Top 10 MCU Actors You Forgot Were in Horror Movies
#10: Tessa Thompson
“When a Stranger Calls” (2006) The Home Invasion angle has its own niche in the horror genre and is this film’s premise. “When a Stranger Calls” sees teen Jill Johnson babysitting for a wealthy family when she realizes she’s being stalked by a killer. Tessa Thompson’s part as Jill’s best friend, Scarlett, is little more than a cameo, and her main contribution is to provide Jill with emotional support. Although Thompson isn't part of the core story, her character does bring a notable sensitivity to an otherwise intense thriller. In addition to Thompson, “When a Stranger Calls” also features Clark Gregg as Jill’s father, best known to MCU fans as Agent Phil Coulson.
#9: Anthony Mackie
“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” (2012) A decade before he became the MCU’s next Captain America, Anthony Mackie played the best friend of one of the country’s former presidents. This dark fantasy horror has an alternate history where Abraham Lincoln’s true identity was as a vampire hunter, with Mackie appearing as Lincoln’s partner Will Johnson. The movie dives big into its premise, as a number of monstrous enemies are faced by the protagonists who seek to vanquish the vampires’ leader Adam. Much like Mackie’s role as Falcon saw him stand by his friend Captain America, Will Johnson is equally loyal to Lincoln. Interestingly, Lincoln’s mentor, Henry Sturgess, is played by Dominic Cooper, known for his role as MCU’s Howard Stark.
#8: Elizabeth Olsen
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“Martha Marcy May Marlene” (2011) Elizabeth Olsen was praised for her portrayal of Scarlet Witch in the Disney+ series “WandaVision,” but the actress's debut role saw her in a far more spine-chilling scenario. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” is a psychological horror about a young woman's escape from a cult who may or may not be pursuing her once again. The lack of clarity about Martha's past and her constant fear of being caught are the basis for the movie's plot. It's also left intentionally ambiguous as to what's really happening in order to make viewers share Martha's paranoia. Olsen’s performance carries the movie since the framing device is set from Martha's point of view, making it seem as if danger is lurking at every corner.
#7: Jeremy Renner & Idris Elba
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“28 Weeks Later” (2007) Known to MCU audiences for playing Heimdall and Hawkeye, Idris Elba and Jeremy Renner star in 28 Weeks Later as Brigadier General Stone and sniper Sergeant Doyle, who are responsible for guarding a zombie safe zone. This sequel focuses on the effects of the zombie virus from the original spreading across Britain. Things spiral into chaos after the infection spreads inside the safe zone and zombies begin ravaging everything they find. Brigadier Stone doesn’t get into the action much due to his role as a senior army member, but Sergeant Doyle is instrumental in the escape from the infected. With both actors later becoming leading stars in their own right, it’s easy to see why their supporting roles in this horror flick can be forgotten.
#6: Chris Hemsworth
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“The Cabin in the Woods” (2011) A satirical take on horror movie tropes, the movie’s plot sees a group of college students hunted down near a remote cabin. Filmed before Chris Hemsworth was cast to star as Thor, but released around the time the hero debuted in the MCU, “The Cabin in the Woods” was one of Hemsworth’s first roles in film. Rather than appearing as the all-powerful protagonist MCU fans are used to, Hemsworth’s character, Curt Vaughn, represents the jock stereotype. Engineered by the government to use these victims as human sacrifices, the characters are killed off one by one as they look to survive. Hemsworth isn’t the lead in the movie, but did provide some comedic relief in this twist on the horror genre.
#5: Paul Rudd
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“Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” (1995) While Paul Rudd’s role in 1995’s “Clueless” is still popularly known, it’s not common knowledge that the actor and comedian appeared in this slasher movie in the same year. While MCU fans are aware of Rudd’s prowess in funny material, he projected a serious performance in “The Curse of Michael Myers.” Rudd plays the adult Tommy Doyle, whose obsession with putting down the titular character leads him to protect the Strode family from the Myers’s attempts to kill them. In retrospect, the movie has been ignored by the series itself, as the following entries don’t acknowledge its connection to the overarching storyline. However, it’s interesting to see how the man who plays Ant-Man once channelled his inner scream queen.
#4: Samuel L. Jackson
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“1408” (2007) While Sam Jackson's role in 2021's Spiral came as a surprise to many, the actor actually appeared in a horror movie over a decade prior. “1408” is about a man's harrowing stay in a haunted hotel room where he has to survive a night plagued by unimaginable horrors. Jackson plays the hotel manager Gerald Olin, who attempts to dissuade John Cusack's protagonist character from staying in room 1408. Jackson's role is relatively small, however, as the film's minimalist setting means Olin appears infrequently. An apparition of Olin does antagonize the hero at a point in the movie, which should show MCU fans that Jackson's acting chops extend far beyond portraying Nick Fury.
#3: Karen Gillan
“Oculus” (2013) MCU’s Nebula possesses a darker personality compared to other characters in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but Karen Gillan's role in “Oculus” saw her placed in a completely scary backdrop. The story sees siblings Kaylie and Tim's bid for revenge against a haunted mirror that tore their family apart. As adults, the brother-sister pair decide to confront the mirror and put an end to its curse. However, the characters realize they're far from prepared for the hallucinations the mirror projects at them, as the two become trapped in one horrifying loop after another. “Oculus” was released just a year before Gilan's MCU debut, making it her first mainstream role, although her first venture in horror was the low budget 2010 flick, “Outcast.”
#2: Scarlett Johansson
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“Eight Legged Freaks” (2002) Before playing one of the leading superheroes in the entire MCU as Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson’s days as a teen star saw her appear as rebellious daughter, Ashley, in this monster movie. With David Arquette in the lead role, “Eight Legged Freaks” has a B-movie plot with a small town facing a crisis of mutated spiders attacking their homes. Although it’s not as strictly invested in its horror premise, the film does have some legitimate scares with Johansson’s character facing the worst of the spiders’ attacks. Having gone on to appear as the lead star in the horror “Under the Skin” while simultaneously appearing in the MCU, Johansson’s turn in “Eight Legged Freaks” is a distant memory that Black Widow fans will definitely find unfamiliar. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Josh Brolin, “Mimic” Who Knew Something Could Ever Scare Thanos Himself? Sebastian Stan, “The Covenant” Because the Winter Soldier Isn’t the Actor’s Only Villainous Role Chris Pratt, “Jennifer's Body” Because He Essentially Played Peter Quill In a Horror Movie Angela Bassett, “Critters 4” This Cheesy Horror’s Better Left Forgotten from the Queen of Wakanda’s Filmography Paul Bettany, “Legion” Turns Out This Actor Was an Angel Before He Was an Android
#1: Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. & Jake Gyllenhaal
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“Zodiac” (2007) A year before changing the superhero landscape forever with his turn as MCU’s Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. played crime reporter Paul Avery in “Zodiac.” It also stars eventual MCU actors Mark Ruffalo and Jake Gyllenhaal, who portray inspector Dave Toschi and author Robert Graysmith respectively. “Zodiac” is a mystery-thriller about the decades-long hunt to discover the Zodiac Killer’s identity. The killer’s constant taunting of the protagonists to catch him serves as the main source of conflict, with each main character struggling to stop him. After watching Downey Jr., Ruffalo, and Gyllenhaal in the lighter-themed MCU films, “Zodiac’s” bleak and scary premise offers fans an entirely different view of these actors.
