The DCU is setting out to correct some wrongs that cropped up in previous DC projects, and it could be the perfect time to pull in former DC actors to tackle new roles. DC has had a tumultuous couple of years with a flailing franchise and multiple versions of the same character appearing just a few years apart, or even overlapping. However, the DCU has the chance to correct all of that.
And one of the most important details to get right early on is the casting. While the DCEU had some arguably great casting, there are characters and actors who feel like they could be better suited in a different role. Take Jason Momoa, for example, who did a stellar job as Aquaman, but has now been recruited to play Lobo in the DCU. So why not take a look at other DC actors for inspiration about how to fill other castings in the upcoming films?
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Jesse Eisenberg As The Riddler
Jesse Eisenberg is definitively a brilliant actor. Despite his young age, he has gathered some impressive credits to his name, and received widespread global acclaim. However, Eisenberg being cast as Lex Luthor in the DCEU did not go down particularly well. And perhaps that is because Eisenberg is a much better fit for a different DC character who fights against Superman’s ally Batman.
The Riddler is an intelligent, but also mad, character who plays with his rivals by using riddles and puzzles to lead them to uncover his traps and plans. This type of character feels like a much better fit for Eisenberg, and would undoubtedly allow him to lean into a character more suited to his talents. Where Lex exudes charm and charisma, Edward Nygma is a tortured genius who struggles to fit in. Eisenberg would be a perfect fit.
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Michael Kelly As Mr. Freeze
Michael Kelly appeared in Man of Steel, where he plays a top military agent. This is a role that Kelly has often been cast in, but his talents suggest he is much more capable than playing a forgettable soldier. Instead, Kelly should be granted the opportunity to tackle a more prominent and memorable character like Mr. Freeze.
Kelly’s ability to intimidate and command a room makes him a solid choice to play a villain. And with Mr. Freeze being a tortured scientist whose primary goal is to protect his dying wife, it requires a nuanced and skilled performer to deliver this character with his pain, frustration, and deep seething rage. And Kelly seems like an ideal casting to elevate the character beyond the goofy iteration last seen in live-action, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Jensen Ackles As Batman
One of the most important characters to get right for the DCU is Batman. Not just because he is a central member of the Justice League, but because the character has been adapted so many times and needs a new actor to perfectly capture the essence of Bruce Wayne and his darker half. And one of the most popular picks to play the part is Jensen Ackles, who voices Batman in several animated films.
Ackles is a star who is built to play superheros. Early in his career, he landed a role on Smallville, and he was in contention to play Clark Kent in the series before Tom Welling was ultimately cast. Since then, Ackles has tackled several heroic roles, including playing Sam Winchester in Supernatural, and Soldier Boy in The Boys. But it’s about time he played the part of Batman in live-action.
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Idris Elba As Martian Manhunter
Idris Elba is a generational talent whose body of work is varied and impressive. However, when it comes to appearing in major franchises, Elba hasn’t had the best luck. In the MCU, he played Heimdall, an impressive Asgardian, who dies in Thor: Ragnarok. However, the DCEU had him play Bloodsport in Suicide Squad, but despite his incredible performance, the movie was somewhat of a disaster.
Now, Elba has a chance to tackle a core character in the DCU, and one that has yet to have a proper live-action adaptation on the big screen. As Martian Manhunter, Elba can play a strong, intelligent hero, who is otherworldly. This is certainly a part that Elba could pull off, and one that would be great at building the new Justice League for the DCU.
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David Dastmalchian As Victor Zsasz
David Dastmalchian is a frequent collaborator of James Gunn’s and one whose unique and quirky style makes him an incredible character performer. Dastmalchian is able to take particularly odd or spooky characters, and make them gripping, emotional, and exciting. This was seen in The Suicide Squad, where, under the direction of Gunn, Dastmalchian played Polka-Dot Man. And despite the muddled timelines for Gunn’s pre-DCU projects, there is a chance he could recast Dastmalchian to a more substantial role.
Polka-Dot Man was fun and intriguing, and his backstory was emotional, but Dastmalchian could do so much more in a part like playing Victor Zsasz. Zsasz is a demented murderer and anarchist who frequently fights heroes like Batman. Zsasz is unpredictable and eccentric, and one of the best iterations of the character came from Anthony Carrigan, who played the part in Gotham and has been cast as Metamorpho in the DCU. So why not have Dastmalchian fill the spot of Zsasz.
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Grace Caroline Currey As Wonder Woman
Shazam! was one of the best movies to come out of the DCEU. And while the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods was decidedly less popular, it did introduce the world to a stunning new hero in the form of Mary Marvel, as played by Grace Caroline Currey. Currey embodied a powerful hero who was also humble, deeply compᴀssionate, and ready for action at a moment’s notice.
All of this could combine well to play a new hero in the DCU, namely Wonder Woman. Obviously, there are a lot of names floating around for who should play this character next, but if the DCU took some time to look back at some of the best parts of its predecessor, it would make a lot of sense to get Currey back to play Diana Prince. Otherwise, there are other talented actors who are less familiar with the DC franchise who would likely jump at the opportunity.
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Joe Manganiello As Bane
Now, Joe Manganiello is one of the most incredible nerds in the film industry. And for as long as he’s been appearing in movies, he’s gravitated towards comic book films like the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies where he played Flash Thompson. However, with more years under his belt, Manganiello could reasonably graduate to a much more fearsome rival, as was seen when he was cast to play Deathstroke and had a brief cameo in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Unfortunately, that vision didn’t fully pan out with the character only appearing in a post-credit scene, and Manganiello’s window of opportunity to play Deathstroke has probably pᴀssed him by. But, that isn’t to say that he couldn’t tackle another exciting character in the DCU. Namely, Manganiello would make a fantastic Bane. He has the physique, he has the height, and he has the intensity to pull it off. Deathstroke is a killer who wields weapons from a distance, but Bane is the much more physical and intense villain, with his rippling muscles and his ceaseless rage. Ideally, if Manganiello is to return to the DCU, this kind of character would be a much better fit for him as a performer.
