Who's the Best Match of Actor to Super-Hero Role?

[Enraged_Ape]

Too often we see our favorite super heroes brought to screen, portrayed by people who are horribly inadequate to the task. (COUGH, Ben Affleck, COUGH.) But once in a blue moon the casting is great, almost perfect. Which one of these actors/actresses BEST FIT the role they played?

(Note that this is not a super hero popularity contest. I want to know who you think most convinced YOU that they were the super hero they played.)


Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman


Hugh Jackman as Wolverine


Michael Keaton as Batman


Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man


Ron Perlman as Hellboy


Christopher Reeve as Superman


George Reeves as Superman


Helen Slater as Supergirl


Adam West as Batman

[underpants]

1. Linda YES! Christopher Reeves YES! I would add Dean Cain

as Superman. I never watched the show but as soon as I saw the commercials I thought "Good casting".

[ewagner]

2. Nobody

pulled off the camp of Batman like Adam West.

Christopher Reeve was a great "Superman" but Adam West pulled off the best.

[nickinSTL]

5. The 'camp' of Batman?

:eyes:

Maybe I'm too young, but the Batman I grew up with had NOTHING to do with 'camp'.

I suppose the 'camp' element was what they were going for, and West pulled that off...but what the heck 'camp'has to do with Batman...:shrug:

[ewagner]

8. theatrical term

"campy"...sort of over-the-top, self-ridiculing, site gags,

that's what I was talking about.

[nickinSTL]

16. right, I understand what camp is...

I just don't have any idea what it has to do with Batman.

Batman was a man scarred by watching his parents murdered in front of him, leading him to train his body and mind until he was ready to go out and take on the elements responsible for such crimes.

How is that 'camp'?

[ewagner]

19. Are we talking about the television series?

If so, I think that was pure camp.....complete with the comic-book captions (bang, zwack) etc....that was in the early '70s I think.

If we're talking about the same show then I guess we'll just have to amicably disagree.

[nickinSTL]

20. The problem is...

I was saying that West may have played what they wanted in the TV series (camp), but that was in no way related to the Batman as developed in the comic books (where Batman originated)

I was just commenting that I don't see West as being a great example of playing Batman when the character he played has little resemblance to what Batman is supposed to be.

That isn't to say that one (including me) can't enjoy the old TV series for what it is. But it's not a faithful representation of Batman.

[ewagner]

23. Okay

I think we can agree on that...........

[Kid_A]

11. I agree. To me, Batman has always been dark and gritty.

When I think of Batman I think of "The Dark Knight Returns" and the animated series. I've never understood why they had Batman cracking jokes and going out during the day.

[mac56]

3. Chris Reeve, no doubt.

But Tobey Maguire came in a close second.

Honorable mention to Lynda Carter, for obvious reasons.

[kick-ass-bob]

4. Christopher Reeve.

He had the quirkyness of Clark Kent down perfectly.
I haven't seen Dean Cain as SM, so I can't say what he was like.

[benburch]

6. Lynda Carter

OK, you got me. I admit that I could be a Lynda Carter Groupie...

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. TM as Peter Parker!

He EXUDES your friendly neighborhood Spidey nerdiness!

[trotsky]

12. I concur.

Peter Parker is (was) a wimpy nerdy "everyguy." Tobey nailed that part.

I think Chris Reeve REDEFINED Superman, and so made the character suit him. (I might add, he redefined Superman VERY successfully.) Slightly different than what the poll asks.

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. Lynda Carter a Wonder Woman. Much as I admire Mr Reeve for his

work as an advocate for spinal cord injuries, I thought he was very stilted as an actor. Great guy...not so great actor. :hi:

[Lavender Brown]

10. Christopher Reeve

I'm also looking forward to Christian Bale's Batman. :)

[Tamyrlin79]

13. Christopher Reeves WAS Superman...

I am also often disappointed in the "Hero Replacements"... for example, the sucky/cheezy James Bonds before they found Pierce Brosnan.

I really disliked the person who played superman from Lois & Clark... Sure he was cute and all, but he was not Superman as Christopher Reeves had defined the role. HOWEVER, I can say that I am VERY pleased with the guy they have playing Superman on Smallville. That guy, whatever his name is, just fits into the role very well. I can accept him easily as the successor to Christopher Reeves.

[Lavender Brown]

22. Dean Cain (Lois & Clark) and Tom Welling (Smallville)

Dean Cain played Scott Peterson on TV. :puke:

[Kid_A]

14. There are a lot of perfect matches on that list, but Reeve as Supes wins.

Hugh Jackman, Tobey Maguire, and Ron Perlman all nailed those characters perfectly.

I'd also add Patrick Stewart as Professor X, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Thomas Jane as Punisher (yeah, that movie blew, but Tom Jane makes a great Frank Castle.)

[Magrittes Pipe]

15. Patrick Warburton as the Tick.

[joeybee12]

17. Christopher Reeve, of coure. While some of these people did good jobs,

Superman will now and forever always be C. Reeves. I can see other people playing the superheroes mentioned and doing a good job. Whoa to the "unknown" they cast in the upcoming Superman movie.

[BigMcLargehuge]

18. Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Tim Daily (Superman)

Both provided the best realizations of these characters to date.

[Phillycat]

21. Christopher Reeve in a landslide.

Nobody else even came close to his portrayal, or how much he really was a Superman in real life. RIP Chris. You were an amazing human being.

[flamingyouth]

24. I agree - he was a great Superman

And I'm not just saying that because he recently passed. I especially loved him in the first movie.