10 Intriguing Movie Roles Matt Smith Should Play

10. John Steed

Long before The Incredible Hulk beat up a Norse God and Scarlett Johansson squeezed into a catsuit, there was another franchise called The Avengers. Following the exploits of debonair agent John Steed and his array of pro-active female assistants (most notably Emma Peel), the show was a long-running hit in the UK and crucially made the jump to America where viewers loved its mix of stiff upper lips and surrealistic exploits. This was a series where you were as likely to see a giant rat as a milkman.

Warner Bros attempted a big screen transfer in the late 90s... with disastrous results. Starring an awkward-looking Ralph Fiennes as Steed, the project was hacked to pieces in the edit suite. But with the original Avengers currently benefiting from a repeat run on British TV, is now the time to look for a new cinematic bowler-wearing man of action?

Patrick Macnee is forever Steed to the fans but when it comes to an English export who combines unflappability in the face of exotic threats with a quintessential eccentricity, then surely Matt Smith is a prime contender. He embodies Macnee's cosy quality in a funny sort of way, while at the same time bringing a youthful vigour and sense of danger to the part. To paraphrase the programme's key catchphrase... Mr Smith, you're needed!