I know it’s only been a few days, but honestly, I can’t get over DC Fandome. A few years ago, it was pretty hard for DC fans to get excited about the DC movies. The DC Cinematic Universe has let us down a few times before, but if you ask me, I think they’re hearing us, the fans. After all, the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League is happening because the fans demanded it. Now it seems like its powerhouse cast members such as Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill are putting on their capes once again. We don’t know where or when, but they are returning, and I seriously can’t find a reason not to get excited.
Speaking of cast members, all these upcoming DCEU movies has got me wondering. So many movies means more DC characters, and those characters need some actors to play them. Counterintuitive, yes, but when it comes to casting superheroes, you got to get it right. I don’t know all the particular characters DC intends to bring into their cinematic universe, but I can make some educated guesses. With those educated guesses, I also have some actors in mind that would fit those characters well. If you’re excited about the future of the DCEU as I am, I implore you to hear my choices.
Here are some future DCEU casting decisions that need to happen.
Armie Hammer – Hawkman
One thing we know about the upcoming Black Adam movie is that the very underrated Hawkman will be debuting. For a movie where Black Adam is actually the protagonist, having Hawkman as his physical rival is only fitting. If someone is going to be challenging Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, we need a physically imposing Hawkman. One of the best actors suited for the role is Armie Hammer. He’s tall, he can play the tough guy, and on top of that, DC is apparently looking at him for the role. I remember reading that rumored casting list and I thought Hammer would suit the role well. He’s a good actor, but let’s face it, he’s a big guy and he can put on some muscle to look intimidating when he’s fighting Dwayne Johnson.
Sinbad – Tawnky Tawny
Did anyone else expect Sinbad to show up at DC Fandome? On any other panel, I would’ve thought it was just for fun, but he appeared on the Shazam 2 panel. Yes, that’s saying something, because I can only see him playing one character. I’m talking about the humanoid talking Bengal tiger, Tawnky Tawny. First of all, he wears a suit, talks to people, and when they run away, he doesn’t really understand why. Shazam is a kid, so why would he not think that’s funny? Speaking of funny, Sinbad is the perfect choice to voice and act as this comedic tiger, but the most curious thing about him is what specific role he’ll play in the movie. He can go from moral support, from being a messenger of the gods, or he can shapeshift into something more powerful than Shazam.
Whatever exact role he plays, we can certainly rely on Sinbad delivering the laughs as a talking tiger. I mean, come on, is there anyone else you can see him playing?
John David Washington – John Stewart
Okay, I’ll admit that I haven’t watched Tenet yet, but after seeing some almost-real fan art of him as the second most famous Green Lantern, John Stewart, I’m all for him. He’s got the look, the manly voice, and frankly, this can be his biggest role. I haven’t really seen him act much because he hasn’t been in much, but entering the DCEU can really put him on the map. In the short amount of time that I have seen him, I can already tell much of his father’s talent has rubbed off on him. Why not put that talent to use as a long overdue debut of John Stewart? Then our childhood memories of the old Justice League cartoon will happily come back to us.
Luke Evans – Sinestro
Remember that post-credits scene of 2011 Green Lantern where Sinestro put on the yellow ring? Yeah, we sadly never got to see that. Honestly, he should’ve been the main antagonist of the movie, but hey, at least Mark Strong got another chance to play a villain. That’s good for him, but we’re still short on a live-action villainous portrayal of Sinestro. Seriously, it’s long overdue and it needs to happen soon. The actor I’m pulling for is Luke Evans. He can play a good hero, but he really sells as a villain. From Gaston, to Owen Shaw, even as an anti-hero version of Dracula, Evans really knows how to play them bad.
This is what we need in the DCEU’s Sinestro. He’s one of my favorite DC villains, not just because he’s a great villain, but because he’s a complex one. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, but he doesn’t spill blood without a purpose. In his mind, he’s fighting to bring peace and order to the galaxy, and from his point of view, The Guardians and their green lanterns are just adding fuel to the fire. He has often blurred between the lines of straight up villain and ruthless anti-hero, but his commitment to his own version of order is what drives him. This is the kind of character Evans can deliver and that’s why he’s perfect for the role.
Benicio del Toro – Vandal Savage
Darkseid is the big bad of the DC universe, but in a world of live-action superhero movies, Marvel beat them to it by introducing Thanos first. DC can counter this by giving us Darkseid, but they can go a different route by debuting a more human villain. The first villain that comes to mind is the immortal caveman, Vandal Savage. The best actor I can think of to play him is Benicio del Toro. He’s already been a villain in the MCU as The Collector, but in my opinion, he was heavily underutilized.
Casting him as Vandal Savage would give us a major level villain in the form of a human. He’s the best choice for that kind of villain, because he just looks intimidating. Every time I see him, I just see him as a the tall, dark, and scary guy you don’t want to mess with. He’s talented enough to play different types of characters, but when he wants to be intimidating, he sure sells it. I picture his Vandal Savage as a calm, collected villain that can scare you just by talking. If Benicio del Toro is delivering those lines, then you got something to fear. Please give him another chance to be the villain.
Adam Driver – Reverse-Flash
This was a tough one, because my first thought was to cast someone who has some years on Ezra Miller. Then I realized an actor who is still older, but not by many years, would be better for the Reverse-Flash. This is one of the reasons I gravitated towards Adam Driver for the part, but it’s deeper than that. What makes The Flash’s enmity with the Reverse-Flash so intense is that Eobard Thawne (his real name) was once an avid fan of The Flash. This even caused him to alter his facial features so he could look like Barry Allen. If you ask me, Adam Driver looks like Ezra Miller, and he’s got ten years on him. Fitting, considering Thawne is from the twenty-fifth century and traveled back in time just to meet a young Flash.
He’s older than Miller, but young enough to keep up with him. Just watch Star Wars, and you can see how good he is at playing the villains. He can come off as sinister, even when he’s being facetious. That, to me, makes the Reverse-Flash the villain that he is, and that’s what Driver can give us.
Karl Urban – Hal Jordan
Oh, I didn’t forget the most popular Green Lantern. They can bring in John Stewart and Sinestro, but Hal Jordan is a must. DC really needs to get this right after that 2011 disaster, so how can they avoid that storyline while staying true to the character? Well, first of all, I’d say don’t retell the origin story. His current state in the DCEU could be similar to Batman’s, where he’s a more experienced hero, but also retains those Hal Jordan characteristics. That way, they can avoid retelling a story we’ve already seen before and give us something a bit different.
The best actor I can think of to tackle that kind of Hal Jordan is Karl Urban. He’s not young enough to be a rookie Hal Jordan, but he’s not old enough to be a retired one. The most crucial thing about Urban’s acting is that he can play all types of heroes. Go from the egghead Dr. Leonard McCoy, to Eomer, to Billy Butcher, or even Reaper from Doom, the man is just a natural born hero of all kinds. Casting him would also strengthen the relationship Hal Jordan has with The Flash. Not only can he be his buddy, but also his mentor.
While Batman already kind of fits that role for him, I picture Hal Jordan as the more cool uncle type. He won’t be so serious and crack jokes with Flash, but he can also help improve his people skills, since Batman isn’t exactly a people person. Plus, just imagine how Flash will geek out once he sees the power of his ring. Urban’s Jordan will serve as a perfect best friend/mentor.
Final Thoughts
I just can’t wait for more DCEU movies and what kind of talent they’re going to bring on board. I would love for my choices to become a reality, but as long as they get some serious talent, I’m game.
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