It’s remarkable how long some franchises have gone on. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, for instance, has been running for 17 years come this May, and film adaptations of Marvel comics were going on years before that, as seen with the Fox X-Men and Fantastic Four films, as well as the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. With some franchises continuing for decades, it’s no surprise some actors have played multiple roles in the same franchise, especially when it comes to adaptations of comics.
Jason Momoa Will Return in The New DCU Era
One of the most recent cases of this is in the DCU. For the upcoming Supergirl film, the DCU cast Jason Momoa as Lobo, an interstellar bounty hunter. However, prior to this, Momoa portrayed Aquaman in the DCEU films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Aquaman, Zach Snyder’s Justice League, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – as well as the Max series Peacemaker in a cameo role.
While the last Aquaman film was poorly received by critics based on Rotten Tomatoes, Momoa has an undeniable charm as DC’s Aquaman. As such, many hoped he’d somehow be utilized in the new DCU even if that meant portraying a different character. In particular, there were numerous rumors about Momoa taking on the role of Lobo, and those rumors finally proved to be true with this casting announcement.
Chris Evans Has Been Two Iconic Marvel Characters
For about eight years, Chris Evans portrayed Captain America in the MCU films. Introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger, Evans’ Steve Rogers is one of the biggest characters in the MCU, with his impact still being felt today despite Evan’s version of the character being retired and Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson carrying on the mantle in Captain America: Brave New World.
Prior to picking up the shield, Evans was another iconic Marvel hero, three years before the formation of the MCU. Evans played Johnny Storm, AKA The Human Torch in 2005’s Fantastic Four, reprising the role in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While these films were not part of the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine brings Evans’ Human Torch back, along with several other Fox Marvel characters. Evans’ appearance as Johnny Storm is a cameo in the MCU, but a new Johnny Storm, portrayed by Joseph Quinn, is set to debut in Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Michael B. Jordan Went From Marvel Hero To Villain
Before Joseph Quinn’s turn as Johnny Storm, another actor took on the role of The Human Torch after Chris Evans’ time as the character. Michael B. Jordan portrays The Human Torch in 2015’s Fantastic Four. The film was not well received by critics or fans, and it failed to launch any follow-up movies.
Meanwhile, the MCU was going strong in 2015, and three years later, the first and only MCU film to ever be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture, Black Panther, would hit the big screen with none other than Jordan as the main antagonist. Jordan’s Killmonger is one of the best villains from the MCU and despite his character’s death in Black Panther, Jordan reprised this role in Wakanda Forever and the animated series What If…?
Robert Downey Jr. Is Set To Return To The MCU As The Villain
Another Marvel actor returning to the franchise as a villain is none other than Robert Downey Jr. At San Diego Comic Con 2024, it was announced The Russo Brothers would helm the upcoming Avengers films, Doomsday and Secret Wars. Along with that, it was announced who the villain would be. While the titles of the films were a big hint, suspicions were confirmed when Robert Downey Jr. joined the SDCC stage with a Doctor Doom mask.
Downey Jr.’s casting as Doom means he will return to the MCU even after Iron Man’s death. Downey Jr. first portrayed Tony Stark in 2008, thus becoming the first hero in the MCU. As a result, he’s been the face of the MCU for years, having a lasting impact on the franchise storyline and with audiences to this day. Seeing the actor behind the MCU’s first hero return to the franchise as one of Marvel Comics’ biggest villains has led to a lot of talk, but only time will tell how his portrayal of Doom will be received, as it won’t be for a few more years until fans see Downey Jr. in this role.
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Gemma Chan Went From A Supporting Villain To An Intergalactic Hero
On the heels of the cliffhanger ending to Avengers: Infinity War, the MCU threw it back to the 1990s with 2019’s Captain Marvel. Taking place right before Carol Danvers leaves the Kree, audiences meet the other Kree soldiers she fights alongside, including Gemma Chan’s Minn-Erva. She’s one of several soldiers who answer to Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg, so she is more so a supporting character than a primary antagonist.
Come 2021’s Eternals, Chan returns to the MCU as a main character, but not just any main character. Chan portrays Sersi, who would become the leader of the Eternals. If it wasn’t for her, the Earth would have been destroyed upon the birth of a Celestial; however, Sersi’s fate is left up in the air, as there are no immediate plans for a sequel to Eternals.
Michelle Yeoh Went From A Minor Role To A Mentor Role In The MCU
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 expands the lore of The Ravagers, space pirates Peter Quill used to be associated with. Primarily through Yondu’s story in Vol. 2, audiences see there are many other Ravagers clans out there, including one led by Michelle Yeoh’s Aleta Ogord. While she does not get much screen time, Ogord is teased in the end of the film to be part of another cosmic team, one that resembles a different lineup for The Guardians of the Galaxy.
So far, Aleta has not returned to the MCU, but Yeoh has: she returned to portray Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Along with being the titular marital arts expert’s aunt, she is also a guardian of Ta Lo. Ying Nan is crucial to Shang-Chi’s training once he enters Ta Lo, showing him the ropes in place of his mother, who tragically was killed when he was a child.
Sean Gunn Has Been Multiple Villains For DC
While most of these actors have taken breaks in between their roles in their respective franchises, Sean Gunn portrays multiple roles in the DCU at the same time. In The Suicide Squad, he briefly portrays Calendar Man, who is one of the prisoners alongside the other Squad members; however, he is not recruited for the team in this film. Weasel, on the other hand, is. Also portrayed by Gunn, Weasel lives up to his name as human-sized, weasel-like creature.
Initially, it seems Weasel dies early on in, The Suicide Squad, but he comes back to life by the end of the film. Bringing Weasel back to life initially came off as a joke, but the character returns in the DCU’s animated Max series, Creature Commandos. Not only does Gunn’s Weasel have a larger role in this series, he also voices GI Robot, a World War II android with a deep love of killing Nazis. Sean Gunn is also set to portray Maxwell Lord in the DCU, who was previously portrayed by Pedro Pascal in the DCEU’s Wonder Woman 1984.
This is not even counting Sean Gunn’s multiple roles in the MCU, where he played Youndu’s second-in-command (and successor) Kraglin Obfonteri in his brother James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, while also providing motion-capture work for Rocket Raccoon.
You can stream all of these films (and TV series) on Disney+ or Max.
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