Real Nerds Can Name The Actors Who Played These Supervillains
- by Ben Sherlock
- – on
- in Movies and TV
According to Digital Spy, a lot of superhero movies these days have what is known as a "villain problem," where the focus is on the heroes and their relationships while the villain is a generic cookie cutter stock character. Still, with characters like Erik Killmonger and Thanos the Mad Titan winning over critical acclaim in 2018s superhero movies, it looks like that problem could be dealt with in no time.
Over the years, there have been dozens of iconic supervillains to grace the big screen. Characters like Spider-Man and Batman have huge rogues galleries of villains and foes for filmmakers to take advantage of, and now that those characters have been played by a few actors in a few series of movies, a bunch of those villains have made it to the big screen. Whether it is to work with a director like Christopher Nolan or portray an iconic comic book character they grew up with, many big name movie stars will campaign to play supervillains in movies.
It will take a real nerd who has seen every superhero movie out there, whether it's MCU or DCEU or outside those shared cinematic universes altogether, to name the actors who played all these villains. Give it a go!
Who played the Joker in The Dark Knight?
This actor won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's second Batman movie, The Dark Knight. Sadly, he received the award after he had passed away and the only part of the finished film that he ever got to see was the opening bank heist sequence. IMDb still lists this movie as one of the Top 250 movies of all time. It's the only comic book movie in the top ten and it's third behind The Shawshank Redemption and The Godfather. Who won a posthumous Oscar for playing the Joker in The Dark Knight?
Who plays Thanos?
Thanos had been teased as the big bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since pretty much the beginning. His quest to gain all six Infinity Stones and use them to take over the universe has permeated throughout all the movies in the MCU. But he didn't actually take center stage and become a main villain until the franchise was ten years in and he had managed to gather all the Stones in Avengers: Infinity War. According to IMDb, the actor who plays him also plays Cable in the X-Men movies. Who plays the role of Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who played Killmonger in Black Panther?
According to Wikipedia, one of the stipulations that Ryan Coogler requested when Marvel Studios asked him to direct their Black Panther movie was that he could bring in a couple of his regular collaborators. So, he got to bring in his own director of photography and also got this actor to play the villain. This actor has appeared in every movie that Coogler has directed, from his debut Fruitvale Station to the Rocky spin-off Creed. According to IMDb, the actor has also played the Human Torch in the reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise. Who played Killmonger in Black Panther?
Who plays Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe?
According to IMDb, the actress who plays Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe made her name in the Martin Scorsese crime movie The Wolf of Wall Street with Leonardo DiCaprio. She will be taking center stage in the upcoming DCEU movie Birds of Prey, which teams up all the female DC Comics villains. According to Empire magazine, the full title of the movie will be Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), so it seems likely that she will be the main character in the movie. Who plays Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe?
Who played General Zod in Man of Steel?
This actor most recently appeared in Guillermo Del Toro's Academy Award winning sci fi romance movie The Shape of Water. He also played a character named Mr. Green who turned out to be an angel trying to earn his wings in the Seth Rogen Christmas comedy movie The Night Before. A couple of years before all of that, he played the iconic role of the Superman villain General Zod in Man of Steel. It was Henry Cavill's first film in the role of Superman and the first chapter of the DC Extended Universe. Who played General Zod in Man of Steel?
Who voiced Ultron?
According to Wikipedia, Avengers: Age of Ultron was written by Joss Whedon as a sort of Frankenstein story. It's about the Avengers creating their own greatest foe in the form of a cyborg designed by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. It was supposed to protect people, but in the end, it actually turned against them in the ultimate tragedy. The actor who voiced Ultron in the movie also played Robert California in the later seasons of The Office and stars in the TV series The Blacklist on NBC. Who voiced the villain Ultron in the movie Avengers: Age of Ultron?
Who played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises?
The third movie in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, had a lot riding on it, as it had to live up to the second movie, The Dark Knight, which is listed as the third greatest movie of all time by IMDb. Nolan cast one of his regular collaborators, who had also appeared in his science fiction thriller Inception and would go on to appear in his war movie Dunkirk, in the role of the villain, Bane. His task was to live up to Heath Ledger's Joker. Who played the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises?
Who plays Loki?
The character of Loki has appeared in almost as many movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as any of the Avengers. As Thor's adopted brother, he has appeared in all three solo Thor movies, he was the main bad guy in the first Avengers movie, and he also appeared in Infinity War. According to IMDb, the actor who plays Loki was also once tipped to play James Bond and has starred in a similar gentleman spy role in the miniseries The Night Manager adapted from John le Carre's novel of the same title. Who plays Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who played the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy?
The Green Goblin is arguably the most iconic villain from the Spider-Man comics, so it was only natural that Sam Raimi selected him to be the villain in the first of his three Spidey movies. The character would later appear to his son in visions in the sequels. The actor who played the Green Goblin in these movies is famous for his roles in such movies as Platoon, John Wick, The Fault in Our Stars, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Florida Project, and even 2018's Aquaman movie. Who played the role of the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy?
Who played Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises?
Catwoman is one of those characters that can't decide what side they want to be on. In The Dark Knight Rises, her allegiance flips back and forth between Bane and Batman. Plus, when she first enters the story, she is caught cracking a safe by Bruce Wayne in his mansion. The actress who played her is a huge movie star who has appeared in such films as The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, Les Miserables, Alice in Wonderland, and this year's all female Ocean's Eleven reboot, Ocean's 8. Who played the role of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises?
Who plays Apocalypse in the X-Men franchise?
The actor who played the titular villain in X-Men: Apocalypse is on a winning streak right now. He has a leading role as the rogue hotshot pilot Poe Dameron in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and he's been acclaimed for roles in smaller movies like Ex Machina and The Two Faces of January. He also starred as the title role in the Coen brothers' folk music tale Inside Llewyn Davis. He even had a role in Drive. Who plays the role of the villain Apocalypse in the X-Men movie franchise, starting with the one that was named after him, X-Men: Apocalypse?
Who played the Joker in Tim Burton's first Batman movie?
What makes the Joker a terrific Batman villain is that he is the opposite of Batman himself. Batman is a meticulous planner for whom everything has to be just so. The Joker is simply an agent of chaos who, in the immortal words of Alfred, just wants to watch the world burn. When Tim Burton made his first gloomy Batman movie with Michael Keaton in the title role back in 1989, he cast a huge movie star to play the Joker. This actor has starred in The Departed and Easy Rider. Who played the Joker in Tim Burton's first Batman movie?
Which of these actors has NOT played Lex Luther?
Lex Luthor has always been the arch nemesis of Superman and he has been played on the big screen almost as many times as Superman himself has. The current actor who plays the role in the DC Extended Universe is best known for starring in such movies as Zombieland and The Social Network. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he played the character with a full head of hair for the first time ever. At the end of that movie, when he is captured by the authorities, his head is shaved and he looks more like his comic book counterpart. Which of these actors has NOT played Lex Luther?
Who played Hela in Thor: Ragnarok?
Marvel Studios brought a more comical element to their Thor character with his third solo movie, Thor: Ragnarok. They hired Taika Watiti, the director of the vampire mockumentary comedy What We Do in the Shadows, to bring a comedic angle to the character. The actress who played the villain, Thor's long lost sister Hela, appeared most recently in the all female reboot of the Ocean's Eleven franchise, Ocean's 8. She has also starred in such movies as Carol, Blue Jasmine, Cinderella, Elizabeth, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Which actress played the villainous role of Hela in Thor: Ragnarok?
Who played the Riddler in Batman Forever?
According to Wikipedia, Jumanji and Mrs. Doubtfire star Robin Williams originally campaigned for the role of the Riddler in Batman Forever. However, since he had just become the biggest movie star in the world in 1994 starring in three box office hits – Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask – this actor was chosen to play the role alongside Tommy Lee Jones' Two Face. Batman Forever marked a change in the tone of the Batman movies. They presented a lighter take on the material as opposed to Tim Burton's darker previous movies. Who played the Riddler in Batman Forever?
Who played Trevor Slattery aka "the Mandarin" in Iron Man 3?
The plot twist in Iron Man 3 that the Mandarin was just an actor named Trevor Slattery being controlled by a wider organization was not a popular one with long time fans of the comic books. The Mandarin is an iconic character in the comics, and he had been teased in all the promos and trailers and posters, so the fake out was not well received. The actor who played him has appeared in such movies as Gandhi, Schindler's List, Hugo, and 2016's The Jungle Book. Who played the part of Trevor Slattery aka "the Mandarin" in Iron Man 3?
Who plays Ulysses Klaue?
The character of Ulysses Klaue was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This was the first signal that Black Panther would be joining the MCU, since the scene was set in his home country of Wakanda and Ulysses Klaue is typically a Black Panther villain. Three years later, lo and behold, he would appear as a villain in Black Panther's own movie. The actor who plays this character, according to IMDb, recently made his directorial debut with Netflix's Jungle Book movie, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. Who plays the role of Ulysses Klaue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who played Ra's al Ghul in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy?
This actor was best known for dramatic roles in movies like Schindler's List and Michael Collins before he reinvented himself as an action movie star with the thriller Taken. He has since starred in such action movies as Non Stop, The Commuter, Run All Night, and two Taken sequels. He has also appeared as Qui Gon Jinn in the Star Wars saga and played Zeus in the remake of Clash of the Titans alongside Sam Worthington's turn as Perseus. He appeared as Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises. Who played Ra's al Ghul in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy?
Who played the Hobgoblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy?
This actor has become a pretty big movie star over the years, but Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, in which he played Peter Parker's friend Harry Osborn who later became Spider-Man's enemy the Hobgoblin, was his big break. This actor has appeared in several comedy movies with Seth Rogen, including Pineapple Express, This is the End, and The Interview. He also starred in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the prequel and reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise, although he did not return for the two sequels that followed. Which actor played the Hobgoblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy?
Who played Ego the Living Planet?
One of the most pressing questions that lingered in fans' minds after the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was exactly who Peter Quill's father was. The sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, answered that question with the reveal that his biological father was Ego the Living Planet, who came to Earth and fell in love with Quill's mother, Meredith. But the revelation was followed up later in the film with a twist that revealed Ego to be the movie's villain and Yondu to be one of its heroes. Who played Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2?
Who played the Penguin in Batman Returns?
For the third Batman movie, director Tim Burton was replaced. Burton's gloomy, dark movies had targeted adult audiences, but Warner Bros. wanted the movies to appeal to family audiences, so they replaced Burton with Joel Schumacher. His Batman movies had much more humor and campy material in the vein of the '60s Adam West TV show as opposed to Burton's dark take. But before that, Tim Burton managed to get two dark movies in. The second one starred this It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor in the role of the villain the Penguin. Who played the Penguin in Batman Returns?
Who plays the older Magneto in the X-Men movies?
The X-Men movie franchise is not the only blockbuster movie series that the actor who plays Magneto has starred in. He also played Gandalf in all of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy adventure movies set in JRR Tolkien's Middle earth. He played the role in the three movies of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and later in the three movies of the prequel trilogy of The Hobbit movies. According to IMDb, he also played James Whale, the director of Frankenstein, in Gods and Monsters, and the title role in Richard III. Which actor plays the older Magneto in the X-Men movies?
Who played Whiplash in Iron Man 2?
The actor who played Whiplash in Iron Man 2 is best known for his roles in the spooky mystery drama Angel Heart, The Expendables franchise, and the cult classic biker movie Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. According to Box Office Mojo, Iron Man 2 grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office on a budget of $200 million. According to Wikipedia, Justin Theroux was hired to write the script after Robert Downey, Jr. recommended him based on his collaboration with him on the movie Tropic Thunder. Which actor played the villainous role of Whiplash in Iron Man 2?
Who plays the Joker in the DC Extended Universe?
There's a solo movie about the Joker being made for the DC Extended Universe right now starring Joaquin Phoenix in the role. According to Wikipedia, this movie will be related in some way to the wider storylines of the DCEU, but Phoenix is not the actor who has played the Joker in the other DCEU movies. The actor who has played him in the other movies also appeared in the movies Blade Runner 2049, Requiem for a Dream, and Dallas Buyers Club, for which he won an Oscar. Who plays the role of the Joker in the DC Extended Universe franchise?
Who played the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming?
The actor who played the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming was already a famous name in the comic book movie world, as he had played Batman in two movies directed by Tim Burton. He played the Caped Crusader in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns after making his name as a comedy actor in movies like Mr. Mom. Spider-Man: Homecoming was Tom Holland's first solo movie in the role of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor who played the Vulture also starred in Birdman, Spotlight, and The Other Guys. Who played the part of the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming?
Who played the Scarecrow in Batman Begins?
Batman Begins was Christopher Nolan's first Batman movie. It was a dark, gritty reboot that retold the character's origin story in a new, fresh way. The Scarecrow is not the only villain in Batman Begins, but he is the main one. The actor who plays him is also the star of the TV series Peaky Blinders, in which he plays Tommy Shelby. He is also a regular collaborator of Christopher Nolan's as he also appeared in his movies Inception and Dunkirk. The Scarecrow would later reappear in the third movie, The Dark Knight Rises. Who played the Scarecrow in Batman Begins?
Who played Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2?
The actor who played Dr. Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus, the villain in Spider-Man 2 who gives himself four extra limbs for a total of eight, has appeared in a bunch of different movies. He was in the opening sequence in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first movie in the Indiana Jones franchise. According to IMDb, he has also appeared in the movie The Da Vinci Code and the FX anthology drama series Feud, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. Who played the villainous role of Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2, the second movie in Sam Raimi's trilogy?
Who played Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger?
The actor who played Red Skull in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger is not the same actor who played the character in his surprise reappearance in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. According to IMDb, the role was filled instead by Ross Marquand, an actor from TWD who is also a noted celebrity impersonator. So, they got him in to do an impression of the actor who had played the role originally in Captain America's first solo movie. Red Skull is an iconic villain in the comic books. Who played the role of Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger?
Who played Venom in his own solo movie?
This character is typically shown as a villain in the comics and he was played by Topher Grace as a bad guy in Spider-Man 3. However, in a box office hit 2018 movie, he was portrayed as the lead of his own movie and was depicted as an antihero of sorts. The actor who played him in this movie has also played the comic book role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, according to IMDb. He has also appeared in the movies Mad Max: Fury Road, Dunkirk, and Inception, and the TV show Peaky Blinders. Who played Venom in his own solo movie?
Who played Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3?
According to Wikipedia, this actor got his start in soap operas before moving into the world of movies. His big break in films came with the road trip comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He has also appeared in the historical drama The King's Speech, the Alien prequel Prometheus, and a movie adaptation of the book The Count of Monte Cristo. He starred in Christopher Nolan's acclaimed thriller Memento as an amnesiac man who is trying to figure out what happened to his wife as he works his way backwards. Who played Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3?
Who plays young Magneto in the X-Men movies?
The X-Men movie franchise began with a large cast of actors playing the heroes in the iconic comic book team. The fourth movie in the franchise, X-Men: First Class, was a prequel that also acted as sort of a reboot, as it gave the producers a chance to bring in some popular younger actors like Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy. The movies have since incorporated time travel elements into their storylines to bring the younger actors and the older actors together. The guy who plays the younger Magneto also starred in 300. Who plays young Magneto in the X-Men movies?
Who played Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man movie?
The first Iron Man movie is a significant part of film history in that it was the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which makes it pretty much the first movie ever to be a part of a shared universe of movies. The actor who played the villain, Obadiah Stane aka the Iron Monger, in the movie is perhaps best known for his role as Jeff "the Dude" Lebowski in The Big Lebowski. He was also in the neo noir thriller Bad Times at the El Royale this past summer. Who played Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man movie?
Who played Ares in Wonder Woman?
This character was known only as Sir Patrick Morgan until the big twist near the end when he reveals himself to be Ares. According to IMDb, the actor who played him has also appeared in the Harry Potter movie series and the drama The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Plus, he voiced the Shame Wizard in the second season of the Netflix animated comedy series Big Mouth and reprised his role as Ares in the DC Extended Universe follow up to Wonder Woman, Justice League. Which actor played the role of Ares, the main villain in 2017's Wonder Woman movie?
Who plays the Winter Soldier?
This character is an odd villain, because he was a good guy back in World War II when he served alongside Captain America. Then he was a bad guy after he was frozen and brainwashed and made to do a sinister organization's bidding under the moniker "the Winter Soldier." But then, after Steve Rogers managed to save him from his brainwashed state, he joined the Avengers. The actor who plays the Winter Soldier, also known by the nicer sounding name Bucky Barnes, appeared in Margot Robbie's Tonya Harding movie I, Tonya. Who plays the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who played Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2?
There were a couple of villains in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Andrew Garfield's second movie in the role of Spider-Man, including the Rhino and an incarnation of the Green Goblin. But the movie's primary villain is Electro and he is played by the same actor who played the title role in Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti western movie Django Unchained. He also won an Academy Award for Best Actor when he played the role of music icon Ray Charles in the biopic Ray. He also starred in the action thriller Sleepless. Who played the role of Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2?