Top 10 Actors Who Appeared in Both Marvel and DC Movies

Most Marvel fans will recognise this phenomenal British actor as the guardian of Asgard who sees all there is to see throughout the Nine Realms. As Heimdall, Idris portrayed a stoic badass who preserved Asgardian’s laws and protected the Rainbow Bridge. Despite being a stickler for the rules, he certainly wasn’t afraid to throw down on occasion, and proved that he is more than worthy of his post. Fans of him will also remember him in 2010’s “The Losers,” a DC property. As explosives expert Roque is an asset to his fellow black ops members… at least until money enters the picture.

#9: James Marsden Cyclops, Richard White

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Whatever your feelings on the franchise as a whole, James Marsden’s portrayal of X-Men leader Cyclops certainly managed to nail this “ordinary, extraordinary man.” From his devout love to Jean, his bitter rivalry with Wolverine and his skill with his optic blasts, it’s all there. He was obviously able to take that experience and channel it into his role as Richard White in “Superman Returns.” As the husband of Lois Lane, he manages to be a hero in his own humble way.

#8: Ben Affleck Daredevil, Batman

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There’s no doubt that Charlie Cox’s take on Daredevil in the hit Netflix series is the superior take on the character. Still, Academy Award winner Ben Affleck did play Daredevil in a movie that exists and that… is the nicest thing we can say on the subject. Ironically, he would take that pain and level of violence into another iconic character as the latest actor to take on the mantle of Batman. Despite his debut film dividing audiences, fans were in unanimous agreement that Affleck’s edgier Dark Knight was a much welcome addition. He certainly beats down criminals like the Bat!

It’s not exactly a secret that this Academy Award winner’s alternate take on the Princess of Plunder wasn’t that well received. She was certainly sexy and had more cat puns than you could throw a fish at, but only her revealing wardrobe and whipping skills earned her any praise at all. Luckily, her portrayal of Storm is far more beloved. As a secondary leader of the X-Men who can conjure up a thunderstorm in a matter of seconds, Storm became a strong-willed character who could easily face down any of the villains she encounters.

#6: Michael Fassbender Magneto, Burke

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We wouldn’t change Sir Ian McKellen’s performance as the Master of Magnetism for anything. Still, Michael Fassbender’s take on a much younger Erik Lehnsherr has been universally praised. As a broken and vulnerable mutant, his rage against humanity comes into conflict with the deep-rooted friendship he shares with Charles Xavier. It’s easy to see how he could easily evolve into the grizzled, prejudiced Magneto we know and love. As for his trip to the DC Universe, his role as the psychotic Irish assassin Burke in “Jonah Hex” may not have been awe-inspiring, but it was by far one of the better aspects of that film.

As the Red Skull, he portrayed Captain America’s mortal enemy, blending together all the campiness that can be expected of a cartoon villain as well as the real-life terror of a Nazi war criminal. On the other end of the spectrum you have the masked freedom fighter V, who fights against a totalitarian London with nothing but knives and some awesome alliteration. The two characters couldn’t be any more different yet it’s hard to decide which performance we prefer more.

#4: Ryan Reynolds Deadpool, Green Lantern

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We’re not saying that Mr Reynold’s portrayal of Green Lantern was a comic book abomination. After all, it’s easy to see he put his all into playing Hal Jordan. But it’s clear that this Canadian actor was born to take on the role of Deadpool. As the Merc with the Mouth, he slayed it in his solo movie, breaking numerous walls, cursing his head off and doing a whole lot of killing. Just what we wanted. His performance was so good that it made us forget anything DC-related he may have done… at least it would if he didn’t keep poking fun at it.

#3: Chris Evans Human Torch/Captain America, Jake Jensen

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Even before the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans was making his mark on the superhero scene as the hot-headed Human Torch as the best part of the 2005 Fantastic Four film. And when he was given the shield of Captain America, he breathed new life into a classic character as well in one of the greatest modern portrayals of any superhero. But between his Marvel projects, he hopped over to DC to play another kind of soldier – Jake Jensen in “The Losers.” The computer expert on this black ops team was a departure, a nerdy, lighter kind of role – and Evans played it beautifully.

You can kind of guess that superhero flicks aren’t this Academy Award Winner’s choice of work. But for some reason, his signature directness lends itself perfectly to them, especially in the role of Colonel Chester Phillips in Captain America. This also makes his DC appearance kind of a head scratcher as well. Nevertheless, we’ll be damned if his campy, over the top portrayal of Two-Face in “Batman Forever” isn’t all kinds of entertaining. It’s fair to say that these particular entries in the Caped Crusader and First Avenger’s franchise wouldn’t be the same without Mr Jones. Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honourable mention. Laurence Fishburne Perry White, The Silver Surfer Tao Okamoto Mariko, Mercy Graves Zoe Saldana Gamora, Aisha

Without her, the Guy Fawkes-masked anarchist and the God of Thunder could not have succeeded, so how could we resist putting this lady of both Marvel and DC at the forefront? As Evey Hammond, Ms Portman portrayed a woman stripped of dignity who found the strength to fight back against corruption. Then as Jane Foster, she struck a balance between an independent, quirky astrophysicist and the woman who wins the heart of Thor. Compared to a lot of love interests that have fallen flat in other superhero films, this Academy Award Winner managed to nail it all the way. Do you agree with our list? Who do you think is the best actor to have played roles in Marvel and DC? With new top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.