ghostbusters and Vacation. This year, according to IMDb, he starred in the neo noir thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. Next year, he will star in a reboot of the Men in Black franchise with Liam Neeson and his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson. Who plays Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise?
Who played Wolverine before his final appearance in Logan?
This actor had played the role of Wolverine in the X-Men franchise for almost two decades when he decided to call it quits and hang up the adamantium claws. He gave the character what was deemed by the critics to be a fitting swansong, according to Wikipedia, with Logan, his third solo movie as Wolverine. The actor has still been keeping busy, according to IMDb, as he starred in the musical The Greatest Showman in 2017 and the true life drama The Front Runner in 2018. Which actor played the X-Men character of Wolverine before his final appearance in Logan?
Who plays Wonder Woman?
According to Wikipedia, the DC Extended Universe franchise was struggling to attract an audience before this actress' solo movie as Wonder Woman came along. It was the franchise's first movie to be acclaimed by critics and win over long time comic book fans. According to IMDb, this actress hasn't just played the character in her own solo movie; she was also in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before it and the ensemble movie Justice League after it. She also has a solo sequel coming up in 2020. Who plays the role of Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe?
Which of these actors has NOT played Spider-Man?
The next Spider-Man movie coming up is Spider-Man: Far From Home, which will be the second solo Spidey movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, between the first one, Homecoming, and the second one, there was an unrelated animated movie called Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse that was released a few weeks ago. Plenty of actors have played Spidey on the big screen, from Sam Raimi's iconic trilogy to Marc Webb's reboots to the MCU. But of course, there are also plenty of actors who have not played Spider-Man. Which of these actors has NOT played Spider-Man on the big screen?
Who plays Iron Man?
This actor was the first star to play a superhero role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. It was his popular turn in the first Iron Man movie that set off the chain of events that led to over a decade of interconnected superhero movies about Marvel Comics characters who would occasionally team up. He has since played the role in three solo Iron Man movies, three Avengers movies, a Captain America movie, and a Spider-Man movie. Also, according to IMDb, he has his third Sherlock Holmes movie and a Dr. Dolittle reboot coming up. Who plays Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who plays young Professor X?
The X-Men movie franchise starred an older actor as Professor Charles Xavier (better known simply as Professor X) until the fourth movie in the series, X-Men: First Class. That movie was a prequel set in the 1960s that recast all of the roles with younger, hipper actors to draw in a new crowd of moviegoers. The older cast members have since been integrated back into the fold, thanks to some storytelling involving time travel. That's what the movies Days of Future Past and Apocalypse brought to the franchise. Who plays the younger version of Professor X in the X-Men prequel movies?
Who plays Black Widow?
This character was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Iron Man 2, making her one of the first characters to appear, since that was the movie that turned the solo Iron Man series in the beginning of something grander and wider in scope. It was also the movie that introduced Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury into the loop. He brought Black Widow to Iron Man and together they became the first ever Avengers to join forces against a villain. She still has yet to receive her own solo movie, though. Who plays Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who plays Black Panther?
According to Box Office Mojo, the first solo movie to star the Black Panther character became one of the highest grossing movies of 2018 with a worldwide box office total of over $1.3 billion. The movie was also acclaimed by critics and fans alike, and according to IndieWire, it's the first ever superhero movie that has a real chance at the Academy Awards. The character made his debut in the MCU in the ensemble movie Captain America: Civil War back in 2016, two years before getting his own movie. Which actor plays the role of Black Panther in the MCU?
Which of these actors has NOT played Superman?
According to Wikipedia, Superman is widely regarded to be the first superhero character ever created. So, it's only fitting that Superman: The Movie, directed by Richard Donner, was the first major motion picture about a superhero. Superman is now a part of something bigger as the reboot of his character, Man of Steel, has been expanded into the wider franchise of the DC Extended Universe. He played a key role in the ensemble team up Justice League, which brought all the DC Comics characters together on the big screen at last. Which of these actors has NOT played the role of Superman?
Who plays Captain America?
The actor who plays Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has announced that he will be leaving the franchise after the next Avengers movie, Endgame. As a result, MCU fans have been speculating on how exactly he will exit the franchise. The actor had previously played another superhero role when he took the part of Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies. Therefore, it was seen as odd casting when he was selected to play Steve Rogers aka Captain America in the MCU. However, he has played the role in three solo movies, three Avengers movies, and a Spider-Man movie since then. Who plays Captain America?
Who plays Aquaman?
The actor who plays the role of Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe got his big break in the role of Khal Drogo in the HBO fantasy drama series Game of Thrones. In the DCEU, he played Aquaman in a brief cameo role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and a larger role in the ensemble piece Justice League before finally getting his own solo movie in late 2018. According to IMDb, the actor also starred in an action packed reboot of the Conan the Barbarian franchise back in 2011. Who plays Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe franchise?
Who plays Star-Lord?
This actor was best known for his role as Andy Dwyer in the NBC mockumentary series Parks and Recreation before 2014. Back then, the last thing that anybody expected him to do was bulk up and become an action hero. But that's exactly what he did when James Gunn cast him as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first movie set entirely in outer space, Guardians of the Galaxy. Ever since then, he's become one of the biggest movie stars in the world with starring roles in Jurassic World and the remake of The Magnificent Seven. Who plays Star-Lord?
Who plays the Merc with a Mouth?
This actor had previously played the role of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but fans were generally displeased with that movie's portrayal of the character, according to Wikipedia. Fox executives were reluctant to let this actor star in a more faithful adaptation, since that would have required an R rating and lots of breaking the fourth wall. In the end, they relented after the actor starred in some test footage that became an early version of the movie's opening scene. Now, the franchise is two movies in and the character is a hit maker. Who plays the Merc with a Mouth?
Which of these actors has NOT played the Hulk?
The Hulk has been portrayed a few times on the big screen. According to IMDb, the first version was directed by Ang Lee back in 2003, which was followed by a reboot in 2008 called The Incredible Hulk that introduced him to the MCU. According to Wikipedia, rights issues prohibit Marvel Studios from making a further solo Hulk movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, he has to crop up in other people's solo movies, like Thor: Ragnarok, which is probably as close to a solo Hulk movie as we're going to get from the MCU. Which of these actors has NOT played the Hulk?
Who played the older Professor X before his final appearance in Logan?
Professor X was played by one actor in the X-Men movie franchise before the prequel First Class and the subsequent sequels that involved time travel brought in a younger version. This actor made his name in the role of Captain Jean Luc Picard in the show Star Trek: The Next Generation (the second TV show in the Star Trek franchise after The Original Series). Also, according to IMDb, he has done a lot of work with Seth MacFarlane, voicing characters in his shows like Family Guy and his movies like Ted. Who played the older Professor X before his final appearance in Logan?
Who plays Ant-Man?
This actor was best known for comedic roles before he took on the part of Scott Lang aka Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to Wikipedia, he was a part of the Judd Apatow gang with appearances in movies like This is 40 and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (and its belated sequel). He got his big break in the teen romantic comedy Clueless, which led to a role in the sitcom Friends as Mike Hannigan, the boyfriend and later husband of Phoebe Buffay. Who plays Ant-Man in the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who voices Rocket?
The actor who voices Rocket in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (and also a couple of the Avengers movies) made his directorial debut in 2018 with the fourth version of A Star is Born. He got his start as a comedy actor with supporting roles in movies like The Rocker and Yes Men before getting his big break in the lead role in The Hangover. He has since done dramatic acting in movies like Silver Linings Playbook and taken on the comic book role of Rocket in the MCU. Who voices Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies?
Who plays the Flash?
This actor came to prominence with roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and We Need to Talk About Kevin, two characters who could not be further apart. After that, he took on a comedic supporting role in the Amy Schumer movie Trainwreck before being cast to play Barry Allen aka the Flash in the DC Extended Universe franchise. He has yet to have his own solo movie in the franchise, but he has made a brief appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and played a large role in Justice League. Who plays the Flash in the DC Extended Universe?
Who played the Human Torch in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot?
The character who played the Human Torch in the 2015 reboot of the Fantastic Four movie franchise also played another Marvel Comics character in 2018 when he played the bad guy in Black Panther. He got his start as a teenager with a role as Wallace in the first season of the HBO crime drama series The Wire and went on to star in the drama Fruitvale Station. According to IMDb, he has also starred in the two Creed movies that were spun off from the Rocky Balboa franchise. Who played the Human Torch in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot?
Who plays Doctor Strange?
This actor got his big break when he starred as a modern day version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes character in a critically acclaimed BBC drama series. In addition to taking on the role of Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has starred in the animated remake of The Grinch that was released earlier this year, according to IMDb. He also voiced the dragon character, Smaug, in Peter Jackson's three part movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy novel The Hobbit alongside his Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman. Who plays Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who voices Groot?
The actor who provides the voice of Groot (who can only say three words) is typically a star of action movies. He is best known for his role as Dom Toretto in The Fast and the Furious franchise, which is currently in production on its ninth movie (as well as a spin-off called Hobbs and Shaw). He also starred in the action fantasy movie The Last Witch Hunter and has starred in the xXx franchise of action movies that revolve around the world of extreme sports. Who voices Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (and the last Avengers movie)?
Who played Daredevil in the 2003 movie?
As a vigilante who doesn't have any formal powers, Daredevil is essentially the Batman of the Marvel Comics universe. He is one of the darker characters and he operates at night. Coincidentally, the first actor who played the role of Daredevil on the big screen would later also play the role of Batman in the DC Extended Universe. He got his big break in the movie Good Will Hunting, the script for which he wrote with his friend Matt Damon (who also starred in it), according to Wikipedia. Which Argo actor played the role of Daredevil in the 2003 movie?
Who plays the Wasp?
This character does not yet have her own solo movie, and she has yet to appear in an Avengers team up movie, but she did manage to get her name into the title of a movie. She first appeared in the original solo Ant-Man movie and later got bumped up in the billing in its sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp. She's working her way up the ranks towards an Avengers appearance and a solo movie. The actress who plays her, according to IMDb, made her name on the show Lost. Who plays the Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's movies?
Who played Green Lantern?
The actor who played this character in a 2011 movie also plays the Merc with a Mouth in the Deadpool movies. At the end of the 2018 sequel starring that character, he went back in time to stop the actor who played him from ever taking this movie. According to Wikipedia, this character will be getting a new movie called Green Lantern Corps in the DC Extended Universe. He has yet to appear in a DCEU movie and wasn't in Justice League, but according to IMDb, his solo movie is due to be released in 2020. Who played Green Lantern?
Who played Ghost Rider in two movies?
Marvel's darkly themed Ghost Rider character made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe recently on the show Agents of SHIELD. However, he has not been featured in a theatrical movie since this actor played him in his second movie in the role, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. This actor has starred in a bunch of movies, including comedies like Raising Arizona and The Croods, action movies like Con Air and The Rock, and dramas like Leaving Las Vegas, which actually won him an Academy Award (IMDb). Who played the role of Johnny Blaze aka Ghost Rider in two movies?
Who plays Cable?
This actor played two iconic roles from the comic books in 2018. He played the role of Thanos, the main villain in Avengers: Infinity War, and he also played the role of time traveler Cable in Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth sequel. According to IMDb, his other movies include the Coen brothers movies No Country for Old Men and True Grit, the thriller Sicario and its sequel Day of the Soldado, the biopic W. directed by Oliver Stone, and The Goonies, which he starred in as a kid. Who plays the role of Cable in the X-Men movie franchise?
Who plays Cyborg?
Out of the ensemble featuring Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Aquaman, Cyborg was arguably the most obscure DC Comics character to appear in 2017's ensemble superhero team up movie Justice League. He will be getting his own solo movie in 2020, according to IMDb, and in the meantime, the actor who plays the character in the franchise will be playing a role in the upcoming third season of HBO's anthology crime drama series True Detective. According to Wikipedia, the season will be set in the Ozarks. Who plays the role of Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe movie franchise?
Who plays Gamora?
According to her IMDb page, this actress has quite the resume. She starred as Neytiri in the sci fi adventure movie Avatar that only went on to become the highest grossing movie of all time and is still a long way from being topped. She has also played the iconic role of Uhura in JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot trilogy. Plus, on top of that, she has the major role of Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, which led to an appearance in Avengers: Infinity War. Which actress plays the role of Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who played Blade in three movies?
Blade, the vampire hunting superhero character who is also half vampire himself and acts out of revenge, has yet to make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he was played by this actor in three movies: Blade, Blade II, and Blade: Trinity. According to an article in What Culture, the first Blade movie is responsible for teaching studio executives that movies based on comic books could be successful. So, despite the fact that he's not yet in the MCU, he can be thanked for its existence in the first place. Who played the role of Blade in three movies?
Who has played War Machine since Iron Man 2?
According to IMDb, the role of War Machine was played by Terrence Howard in the first Iron Man movie back in 2008. However, after some contractual disputes followed the release of that movie, Howard was dropped and a new actor was cast in the role in time for Iron Man 2. In the years since then, this new actor has played the role in Iron Man 3, Captain America: Civil War, and a bunch of the Avengers movies, and he is slated to appear in more MCU movies in the future. Who has played War Machine since Iron Man 2?
Who played Kick-Ass?
This movie was intended as a comedy, but also as an honest depiction of what would really happen if someone decided to be a superhero in real life. The actor who starred in the title role in this movie would also go on to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He played the role of Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron, although unlike most of the other actors that join a shared universe of movies, he only appeared in that one movie. Well, his character was also teased in the post credits scene of a different movie, but that hardly counts. Who played this character in two movies?
Which former wrestler plays Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies?
The actor who plays Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies used to be a wrestler, but he has been moving into the world of acting in recent years. According to IMDb, he starred in an action movie set in a soccer stadium this year called Final Score. He was also in Blade Runner 2049, the long awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner released in 2017, and he played a henchman in 2015's James Bond movie Spectre. Next year, he'll be starring in the action comedy Stuber with Kumail Nanjiani. Which former wrestler plays Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies?
Who voices Lego Batman?
The Lego version of Batman was introduced in The Lego Movie where he was a supporting character alongside Chris Pratt's character Emmett and Elizabeth Banks' character Wyldstyle. He proved to be so popular that he was given his own movie, which was released in 2017 and, according to Box Office Mojo, grossed more than $300 million at the worldwide box office. The actor who provides the growling voice of the Caped Crusader in the Lego movie franchise is best known for his roles in Arrested Development and the Netflix show BoJack Horseman. Who voices Lego Batman in the Lego movie franchise?
Who plays the Falcon?
According to IMDb, this actor has appeared in a wide range of different movies. Before his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with an appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Steve Rogers' running buddy, he was in the Eminem movie 8 Mile in the role of Papa Doc. He was also in Seth Rogen's R rated Christmas comedy movie The Night Before and the highly acclaimed war movie The Hurt Locker. The latter movie saw him starring alongside Jeremy Renner, who would be his future co-star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who plays the Falcon in the MCU?