If and when the superheroes of The CW's various Arrowverse series join the DCEU movie universe, who should play them? While DC's films haven't matched the overall critical and commercial success of the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC has had a much stronger run on the small screen. DC's TV series on The CW - Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning - have each enjoyed critical acclaim and won over fans. The Arrowverse is the most successful superhero shared universe on network TV and it's really only a matter of time until the characters who haven't been adapted for a movie yet will eventually appear in the DCEU.
The DC Extended Universe is currently pivoting away from the core heroes of the Justice League like Superman (Henry Cavill) and Batman (Ben Affleck). Wonder Woman 1984, which arrives in summer 2020, is looked at as a surefire hit, but until Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) returns to movie theaters, the next phase of the DCEU will largely depend on how well Aquaman and Shazam! perform. Their potential success could open the door for the next tier of DC superheroes to join the movies, which would include many of the marquee names of the Arrowverse who haven't yet been adapted for the big screen.
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The Arrowverse does share some characters with the DCEU; for now, Henry Cavill remains the Man of Steel (until Warner Bros. makes final decisions on the roles being recast) so even though the Arrowverse has their own Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Cavill still has first dibs to wear the cape at the movies. In addition, Ezra Miller remains the DCEU's Scarlet Speedster with The Flash movie still moving forward (and Kiersey Clemons is believed to still have the Iris West role), so no need to recast them. As well, Birds of Prey starring Margot Robbie recently cast Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, a role currently held by Juliana Harkavy on Arrow. But here's who we think should be cast as the other DC heroes in the Arrowverse when they are called up to join the DCEU.
- This Page: Casting Green Arrow, Supergirl, and The Flash Characters
- Page 2: Casting the Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning
Charlie Hunnam as Green Arrow
Charlie Hunnam has long been a fan favorite pick to become the DCEU's Green Arrow - and that's because he brings all of the requisite charisma and physicality for the role of Oliver Queen, who has been defined by Stephen Amell for 7 seasons on The CW. The British actor first gained attention starring as Jax Teller on FX's Sons of Anarchy, and then he leaped to the big screen to pilot a Jaeger and smack down Kaiju as Raleigh Beckett in Pacific Rim.
Hunnam has also tried to rework the legendary King Arthur into a more superhero-like role, but his planned 6-movie run as the Born King was immediately struck down when Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword tanked at the box office in summer 2017. Just as well, as instead of wielding Excalibur, Hunnam might be best suited to carrying a bow and arrow as the DC Universe's greatest archer - and he's already proven he can rock Green Arrow's trademark facial hair.
Jane Levy as Supergirl
Superman's DCEU future is in limbo, but his cousin looks to be on track to get a new Supergirl movie, which will be her first big screen appearance since Helen Slater starred in 1984's Supergirl. Rumor has it the DCEU's version of Kara Zor-El will be an origin story set in the 1970s where the Girl of Steel will tangle with Brainiac. If this film does come to fruition, Jane Levy would be an ideal choice to play Kara.
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Levy starred in ABC's Suburgatory and can currently be seen in Castle Rock on Hulu. Horror movie fans know her best from Don't Breathe, where she played Rocky, a thief who was terrorized by the insane blind man whose house she and two friends robbed. A versatile actress who excels at drama and comedy, Levy could bring Supergirl to the big screen in a similar manner to how Melissa Benoist made the Kryptonian heroine a star on CBS/The CW.
Jon Hamm as Martian Manhunter
David Harewood has successfully redefined the Martian Manhunter on Supergirl, but the DCEU may want to go in a more traditional route with J'onn J'onzz that hews closer to his comic book origins. If that were the case, Jon Hamm would be an incredible J'onn J'onzz. Most famous for his portrayal of 1960's ad man Don Draper on Mad Men, Hamm has a classic leading man look that would suit J'onzz, who would have accidentally been transported to Earth in the 1950s. Hamm is also a fantastic and charming actor, which would play into how the Martian Manhunter is a shapeshifter who has spent decades hiding in human society. Hamm's name is often mentioned as a replacement for Ben Affleck as Batman, but he might be better suited to become the big screen's first Martian Manhunter instead.
R.J. Cyler as Kid Flash
Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) was the youngest hero in Justice League, but The Flash movie could see him take on a mentor role if the Scarlet Speedster also gets his traditional sidekick, Kid Flash. Wally West is either the nephew or younger brother of Iris West, depending on the interpretation, but either way, RJ Cyler could easily fill Wally's running shoes. Cyler got his big movie break in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, but he officially became an alien-fighting superhero when he was cast as Billy Cranston/the Blue Ranger in Power Rangers. Cyler's already used to wearing an armored super suit, he'd just have to trade his Blue Ranger suit for Kid Flash's yellow and red.
Richard Madden as Captain Cold
The Flash's rogues gallery is one of DC's best, and Captain Cold is arguably the most popular of Central City's costumed supervillains. However, Leonard Snart can also sometimes be a reluctant hero, especially the version played by Wentworth Miller on The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. In the DCEU, Captain Cold needs to be equal parts charismatic and devious, traits that Richard Madden can easily bring to the role. Best known worldwide as Game of Thrones' ill-fated Robb Stark, Madden showed a darker edge starring in his recent hit series Bodyguard. Madden was also a charming leading man in the Netflix comedy Ibiza, so he brings everything the role of Captain Cold would require.
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Tom Mison as Elongated Man
The addition of Elongated Man has been a success for The Flash; Hartley Sawyer plays an exasperating foil to Team Flash, with his bizarre elastic powers providing plenty of comic relief. If the stretchable sleuth jumps to the DCEU, Tom Mison could bring all the requisite wit and irreverence fans could want from Ralph Dibney. Mison is best known as Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, but the British actor excels in serious roles as well as having stellar comedic chops, and he'd be an ideal Elongated Man in a DC movie.
Page 2: Casting the Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning
Steven Yeun as The Atom (Ryan Choi)
The Atom was beaten to the big screen by Marvel's Ant-Man, and the diminutive DC hero's cameo was cut from Justice League. Zack Snyder recently confirmed that his intended cut of the film had an Easter egg appearance by the Ryan Choi version of the Atom, played by Ryan Zheng (The Great Wall). Presuming that Ryan Choi would still be the DCEU's shrinking superhero if and when he finally debuts on the big screen, The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun would be an awesome Atom.
As Glenn Rhee, Yeun grew into a fan favorite as he gradually grew into a husband and leader among Rick Grimes' group of survivors - before his gruesome death at the hands of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who's also in the DCEU as Thomas Wayne). Yeun has the smarts and likability to be the DCEU's Atom, and he'd be a great compliment to the nerdy Ray Palmer version of the Atom played by Brandon Routh on Legends of Tomorrow.
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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as John Constantine
The planned Justice League Dark movie remains mired in development hell so there's no movement on John Constantine returning to the big screen for the first time since Keanu Reeves played the mage in 2005's Constantine. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan's fan-favorite incarnation of the British warlock has found new life on Legends of Tomorrow. When the DCEU does finally get their act together, they should look no further than Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Constantine.
As Jaime Lannister, the Game of Thrones alum proved his talent at playing a scheming immoral rogue whom fans still grew to love over 8 seasons. The Danish actor has also starred in dozens of films, including CGI spectacles like Oblivion opposite Tom Cruise and Gods of Egypt, which gives him plenty of experience to handle any scary supernatural threat the DCEU has to offer.
Ansel Elgort as Ronnie Raymond/Chiwetel Ejiofor as Martin Stein - Firestorm
Firestorm, a nuclear-powered superhero who can fly, manipulate matter, and has a flaming head, was made for the big screen but has yet to appear in the DCEU. Meanwhile, two versions of Firestorm have appeared in the Arrowverse; the first was Ronnie Raymond (Robbie Amell) and the second was Jefferson Jackson (Franz Drameh), both anchored to their mentor, physicist Dr. Martin Stein (Victor Garber).
If the Nuclear Man finally joins the DCEU, it's likely the original Ronnie Raymond version would be the one they opt for. In that case, a cool combination to comprise Firestorm would be Baby Driver's Ansel Elgort as Ronnie Raymond and 12 Years A Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor as Dr. Martin Stein. Elgort would bring the youthful impetuousness in spades while Ejiofor brings his smarts, wisdom, and experience, making for a perfect Firestorm.
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Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Vixen
With Birds of Prey, the DCEU is receiving an influx of female superheroes. A major DC heroine who has yet to appear in the movies is Vixen, the animal totem-powered African heroine who has been a member of the Justice League in the comics. Two versions of Vixen played by Megalyn Echikunwoke and Maisie Richardson-Sellers have appeared in the Arrowverse, but for the DCEU, Gugu Mbatha-Raw should wield the Tanyu Totem as Vixen.
Mbatha-Raw was one of the top names linked to the role of Black Canary in Birds of Prey before it went to Jurnee Smollett-Bell. But after her winning performances in Black Mirror and The Cloverfield Paradox, Mbatha-Raw not only deserves a DC movie role, she could help turn Vixen into the DCEU's answer to Black Panther.
O'Shea Jackson as Black Lightning
Though not part of the Arrowverse (yet), Black Lightning has become a critically-acclaimed hit on The CW with Cress Williams earning raves as Jefferson Pierce, the electricity-powered schoolteacher and family man. Cyborg (Ray Fisher) is presently the DCEU's only African-American superhero so the opportunity is there for Black Lightning to make a huge impact on the big screen as well. And a great choice to play the DCEU's Jefferson Pierce would be O'Shea Jackson, who played the younger version of his famous father Ice-Cube in Straight Outta Compton. Jackson, who also raps under the moniker OMG, also played a Batman-obsessed screenwriter in Ingrid Goes West, so he already boasts a DC pedigree and would make a killer Black Lightning.
Next: If DC Characters Were Cast Like The MCU
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