In this day and age many actors are known for one role that made them iconic. This is especially true with the vast number of blockbuster movies coming out. While superhero movies has taken Hollywood by storm, with many actors opting for that lucky long-term Marvel contract, those type of films are not the only genre making stars out of actors. Sci-fi epics, space operas, and nostalgic reboots are more of the money-making machines in the Hollywood system. Add the word “franchise” to the mix and any actor lucky enough to land a role is set for life.
Most of the time, it’s these actors’ agents who are actively looking around for roles, but other times fans are the ones responsible for landing actors’ their dream gig. Thanks to the internet and social media, fans are able to voice their opinions. While at times those voices tend to navigate towards the negative end of the dialogue spectrum, most of the time fans have some pretty good ideas. When it comes to casting actors, the fans really seem to be experts– and in some instances, even clairvoyant.
Today we’ll be exploring the times that fans predicted actors being cast in iconic roles, way before those actors were eventually cast by the big studios, as well as actors that fans are still petitioning for casting. We can only hope studios will continue to pay attention to fans’ picks for their favorite characters.
Here are 11 Fan Castings That Actually Came True (And 9 That Still Should).
Came True: Joe Manganiello (Deathstroke)
Joe Manganiello isn’t new to the superhero genre. He actually appeared in the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie as Flash Thompson. Yet, it took a few years until fans started seeing the potential in Manganiello to become an iconic comic book character.
After Manganiello got a toned physique for his role in the series True Blood, DCEU fans begged Warner Bros. to cast the actor as Deathstroke. Rumors then spread that Deathstroke would appear in The Batman movie and after Ben Affleck teased the character on Twitter, all fingers pointed to Manganiello.
Indeed, it was all confirmed when the actor appeared in the end-credits scene of Justice League in full Deathstroke costume.
Still Should: Eiza Gonzalez (Catwoman)
Rumors hit the internet in late 2017 that a Catwoman movie was in development at Warner Bros. This was around the same time that the film Baby Driver was heading into awards season. One of the standout performances in Baby Driver was actress Eiza Gonzalez.
When she posted a photo on Instagram teasing a possible Catwoman role, many fans started petitioning for the actress to Selina Kyle.
It didn’t take long for Instagram artists to create their own rendition of how Gonzalez could look as the DC anti-hero.
Came True: Henry Cavill (The Witcher)
When Netflix announced that it was adapting the fan-favorite video game/book series The Witcher into a live-action series, it wasn’t long before fans started casting Geralt of Rivia, the game’s main character.
One actor that checked all of fans’ boxes of the ideal Witcher was Henry Cavill, who is most known for playing Superman in the DCEU.
Word got around and it wasn’t long until graphic artist Bosslogic designed Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. Cavill then reposted the design on his Instagram. Just a few months later, Netflix announced Cavill’s casting as Geralt.
This is a case of fans and an actor working together to make a dream casting a reality.
Still Should: Ricky Whittle (Green Lantern)
Ricky Whittle first gained prominence in the United States for his role in TheCW’s The 100, where he played Lincoln, but it was with Starz’ American Gods that Whittle really became a fan-favorite actor.
In American Gods, he plays the lead character Shadow Moon, but when DC announced a Green Lantern Corps movie, fans saw Whittle as the perfect choice to play the John Stewart version of Green Lantern.
Warner Bros. has shaken up its DC slate quite a bit since announcing the Green Lantern Corps film. When the film finally starts production, Whittle should be cast as the beloved John Stewart, or even Hal Jordan, without question.
Came True: Patrick Stewart (Professor X)
Before Twitter and the Internet were commonplace, the last pages of comic books and fan letters to editors where the places were fans could express their opinions. This was the case in the late ’90s whenthe first X-Men film began production.
At the time, Patrick Stewart was best known as Picard from Star Trek, but fans knew perfectly well that hewas born to play another iconic role.
Indeed, Stewart’s name was thrown around as the ideal actor to play Professor X and, needless to say, the filmmakers at Fox listened to the chatter. Today, Professor X is arguably Stewart’s most well-known role.
Came True: Jessica Chastain (Adult Beverly)
No one expected 2017’s It: Chapter One to be as massive success a success as it was. The film earned over $120 million in its opening weekend and eventually finished its box office run with a massive worldwide total of $700 million. The film was widely praised for its story, cinematography and Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise, but it was the movie’s young cast who completely stole the show.
One of the breakout stars was Sophia Lillis, who played Beverly. Given that a sequel was soon announced, fans immediately named Jessica Chastain as the perfect actor to play an adult Beverly, with Lillis echoing the wish.
That’s exactly what happened when Warner Bros. announced the adult cast.
Still Should: Emma Stone (Batgirl)
Emma Stone’s journey into the superhero genre landed her the role of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man film series. She was a standout in the first film and then in the second film her character perished, borrowing heavily from the same comic book panels that saw Gwen Stacy lose her life many years ago.
When a Batgirl film was announced by Warner Bros. fans quickly picked Stone as the ideal candidate for the role.
She quickly became the only actor fans wanted.
Graphic designer Bosslogic offered his own rendition of how Stone could look like as the DC heroine. If Batgirl is gets made, then Stone should definitely star in the titular role.
Came True: Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
There was a time when Ryan Reynolds was not known for playing Deadpool. Back in the early 2000s, before accepting the role of Green Lantern, Reynolds appeared in Blade: Trinity alongside Wesley Snipes and Jessica Biel. Yet, even though Reynolds was playing a vampire, he was the perfect Deadpool in the eyes of Jeff Katz, a Fox executive at the time of the filming of Blade.
From there, Deadpool’s long road to the silver screen started, and it was all going to be over when Reynolds finally played the role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Luckily, everything turned out alright for theMmerc with a Mouth and Reynolds finally made the Deadpool movie he envisioned way back in 2004.
Still Should: Megan Fox (Poison Ivy)
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Megan Fox up on the big screen. Her last big notable film was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, where she played April O’Neill. Despite her cinematic absence, fans were quick to cast her as Poison Ivy once Warner Bros. and DC announced that they had plans for the character.
Fox has already starred in a previous DC film before (Jonah Hex), so she wouldn’t be new to the superhero landscape.
It would be the perfect comeback for an actress who still has a lot to offer.
When casting Poison Ivy for Gotham City Sirens, Fox should definitely be the first choice.
Came True: Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)
The casting of Doctor Strange has been thrown around forums and Twitter conversations long before he was referenced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The Sorcerer Supreme was even shouted out by J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.
Before it was finally announced that Benedict Cumberbatch would play the superhero, he was one of many who fans wanted for the role.
Along with Joaquin Phoenix, Cumberbatch was the favorite pick among fans.
When it was rumored that he might put on the cloak, Cumberbatch denied the rumors. Eventually, though, fans’ wishes were fulfilled.
Still Should: Emily Blunt (Invisible Woman)
The Disney/Fox deal should bring the X-Men and the Fantastic Four to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans already know what actors they want to fill those roles. Speaking of the Fantastic Four, in particular, one name that pops up a lot is Emily Blunt, the fan-favorite choice to play Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman.
Blunt has proven to be one of the most talented actors working today and it’s about time that she tackled a superhero role.
Her dramatic chops, combined with stellar action set pieces akin to her performance in Edge of Tomorrow, would make for one very cinematic Invisible Woman.
Came True: Brie Larson (Captain Marvel)
Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel casting announcement was made during Marvel’s Hall H panel at 2016’s San Diego Comic-Con. The news made a lot of fans happy, especially since she was one of the favorites to play the character.
Even though she was rumored to be in talks for the role, fans already had Larson on the top of the list of actresses to play Carol Danvers on the big screen.
Other names that were thrown into the rumor mill was Emily Blunt and Charlize Theron, but it was Larson who eventually got the role. Fans clearly weren’t disappointed, as the hype is only growing for Captain Marvel.
Still Should: John Krasinski (Mister Fantastic)
The Fantastic Four wouldn’t be a team without their leader, Mister Fantastic. And who better to take up the role than John Krasinski?
The actor has proven that he has what it takes to become a superhero.
Even more, he is married to Emily Blunt, which in fans’ eyes that makes him the only actor that should play Reed Richards.
There’s precedent to their argument. The husband and wife duo both starred in this year’s A Quiet Place, proving that their chemistry on screen is impeccable, indeed. The film went on to become a massive hit, both critically and financially.
Came True: Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)
Before Samuel L. Jackson started playing Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his likeness and image was used in comic books for the character. Writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch based the Ultimate version of Nick fury on Jackson in 2001 without asking the actor for permission.
According to Cinemablend, it was later during the filming of Kingsman: The Secret Service that Millar apologized to Jackson, to which Jackson replied, “thanks for the nine-picture deal!”
It was thanks to Millar and Hitch that Marvel Studios cast Jackson as Nick Fury in the MCU, so Jackson was more than happy that the comic book authors brought him to life in the panels first.
Still Should: Anna Kendrick (Squirrel Girl)
Despite a Squirrel Girl being set for a project already in development in the TV side of Marvel Entertainment, fans wanted Anna Kendrick to helm her own solo outing as the beloved heroine.
Kendrick even campaigned for the role on Twitter and got massive support from a plethora of followers.
In the comics Squirrel Girl is a fun and silly character, but she’s proven to be a phenomenal hero nonetheless. She’s even defeated Thanos!
Kendrick would be perfect for the role if Marvel Studios decides to bring Squirrel Girl to big screen. Seeing her interact with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man or the Guardians of the Galaxy would be cinematic gold.
Came True: Donald Glover (Spider-Man)
After his stellar performance in the show Community, it didn’t take long for fans to dream cast Donald Glover as Spider-Man. This was around the time when Sony was looking for a new actor to star in the rebooted The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Even Glover himself campaigned to play the character.
The role eventually went to Andrew Garfield, but Glover still managed to play Spider-Man in another medium– animated television.
While it was not exactly what fans wanted, Glover voiced Miles Morales/Spider-Man on the Disney XD show Ultimate Spider-Man. Later on, Glover was cast in Spider-Man: Homecoming, where he played the uncle of a character that many fans assume is the MCU’s Miles Morales.
Still Should: Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano)
The Star Wars anthology movies are ever-expanding, so it was only a matter of time until fans started petitioning for what film they wanted to see next.
Rogue One proved to be a great addition to the franchise, and though Solo was not the success that Lucasfilm wanted, fans offered up their own cure to Star Wars’ recent lackluster performance: an Ahsoka Tano movie.
That would not only bring the beloved character into live-action, but it would also give fans another chance to see Darth Vader in full splendor.
Fans’ only pick is Rosario Dawson.
Given her phenomenal performances and her ongoing relationship with Disney,she’s totally the perfect choice.
Came True: Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin)
Vincent D’Onofrio is arguably one of the best villains in the entire MCU, not just it’ TV side. Making his debut as Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, on Netflix’s first season of Daredevil, the actor quickly established his character as a ruthless and complex villain, who’d do anything for himself and his city. Loki and Kilgrave are up there among the best villains in the MCU, but D’Onofrio as Kingpin takes the trophy. Even more, long before a Daredevil series was announced by Marvel, the actor was among the favorites to portray Wilson Fisk. Two years before the first season of Daredevil aired on Netflix, D’Onofrio was fancasted on the site DeviantArt by various graphic designers.
Still Should: Alexandra Daddario (Zatanna)
With Shazam coming to the DCEU, fans are expecting more magical and supernatural characters to debut on the silver screen. Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman already delve into the supernatural in small capacity, but Shazam seems to be the DCEU movie that will tackle the concept head on.
One magical character DC fans want to see on the big screen is Zatanna and their pick for who should play her is Alexandra Daddario.
The actress has been on the come-up ever since her breakout performance in the Percy Jackson movies, but it was after starring opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in San Andreas that fans made her their ideal candidate for the role of Zatanna. BossLogic’s art really drives the point home.
Came True: Oscar Isaac (Gomez)
When it was announced that an Addams Family movie was going to be made, fans everywhere started dream casting the beloved family.
One actor who fans desperately wanted to be in the movie was Golden Globe-winner Oscar Isaac. Fans wanted Isaac to portray Gomez Addams, the patriarch of the Addams family. It wasn’t long until fans’ wishes came true as Isaac was quickly announced as the new Gomez Addams, along with Charlize Theron as the voice of Morticia Addams.
It won’t be long until fans gets to watch Isaac voice Gomez. The film is slated to release in theaters in October of 2019.
What’s your ultimate fan cast? Let us know in the comments.
- Shazam! Release Date: 2019-04-05 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02 IT Chapter Two Release Date: 2019-09-06 Addams Family Release Date: 2019-10-11 The Addams Family Release Date: 2019-10-11
