10 Iconic Comic Book Movie Moments That Were Totally Improvised
Can you even imagine these films without these moments?
Since the turn of the century, comic book movies have become the driving force of the Hollywood box office. From superhero flicks to gritty graphic novel adaptations, there is an overwhelming abundance of comic book culture in mainstream cinema.
The majority of these films live long in the memory thanks in large part to iconic scripted moments. From Hugh Jackman's farewell as Wolverine to Wonder Woman's charge across No Man's Land, comic book movies have become an inspirational part of society.
For an actor, landing one of these roles can provide them with a monumental platform. This performance could determine their career, and ensure they have a lasting memory as an iconic character. Robert Downey Jr. will always be remembered as Iron Man, and Heath Ledger's legacy is defined by the Joker.
But sometimes these actors need to do more than just portray a character. They need to live and breathe every second as that character. This allows them to have ideas that go beyond the script, and, as detailed in this list, create improvised moments that supersede anything a writer could ever imagine.
10. Kick Ass 2 - Colonel Stars and Stripes
Jim Carrey always has a lot of fun with his roles. He's one of the goofiest, most charismatic actors in the business with a long, impressive list of memorable movies. But, in 2013, when handed the role of Colonel Stars and Stripes in the violent superhero film, Kick-Ass 2, it's clear to see that Carrey had the freedom to step over the line.
After the events of Kick-Ass, self-proclaimed superhero Dave Lizewski realizes he has entered a world bigger than he ever imagined. He meets Colonel Stars and Stripes, an ex-mafia hitman and a fully-fledged superhero vigilante. The Colonel recruits Kick-Ass to his crime fighting super team, Justice Forever, and takes Dave out on his first mission.
This scene includes two memorable lines from Colonel Stars and Stripes that were completely improvised by Jim Carrey. When huddled outside the building they're about to raid, the Colonel gives his team a small pep talk. Just before finishing he turns back to them and tells them "to have fun, otherwise, what's the point?"
Later, when interrogating the last remaining drug smuggler, the Colonel makes his dog, Eisenhower, bite the smuggler in the groin. The smuggler screams in agony, which led to Carrey improvising the line: "Yeah! There's a dog on your balls."
These improvised lines by Jim Carrey sets the tone for the entire movie. This is a wacky, overly violent film and all we need to do is have fun with it, because the actors certainly did.