10 Greatest Acting Performances In Comic Book Movies
Our most lived-in heroes and villains.
Any actor really has their work cut out for them when taking on a comic book character. Instead of just worrying about your target audience in the cinema, you also have to try and capture the same vibe of the person that has been written about in the source material for years. While most actors have to take on both sides of the pressure, these thespians make the whole thing look easy.
Rather than just cower to the exact material that they're provided, these actors bring their own flair to the role that left even fans surprised. From the extra inflections that they put into their movement, to the actual execution of the character arc, you can tell that these are creative people who have clearly done their homework in terms of what their character should say and do. While some of these performances can seem campier than others, they always seem to strike the right balance for the films they're in - whether they're featured in a more light-hearted or dramatic manner.
With these actors in front of the camera, you forget that you're looking at a person acting and focus on the actual life of this character you're seeing on-screen.
Even though plenty of actors have tried (and failed) to adapt these heroes and villains on the silver screen, the following are almost the exact embodiment of their character.
10. Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool
It's about time that we all come to terms with the fact that the portrayal of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a colossal mistake. Instead of the fast-talking vigilante that we had come to know in the comics, this monstrosity with laser eyes and a mouth sewn shut was just the right amount of bonkers to send any comic book fan over the age. Even though Deadpool was in dire need of a cinematic reboot, no one could have expected the exact same actor to pull it off.
Going into production after a hugely positive response to leaked concept footage surfaced online, the audience roared the first time they saw Ryan Reynolds in those trademark red and black tights as the Merc with a Mouth. Gone were the days of the no-fun Weapon XI of Origins, for this was now the same guy whose filthy jokes and sarcastic style made him loveable in the comics.
It also doesn't hurt that Reynolds seems totally in on his own joke most of the time, playing up both the fact that his original turn as the character tanked and going so far as to roast himself within the context of the actual movie. In an age where most fans cringed at the idea of seeing Deadpool in a movie, this was the real bloodthirsty smartass that the comics were written about.