Are Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron Man, etc. actor-dependent?

[TupennyConan]

Tobey McG needs to go. We need a wisecracking happy go lucky Spidey, not a depressed crybaby.

 

That's a screenplay problem, not an actor problem. Regardless, it is indeed a ha-huge problem.

 

Okay. I'll agree with that.

 

I still don't like TM, though.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Eventually, 5, 10, or maybe 15 years, these actors will have to be replaced. Can Spider-Man break box office records without Tobey Maguire? Can Wolverine work without Hugh Jackman? How about Tony Stark without Robert Downey?

 

I can't see Iron Man being nearly as popular without Robert Downey. The screenplay and directing were fabulous, but even so, Downey's humor accounted for half of the success of that film. The others you mentioned would be fine without their current actors.

[Ogami]

Tobey McG needs to go. We need a wisecracking happy go lucky Spidey, not a depressed crybaby.

 

That's a screenplay problem, not an actor problem. Regardless, it is indeed a ha-huge problem.

 

+1.

[VintageComics]

Tobey McG needs to go. We need a wisecracking happy go lucky Spidey, not a depressed crybaby.

 

That's a screenplay problem, not an actor problem. Regardless, it is indeed a ha-huge problem.

 

Okay. I'll agree with that.

 

I still don't like TM, though.

 

 

+ infinity

[hockey&comicsguy]

I honestly think Wolverine should be played by someone else. Jackman was fine in the first two X-Men films, but after that I think he lost it.

 

Wolverine was never supposed to be 6 feet tall and built like a Superhero.

 

Hugh Jackman did a good job but it was not true to the character. Not by a long shot.

 

Isn't Wolvie like 5 foot 6 and Jackman like 6 foot 4? I don't mind Jackman at all but I just never got into the casting of him based solely on the height factor. Of course that's hardly the only departure the films have taken from the books.

[hockey&comicsguy]

Eventually, 5, 10, or maybe 15 years, these actors will have to be replaced. Can Spider-Man break box office records without Tobey Maguire? Can Wolverine work without Hugh Jackman? How about Tony Stark without Robert Downey?

 

I can't see Iron Man being nearly as popular without Robert Downey. The screenplay and directing were fabulous, but even so, Downey's humor accounted for half of the success of that film. The others you mentioned would be fine without their current actors.

 

 

I always liked Downey Jr as an actor but wasn't sure about him as a super hero. Now, I can't imagine somebody else doing a better job as Tony Stark. I thought he was fantastic.

[Silver Surfer]

Eventually, 5, 10, or maybe 15 years, these actors will have to be replaced. Can Spider-Man break box office records without Tobey Maguire? Can Wolverine work without Hugh Jackman? How about Tony Stark without Robert Downey?

 

I can't see Iron Man being nearly as popular without Robert Downey. The screenplay and directing were fabulous, but even so, Downey's humor accounted for half of the success of that film. The others you mentioned would be fine without their current actors.

 

I think Jackman as Wolverine is about as good as its going to get. Guys like Downey, Jackman and even Ledger were born to play these roles and I think the next guys who play these roles will have impossible shoes to fill.

[Ogami]

No one was said to have been able to replace Nicholson as the Joker. Or Chris Reeves as Superman.

 

And then Ledger gave his insanely brilliant performance. And then that noname guy in the last Supes film pranced around in his underwear and got punched a lot in the face.

 

So we're about 50/50 at this point.

 

But it is possible.

 

[Ogami]

I'm off to the LCS. You guys sort this all out by the time I get back.

[Mutant Manatee]

I think Tobey Maguire is OK as Peter Parker. Just OK. I think he is a good actor in the proper role, I'm just not entirely convinced that Peter Parker is the role for him.

 

But Kirsten Dunst was horribly miscast as Mary Jane. She's way to meek and timid to be playing that character. She doesn't have the looks, personality, or acting chops. Sorry.

 

In fact, it wouldn't bother me one bit if the Spider-Man franchise started over with an entirely new cast. (Except for J.K. Simmons as J.Jonah Jameson. He was perfect.)

 

I really do love Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man too. It would be difficult for me to imagine someone else in that role at this point.

[VintageComics]

I honestly think Wolverine should be played by someone else. Jackman was fine in the first two X-Men films, but after that I think he lost it.

 

Wolverine was never supposed to be 6 feet tall and built like a Superhero.

 

Hugh Jackman did a good job but it was not true to the character. Not by a long shot.

 

Isn't Wolvie like 5 foot 6 and Jackman like 6 foot 4? I don't mind Jackman at all but I just never got into the casting of him based solely on the height factor. Of course that's hardly the only departure the films have taken from the books.

 

He was also too "clean" for Wolvie.

 

He's fun to watch but at some point I don't think it would be difficult to redo Wolverine and make him good or better with someone else the same way that Nicholson was the ultimate Joker in his respective period and Ledger in his.

[comicalgems]

Brandon Roth as Superman was not entirely his fault. That dude is actually a pretty entertaining actor in the right role (see Zack and Miri), but Superman was not a role that he should've been burdened with, however short of Ben Affleck I can't think of a single person who I think could've pulled off Superman adequately.

[JazzMan]

I think Ray Park [The Toad in the X-Men movies, Snake eyes in GI Joe, and now on Heroes] would have made a good wolverine - he's not tall, he's got the build and the agility.

 

What do you think?

[the blob]

it helps a lot having somebodies playing these roles.

 

there are 20 guys out there (at least) who could do a fine peter parker though with no impact on the box office.

 

wolverine, trickier. hugh is not the right physical fit, but seriously, hasn't wolvie grown a little bit in the comic? sure feels like he's more like 5' 7"-8" nowadyas.

 

iron man is a B string marvel character (for the general public at least), so it was important having the absolutely right guy play the part. while no doubt other known actors could have pulled it off, downey seems to "work".

 

 

[14 of spades]

This is an interesting question.

 

I think there's definitely some type-casting that goes on when a certain generation of movie-goers view certain characters.

 

A Gilligan's Island movie in 1970 without the original cast would not have worked.

 

Silence of the Lambs II without Jodie Foster (they apparently almost didn't get Anthony Hopkins) - I didn't even go watch it.

 

Any of Jim Carrey's less successful sequels (Mask 2 anyone?) point to this as well.

 

 

 

As for whether certain actors are appropriate for certain roles, the thing to do is to poll non comic aficionados and see how well they think the characters are portrayed. Comic folk may not like Tobey Maguire, but what do the non-comic folk think? I'd say most of them would be pretty happy with Jackman as Wolvie.

[Hedge Collector]

No one was said to have been able to replace Nicholson as the Joker. Or Chris Reeves as Superman.

 

And then Ledger gave his insanely brilliant performance. And then that noname guy in the last Supes film pranced around in his underwear and got punched a lot in the face.

 

So we're about 50/50 at this point.

 

But it is possible.

 

I think it's entirely possible for actors to be replaced and put in a better performance.

 

I'm just wondering how much different the success and revenues would be of these films had there been different actors.

 

And now that these actors have been cast, how much of an effect they would have upon being replaced.

[comicalgems]

 

 

 

[PEP]

What's the original Spider-man from the TV series doing nowadays?

[Hedge Collector]

Brandon Roth as Superman was not entirely his fault. That dude is actually a pretty entertaining actor in the right role (see Zack and Miri), but Superman was not a role that he should've been burdened with, however short of Ben Affleck I can't think of a single person who I think could've pulled off Superman adequately.

 

I think Superman is hard to pull off because he's a pretty dry superhero. Even his own alter ego Clark Kent is a vastly more interesting persona. But once he becomes Superman, it's almost like a robot like persona - very dry. Just goody two shoes, very little ego, humor, or charm.

[Silver Surfer]

No one was said to have been able to replace Nicholson as the Joker. Or Chris Reeves as Superman.

 

And then Ledger gave his insanely brilliant performance. And then that noname guy in the last Supes film pranced around in his underwear and got punched a lot in the face.

 

So we're about 50/50 at this point.

 

But it is possible.

 

To me Nicholson and Reeves performances were never something that made me want to watch those movies again (man those movies were lame). Ledger made the Joker cool again, Nicholson didn't. I'm sure one day they might actually make a decent Superman movie but so far no luck.