It is a common practice in the world of comic book movies to recycle actors. Look around, and you’ll notice a good number of actors who have been featured in both Marvel and DC projects. Credit to them for setting a footprint in each of the two greatest superhero universes in cinema. There should be a wall of fame. But you know what’s even wilder than that? Actors who get to play multiple roles within the same universe. And yet the double appearances never throw you off because of how impeccably the actor embodies each of those characters. Let’s dive in and discover the stars who have managed to pull this off.
Chris Evans
He’s best known for his long-running role as the MCU’s Captain America. But before that, back in the pre-MCU days, Chris Evans played another Marvel superhero Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan also had his turn playing Human Torch in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot. The reboot fared worse than the previous adaptation, bombing at the box office and piling negative reviews from critics. The actor later goes on to find success in his next Marvel role as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds has been playing the fourth-wall-breaking anti-hero Deadpool for a while, delivering hit after hit for Marvel studios. But he had an earlier, lesser-known feature as a Marvel character in Blade: Trinity, where he played Hannibal King. Deadpool stuck with audiences better.
Brandon Routh
He starred in Superman Returns as the Man of Steel but for a hoard of unfortunate reasons, could not return to the role. However, the actor would later go on to play Atom in the Arrowverse. Also, as something of a consolation, he did a Superman cameo years after in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event.
Josh Brolin
You may not recognise him because it was a CGI-dependent role, but Josh Brolin played Thanos across several MCU projects. He also played Cable in Deadpool 2 and much earlier, Young Agent K in 2012’s Men in Black 3.
Jason Momoa
Jason Momoa played Aquaman in many projects across the DC Extended Universe. After the closure of the DCEU and birth of a new DCU, you’d think the actor would be done with comic book movies for a while. But he’s made his way into the new universe with his stunning appearance as the inter-galactic bounty hunter Lobo in Supergirl (2026).
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman starred in 1995’s Batman Forever as Dr Chase Meridian, Bruce Wayne’s therapist and love interest. More than two decades later, she returned to DC as Atlanna, Aquaman’s mother, in the two Aquaman movies.
Djimon Hounsou
His first appearance in DC was as the witch doctor, Papa Midnite in Constantine (2005). More recently, he’s played King Ricou in Aquaman and The Wizard Shazam in the DCEU’s Shazam movies.
Gemma Chan
Gemma Chan played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel, then returned for a second Marvel feature as Sersi in Eternals (2021), this time in the capacity of a main protagonist.
Jon Favreau
You may know him in the MCU as Happy Hogan, Iron Man’s assistant and confidant, but before that, he starred in Daredevil (2003) as Matt Murdoch’s colleague, Foggy Nelson. Favreau has a brilliant resume for the ‘supportive best friend to a superhero’ archetype.
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh’s Marvel debut was in a minor role as Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. She later went on to play Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
