DC Extended Universe is like a kid in front of the full-fledged Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). But obviously the kid seems to have a great future! Even though one DC Extended Universe flick has hit the theaters till date, there's a bunch to come in the next few years - among which Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice & Suicide Squad are arriving in less than a year.
But the problem with DC Extended Universe is what always has been with DC Comics based movies by Warner Bros - their casting choices haven't pleased a good section of the fans. We actually doubt if it's a real problem because we, the fans, have shouted out loud against some casting choices which have eventually proved to be exceptionally good. For example, when Heath Ledger was announced as the cast for the role of The Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, hardly anyone was happy. And, when the movie released, hardly anyone could utter that there should have been a better version of the Clown Prince of Crime.
DC Extended Universe has already suffered criticism for their casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jared Leto as The Joker, Ezra Miller as The Flash, etc. Here we are not going to appreciate or condemn their casting choices, rather would do something funny! What if the whole DC Extended Universe was constructed with actors and actresses from the MCU? MCU hasn't suffered much of a criticism for their casting choices, so what if their roster was to be used to fabricate the DC Extended Universe?
If the MCU actors were cast for DC Extended Universe roles - here is how this DC Comics based universe would have looked! Hit 2 to let the fun begin!
Josh Brolin As Batman!
When Warner Bros was searching for the new Batman, a huge section of the fans wished Josh Brolin to take up the cape and cowl. Bat-Brolin seemed better than Bat-fleck! So, why should we pick any other actor over Brolin for the role of the Caped Crusader now? He plays Thanos - the Mad Titan - in the MCU, and we can assume that he would definitely done justice to the role of the "˜f*cked up' Batman ( as described by Ben Affleck) of the DC Extended Universe!
Dominic Cooper As Robin!
Dominic Cooper didn't have a big role in the MCU - he played Tony Stark's father Howard Stark from the World War 2 era in Captain America: The First Avenger. But he is an actor who we believe, could have made a good Robin. He could have fit as either of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Dominic is one of those actors who's age can be shifted a good range by just working a little with his looks. But he could definitely not play Carrie Kelley version of the Batman sidekick!
Who could? Let's find out on the next page! And there's cast for the role of The Joker too!
Karen Gillan As Carrie Kelley!
The Scottish actress plays Nebula – the villainous adopted daughter of Thanos – in the MCU. As far as some rumors and fan theories are concerned, the DC Extended Universe would introduce Carrie Kelley – the female Robin - in Batman V Superman. If that is the case, our pick from the MCU for the role would be Karen Gillan. We've seen her in similar short hair as Carrie's in the comics and we've seen her do some action stuff in Guardians of the Galaxy - she would be a perfect choice for the Girl Wonder's role!
Tom Hiddleston As The Joker!
Do you have any doubts? If any actor in the MCU is able to make a great Joker, that would surely be Tom Hiddleston. His antagonist character in the MCU, Loki, is perhaps the only MCU villain you have no complains about! Hiddleston is simply outstanding as Loki, isn't he? And we definitely would have been outstanding as The Joker as well!
Hit 4 to find out which MCU actor & actress would have got the roles of Man of Steel & Lois Lane!
Chris Evans As Superman!
Chris Evans has been impressive as two different Marvel superheroes - Human Torch and Captain America. Captain America can be termed as the Marvel counterpart for Superman - they have a lot in their personalities that are common. So, we believe Chris Evans would have done justice to the role of the Kryptonian superhero - maybe not as dark as Henry Cavill's version, maybe a little brighter like it used to be before.
Emily VanCamp As Lois Lane!
With her tiny appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13, has made us realize that she is a good match for Steve Rogers. Since Steve Rogers has transformed to Clark Kent in here, we would not want to spoil their growing chemistry and so we would transform her to Lois Lane!
Emily VanCamp is our choice for the role of Lois Lane against Chris Evans' Man of Steel. And Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), the other love-interest of Cap from the World War 2 era, would have looked old as the Superman love-interest - Amy Adams is around 8 years older than Hayley but she still looks pretty younger than her!
On the next page - the casts from MCU for the roles of Wonder Woman and her love-interest!
Jaimie Alexander As Wonder Woman!
Jaimie Alexander plays Thor-ally Sif in the MCU and we think she would have made a decent Wonder Woman, if not great. Now, many of you has had complains over picking Gal Gadot for the role, and likely for the same reasons, you might have problems with this one.
But we feel that Jaimie deserves a chance to prove her as a good fit for the Diana Prince role just like Warner Bros thinks that Gadot deserves one! Incredible excuse, isn't it? But don't forget that she had conversations with the studio on the role!
Jeremy Renner As Steve Trevor!
We don't have a very genuine reason for picking Jeremy Renner for the DC Extended Universe role. Many other actors from the MCU would have been fit for the role. But one thing which is common between Hawkeye and Steve Trevor is that they are important characters, but not the most important characters in their universe. And neither of them have superpowers of course! So, we've put Renner as the Wonder Woman love-interest in here.
Hit 6 to find out who've grabbed the roles of the two Superman-nemeses - General Zod and Lex Luthor!
Hugo Weaving As General Zod!
Hugo Weaving is a fine perfect actor, especially for a villainous role. The Aussie actor has proved that as Red Skull in the first installment of the Captain America franchise. And we believe he's the best one from the MCU who would not disappoint us more in the role that Michael Shannon played in Man of Steel - General Zod. We also CONSIDERED the Crossbones (Frank Grillo) for the role. But later thought of giving him a different role!
Benedict Cumberbatch As Lex Luthor!
We heard rumors once that Benedict Cumberbatch would play a villainous role in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. He also seemed to enjoy the rumor as he never debunked it. That actually provokes us to offer this titular actor for the upcoming MCU flick Doctor Strange the role of the popular Superman-nemesis from our planet - Lex Luthor. Jesse Eisenberg is playing the role in DC Extended Universe -so there shouldn't be any doubt or whatsoever about Cumberbatch's capability.
It is unlikely that anyone would not be excited about such a casting choice unless they love the actor so much that they don't want to see him play a villain with his head shaved off bald! What else could be the reason?
On the next page - check out the casts for the roles of Aquaman & Cyborg!
Chris Hemsworth As Aquaman!
From the Norse God of Thunder to the King of the Seven Seas - that's what we think is possible! Chris Hemsworth - the actor who plays Thor in the MCU - is capable of pulling off an epic version of Aquaman. DC Extended Universe has appointed Jason Momoa for the role - a controversial choice to some extent, especially with those hairs not dyed blonde! We love THOREAL! So, picking Chris Hemsworth would have been more lovable choice in terms of looks. And, we don't have any doubt about the acting skills of the Aussie actor, do we?
Chadwick Boseman As Cyborg!
Chadwick Boseman is set to be introduced as the Black Panther in the MCU with next year's Captain America: Civil War before appearing in a solo film of the Marvel superhero. In the same year, DC Extended Universe is also set to introduce another black superhero - Cyborg - with Zack Snyder flick Batman V Superman. American stage actor Ray Fisher is set make his debut in Hollywood with this role. But since we are picking MCU actors for these roles, we will cast Chadwick - who is not so fresh face in the industry – for the role of Cyborg.
Hit 8 to find out what roles we have for Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson!
Scarlett Johansson As Enchantress!
You are likely to make noise about this - not likely, definitely. Some would say Scarlett Johansson would make a better Wonder Woman while some others would want to cast her as Harley Quinn. And we doubt her acting talent - we believe she is as versatile to pull off either of those two roles quite impressively. We actually have doubts about the capability of either of those actresses to do justice to the role of June Moone, aka Enchantress - it's a different kind of role.
Rosario Dawson As Amanda Waller!
We didn't have any other option! In such a vast film franchise like the MCU - there's not a single actress who fits perfectly for the role of Amanda Waller. Yes, we do have Tilda Swinton and Samuel L. Jackson who do have the capability to create a strong screen presence that Amana's role demands - but while casting the first would create a "˜race-swap controversy', a "˜gender-swap controversy' would be created if we cast the second one!
And we don't want a sex symbol like Zoe Saldana utter the line "Because getting people act against their own self-interest is what I do for living" - at least not in the next ten years or so! So, Rosario Dawson from Marvel's Daredevil is our pick for the role! We've seen a younger Amanda Waller on CW's Arrow - the New 52 version!
On the next page - the casts for the roles of Harley Quinn and Alfred Pennyworth!
Kat Dennings As Harley Quinn!
Kat Dennings doesn't play a very important role in the MCU - Darcy Lewis in Thor movies. But she's got that sexy and mischievous bad girl attitude, and fair-enough comedic capabilities to pull off Harley Quinn. And her looks are just perfect for a dark and gothic version of the character. Do I need to explain any further? She was, after all, a fan favorite for the role before Margot Robbie was confirmed officially, wasn't she?
Michael Douglas As Alfred Pennyworth!
Michael Douglas plays Hank Pym - a mentor to Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man - in the MCU. So, we would cast him for the role of Batman's mentor - Alfred Pennyworth. Well, Alfred is indeed the butler of Wayne family - but after watching Michael Caine play the role in The Dark Knight Trilogy, hardly anyone would argue about the importance of the character.
Hit 10 to check out the casts for the roles of two baddies - Deadshot & Captain Boomerang!
Anthony Mackie As Deadshot!
Back in 2002, Anthony Mackie made his debut in Hollywood with a negative role - the role of a rapper named Papa Doc - in Eminem starrer 8 Mile. He's been playing Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, in the MCU since Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and according to some theories, he is set to take up the mantle of Captain America in future.
Whatever be his future in the MCU, we believe that he could have pulled off a decent version of Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, in the DC Extended Universe, if not as good as Will Smith's version. The character is bad, but not evil in this universe - maybe be an anti-hero of some kind and not a supervillain actually.
Frank Grillo As Captain Boomerang!
We thought of "˜giving' Frank Grillo - the actor who plays Brock Rumlow, aka Crossbones in the MCU - the role of Michael Shannon's General Zod. But why do we always need him to play such a hardcore baddie? Let's imagine him saying the line that we heard Jai Courtney uttering in the Suicide Squad Comic Con trailer to Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn - "Y'know what they say about the crazy ones?" That's what we want him to do! So, we have picked him for the role of Captain Boomerang!
On the next page - casts for the roles of Rick Flag and The Flash!
Sebastian Stan As Rick Flag!
Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier, is another character in the MCU who is theorized to become Captain America after Steve Rogers retires. Well, we were so impressed with Stan's portrayal of a complex character in the second of installment of the Captain America film series that we would like to pick him for a character in the DC Extended Universe which isn't "˜totally bad or totally good' - the role of Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag.
Don't forget that Tom Hardy signed for the role but had to leave it for scheduling conflicts, and Jake Gyllenhaal also passed it on - so, there's something about the character for which David Ayer approached such big names and one of them had no problems other than the schedule.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson As The Flash!
Well, there's the simple logic for picking Aaron Taylor-Johnson as The Flash - give a speedster the role of a speedster! The actor played Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, in the MCU - so why would we pick another actor for the role of the character's DC counterpart! Quicksilver and The Flash are both known for their super-speedy abilities. Since Aaron has played one, he's the best MCU actor for the role of the other!
Hit 12 to check out the casts for the roles of Shazam & Black Adam!
Chris Pratt As Shazam!
DC Extended Universe hasn't confirmed cast for the role of Shazam, aka Captain Marvel, yet. The DC superhero is set to get his solo flick in 2019. For the role, we would pick Chris Pratt - the actor who played Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, in the Guardians of the Galaxy and is set to reprise his role in the upcoming 2017 sequel. Pratt is a brilliant actor and there's hardly any superhero he couldn't pull off - as simple as that!
Dave Bautista As Black Adam!
Even though we don't know who will play Shazam, we do know who will play his nemesis Black Adam in the movie. Dwayne The Rock Johnson is the one confirmed for the role. When casting the MCU actors for DC Extended Universe roles, let's give the role of a wrestler-turned-actor to another wrestler-turned-actor!
We pick former WWE superstar Dave Bautista for the role of Black Adam. Dave plays Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy series - he hasn't earned as much fame as The Rock as an actor but we definitely know he is on the verge of proving himself as a good actor, at least in the action genre.
Hit 13 to check out the casts for the Green Lanterns - Hal Jordan & John Stewart!
Richard Armitage As Hal Jordan!
If you think we think Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Trilogy is a part of the MCU, we would like to inform you that we know that very well! You might not know but the Thorin Oakenshield of The Hobbit film series appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger! Remember that Hydra agent named Heinz Kruger who takes cyanide pill after being chased down by Steve Rogers? That was indeed Richard Armitage! Here's a clip from the movie to help your memory!
He has already earned fame for his acting and he was rumored to be considered for the role of Batman of DC Extended Universe! And many would have not minded if he was cast for the role as much as they did when Ben Affleck was confirmed!
Idris Elba As John Stewart!
Idris Elba - the actor who plays Heimdall in the Thor movies - would be a cool pick for the role of Green Lantern John Stewart. A huge section of the fans still want this to happen & they believe that can happen! Here's a fan-made trailer for Green Lantern Corps that features Elba as John Stewart!
https://youtu.be/HwmXG71KaNM
Hit 14 to check out why some big names from the MCU haven't made it to our list!
Why No Role For Robert Downey Jr.?
Robert Downey Jr. uttered the words "˜Fuck DC Comics' and after that, we can't even imagine him as a DC superhero!
Why No Role For Mark Ruffalo?
Honestly, we didn't feel him to fit for any of the DC superhero roles and we didn't want to pick him for a minor role. But you may not know that he auditioned for the role of Harvey Dent, aka Two Face, in Nolan's The Dark Knight! We don't know if the character exists in the DC Extended Universe - but if it does, we would pick Mark Ruffalo for the role!
Why No Role For Samuel L. Jackson?
Do you want to see him play some role like Perry White or Swanwick? We don't! There isn't a Nick Fury like role in this universe, so we haven't cast Samuel L. Jackson for any! But he would have been a cool choice for gender-swapped Amanda Waller!
Did you like our choices? Or would you want to change some? Do share via comments!
