ICYMI, Paramount Plus has been hyping us all about the latest Star Trek saga focusing on James T. Kirk’s immediate predecessor, Captain Christopher Pike of the U.S.S. Enterprise, which got me thinking about “comic book movie redemption.” The C.B.S. streamer (which is not a bad investment) is putting out the original series, Strange New Worlds. It stars Ethan Peck (In Time, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) as Spock, Rebecca Romijn (of John Stamos-ex fame) as Number One, and making his comeback tour among Nerd Nation, Anson Mount as Pike.
The focus of this list is on actors who deserve comic book movie redemption. Anson Mount deserves it. By now, you know, he’s already received it, kinda.
Mount is no stranger to geek culture, nor starring as Captain Christopher Pike, where he previously appeared in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Short Treks. He has also voiced Batman in Injustice and played Paul Hayden, a minor presence in Smallville. But let’s be honest–his badge of dishonor revolves around the poorly managed and written Inhumans on A.B.C. This faction is Marvel’s “most evolved alien race.” That’s not an opinion; that’s a backstory fact right from the source.
One problem, the idea of a movie was kiboshed. So, Marvel Entertainment put it on ABC Network in a demotion of types. Yes, even Marvel can ess the bed occasionally. As we all know by now, it sucked out loud and didn’t even complete a season. But watch it. Anson Mount was captivating! Black Bolt, Medusa, and the rest of the Inhuman Royal Family could have been something great. However, the silver lining is that they still can be.
ABC nor Marvel gave Mount a chance to discover the role. Hell, there wasn’t even a chance to star in the role while floating around in the Multitude of Madness either. Bring back the Inhumans, Marvel. Please do it for the silent killer, Black Bolt!
Here are the Top 10 (other) actors who deserve comic book movie redemption.
Honorable Mention: Michael Jai White
Now, now. Hear me out.
Spawn was the worst C.B.M. to slap us around since Howard the Duck. And that dufus film at least has Lea Thompson to make you forget about some horny duck walking around. Mark A.Z. Dippe made his directorial debut with Spawn, and it showed.
That, and Dippe’s ass was showing too. He made the movie during his lunch breaks from Home Depot. I mean, Spawn was about as entertaining as a colonoscopy. And, at least, you get a Blow Pop when you leave that office.
All that notwithstanding, Michael Jai White deserves better. He should be allowed comic book movie redemption. White is a stellar martial artist and holds seven black belts–Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Wushu, and Kyokushin.
When Marvel or D.C. considers casting a certifiable stud as a hero or villain, painting White in some devilish Spandex or keeping him a custom-tailored suit in The Dark Knight for about 12 minutes is not using him correctly.
And why? Here’s the fan-casting part of this editorial–if anyone has connections with Milestone Comics, direct them to read this. Michael Jai White is ICON!
This man would be a daring pick for Augustus Freeman/Arnus Prime. Sure, someone like Idris Elba, Denzel Washington, Harry Lennix, or Michael B. Jordan could tap into the gravitas with conviction needed for Arnus experiencing slavery. But when you have someone who whooped Superman’s Kryptonian behind, the antebellum rage needs to come out in a strong, stout can of whoop @$! M.J.W. has that in spades!
On with the show…
10. Christopher Eccleston
Many of the Marvel faithful didn’t realize who they had under that sinister elven suit, but Christopher Eccleston is a first-class Shakespearean nerd. He has portrayed King Lear, Othello, Creon (Antigone), and even Macbeth! He was also a Doctor Who in 2005, so what’s not to admire?! Yet, not even a moment’s notice to play back seat to his long-lost cousin, Loki. It was sad. Eccleston was brooding and creepy, and you knew he could have given Thor a run for his Asgardian money.
But director Alan Taylor, who has been in the chair for T.V. classics such as Game of Thrones, Sopranos, Law and Order, and Mad Men, must have believed he only had 44 minutes to feature people (with commercials) so Eccleston only got about 13 minutes. He was the main villain–well, supposedly–and few people even remember he was there. You don’t put him on the bench when you have someone with those credits. Eccleston even “regretted” being in the movie and said Marvel was “dishonest” with him.
Hey W.B.D., do the right thing and give this man his own comic book movie redemption.
9. Michael Chiklis
Everyone knows how much of a train wreck Fantastic Four was, or even its wretched sequel with the Silver Surfer. But Michael Chiklis is often overlooked as a guy who did a respectable job in that movie. He was easily one of the best parts there, with drama, comedy, and a few moments of brute badassery. Yet, because that movie sucked so bad, people assumed he did too. It’s like working in waste management: Just because when you come home and smell like ish doesn’t mean you don’t bathe.
Shoot. Marvel gave the guy who played Johnny Storm another chance, and he did okay. Chiklis deserves another shot at a C.B.M. There are certainly some bold characters that could use him. If you don’t believe that, binge the F.X. series, The Shield. Dude was award-winning and so great. He can easily walk in the shoes of a comic creation–if only he had a better script, effects, costume, and… well, you get it.
8. Lee Pace
While you may not recognize Lee Pace by name alone, you surely know him by his titular role in Guardians of the Galaxy as Ronan the Accuser. (He was also Thranduil in The Hobbit trilogy, so he’s no slouch in C.B.M.s.) Five years later, Ronan was back in Captain Marvel. Both movies had two things in common about Pace: 1. They were successful films, and 2. Ronan did not have a prominent place in origin movies.
He is a versatile actor, familiar with characters in the cosmos, but where was his room to flex and stand out from the crowd? If you know the history of Ronan, the Kree killer is ruthless. He beat down Captain Mar-Vell, took on the Inhumans, and even challenged Thanos! There was no fear with Ronan, yet Lee Pace wasn’t permitted to do a quarter of what Ronan could do. Bury him under more paint, Marvel. Just give him another chance!
7. Olivia Munn
(Full disclosure: You could say that I’m a fan. Have mercy!) Now that I am transparent, Olivia Munn was one of the bright spots in an otherwise dimly lit film, X-Men: Apocalypse. Many fell in love with Oscar Issac’s portrayal of En Sabah Nur, and it appears that he’s doing okay in nerd movies and T.V. series. Among the usuals, we knew what to expect. But then, we met Psylocke, who had to sit at the kid’s table in the film for some reason.
Other characters weren’t great. Much of the writing wasn’t either. Yet, we didn’t get much from Munn’s Psylocke, and it stood out. She was a top performer with what little she had to work on the movie. With better material and possibly a more complicated character (cough…ZATANNA…cough), Olivia Munn would rock in a comic universe somewhere. Hopefully, with a reset button-pounding coming to a comic label, she will.
6. Peter Sarsgaard
Don’t even get us started on Green Lantern. About 98% of that film was comical (although it’s still a damn shame we won’t get to see Mark Strong as the fearmonger Sinestro). It was a glorious mess; precisely every time CGI amateur program Parallax opened its mouth. And then there is the sentimental baddie, Hector (Peter Sarsgaard). The funniest part of the movie–to me, at least–was that as Hector went through his dramatic cranial blowout, no one looked at Hector like, “DAYUM! What happened to you, bruh?”
This guy is a Sarsgaard! We’re talking vampires, Vikings, the king of the jungle, a Northman, a member of the X-Force, and even a psychopathic clown. Oh, and their dad is a stud too, who was most recently the floating fat man in Dune. And yet, Peter is stuck as Mr. Big Head. He deserves better because right now, he’s Peter is treated like William Baldwin or whoever that flawed boy band fans call “The Bonus Jonas.” (Yes, Peter Sarsgaard was in The Batman, but who noticed the D.A. much?)
Do him right, comic folks, and cast him correctly!
5. Thomas Haden Church
Spider-Man 3. Poor, hapless, should-have-been-better-if-it-didn’t-suck-so-much, Spider-Man 3. One of the most powerful of Spidey’s Rogues Gallery is Sandman. At least he should have been. Sure, he made a cameo in No Way Home. To be honest, who didn’t? Thomas Haden Church is a person who deserves a comic book movie redemption. He was so good in that movie. Instead of a focused film, Sam Raimi made more of a trough buffet-style offering.
So much crap. So little focus. Church was too good to be forgotten. Much like Chiklis, there are too many fascinating characters in all comics for this fantastic actor not to be given a comic book movie redemption. Put that talent on display. This ain’t Wings — time for this guy to soar in another C.B.M.
4. Liev Schreiber
If you have Showtime, you already know about Ray Donovan. Liev Schreiber is a guy destined to be in a C.B.M. He was, and as we have already pointed out, given a role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and welp, he probably wishes Sabertooth landed with someone else. The casting was perfect, truly. The chemistry between the two stars was magnetic. But, why, oh why, did that movie have to suck the way it did?!
Not that his career was bruised in any form. He’s been on Showtime since 2013, so there’s that steady paycheck. However, this guy needs a comic book movie redemption. He was solid as Sabretooth. Who wouldn’t want him in their universe? Here’s an idea, and not that this is a fancasting post, but Vandal Savage! YOOOO!
And who is one of his foes? Hawkman! Is The Rock reading this? Hello?
3. Nicolas Cage
Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way. Nicolas Cage has always related to fandoms. Either his admissions of loving comics or narrowly missing out on being Superman (but he voiced Batman, so there’s that) or the cranial injury that was Ghost Rider, most nerds want to see this guy with a cape and some spandex soon. He was cheated out of being in the MCU. And, depending on who you ask, he was cheated out of a good movie.
He’s a geek, a bonafide action movie legend, and well…looking for work. A few fancasts would include Nicolas Cage in either Marvel or D.C. Yet, here’s something to consider–Image Comics has a bevy of mercurial characters (other than Spawn) who deserve consideration. There are directors out there who could make themselves a solid by offering Cage a character like Cyberforce, Shadowhawk, or even Invincible.
That would be a comic book movie redemption story many of us would read with a cheese-eating grin on our faces. Make this happen, Image…or, um, whoever else is interested.
2. Taylor Kitsch
And speaking of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, few actors have done as dirty in C.B.M.s as Taylor Kitsch. In Origins, 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment realized they had a Razzie-winning triumph. Gavin Hood’s S.A.G. card should have been revoked for the first iteration of Deadpool alone. Yet, Ryan Reynolds wasn’t punished for that. Famke Janssen? Nope. Halle Berry? Nada. Hugh Jackman? Please.
So, they decided to take out their aggression on Taylor Kitsch, who was quickly the standout in that movie as the “Ragin’ Cajun” Remy LeBeau. Much like Gambit’s deck of cards when hurled, Kitsch vanished from Marvel like a fart in the wind. Pathetic. He was convincing in that movie and put all those awful rumors of Channing Tatum playing Gambit, which picked up after this turd. Hopefully, when MCU brings back our favorite mutants, they reconsider Taylor’s place in the universe because he would be so good in a comic book movie redemption story.
1. Edward Norton
Who else should head this list of comic book movie redemption honorees?! Edward Norton was done dirty by Marvel like Zack Snyder was treated like crap by Walter Hamada…eh, D.C. Comics. (Sorry, did I say that aloud?)
You have the building block of what was going to be the MCU. He could have been one of the chief cornerstones because it’s Edward friggin’ Norton. He has an Oscar! Sure, Liv Tyler was his sweetheart. Oh, the bad guy was Tim Roth, and he is no slouch. Then, we stare at director Louis Leterrier, whose resume is meh, at best. He wanted Mark Ruffalo. Marvel wanted Ed Norton. Welp, Leterrier won.
Maybe that was it. Perhaps, it was the Universal Pictures’ presence? Did you know this is the only MCU film Paramount did not distribute? Universal had the rights to the Hulk since the 1977 Bill Bixby days. It could have been that Ed Norton had to direct many of his scenes. Whatever it was, dude was strong as real Hulk, not apathetic Professor Hulk.
Yet, he got bounced, and we lost arguably what could have been the most outstanding actor to put on tights and a cape, or in this case, torn-up jeans and steroids. Either, there’s not a person alive who deserves a more substantial comic book movie redemption than Edward Norton. What say you?
Anyone we missed? Hit the comments below and maybe we’ll continue this listicle for the second Top 10.
Since he saw ‘Dune’ in the $1 movie theater as a kid, this guy has been a lover of geek culture. It wasn’t until he became a professional copywriter, ghostwriter, and speechwriter that he began to write about it (a lot).
From the gravitas of the Sith, the genius of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or the gluttony of today’s comic fan, SPW digs intelligent debate about entertainment. He’s also addicted to listicles, storytelling, useless trivia, and the Oxford comma. And, he prefers his puns intended.