Marvel Cinematic Universe Actors Whose First Comic Book Roles You Probably Forgot

Do you ever rewatch an old comic book movie and suddenly sit upright in your seat and shout “Wait, that’s Batman!” at the screen?

(We mean, not in a Batman movie.)

It happens to us all the time: you’re watching a movie and all of a sudden you realize that this 20 year old, forgettable Bat-sequel was the first comic book movie associated with a guy who would go on to help shape the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In fact, over a dozen movies in, Marvel now has a bunch of actors who have played other comic book roles prior to taking on their part in the MCU.

So, it seemed like as good a time as any to take al ook at those people…!

SCARLETT JOHANSSON

One of the most famous actresses in the world, Scarlett Johansson was also one of the earliest additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Black Widow joined Iron Man II and became the first member of the Avengers not to be introduced for the first time in her own movie.

Before that, though, a young and not-so-famous Johansson played the role of Rebecca in Terry Zwigoff’s adaptation of Dan Clowes’ best-selling graphic novel Ghost World. 

She would go on to take one more comic book role before heading to the MCU: Silken Floss, a character in Frank Miller’s disastrous adaptation of Will Eisner’s The Spirit.

CHRIS EVANS

This one is a little different than the rest, because most people remember at least one of these “other” roles.

Chris Evans, of course, is the lead of the Captain America franchise and a key member of The Avengers.

His superheroic journey started more than ten years ago when he appeared in Fantastic Four as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.

After that, though, he had three more comic book roles before he got to wield the shield.

In 2007, the same year as Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Evans voiced Casey Jones in the CGI-animated TMNT.

He then took a couple of years off from comic book movies, but came back with a vengeance in 2010, appearing in The Losers (as Jensen) and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (as Lucas Lee) before finally dipping into the super-soldier serum in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

ZOE SALDANA & IDRIS ELBA

While Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek actress Zoe Saldana doesn’t have a lengthy list of comic book characters to recite back to us, it’s worth mentioning her because, like Evans, she appeared in The Losers (as Aisha).

This means that when Gamora comes to Earth in Avengers: Infinity War, that won’t be the first time she’s shared the screen with Captain America.

The film also featured appearances by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Thor actor Idris Elba.

JON FAVREAU

Before he was Happy Hogan in Iron Man (a franchise he built, as the director of the first two movies and an executive producer on Marvel’s Cinematic Universe films as a whole), Swingers and PCU star Jon Favreau appeared in Daredevil alongside future Batman v Superman star Ben Affleck.

In that film, he played Foggy Nelson, Matt’s law partner and a similar affable sidekick role to the one he would play as Happy years later.

Most fans probably remember that one, but it’s Favreau’s minor role as an unnamed assistant to Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever that really caught our attention!

…Wait, does that mean the director of Iron Man has been in the same number of Batman movies as Ben Affleck has?

ROSARIO DAWSON

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans know her as Claire Temple from Marvel’s Daredevil, but that wasn’t the first…or second…or third comic book role Rosario Dawson played.

Early in her career, Dawson played the role of Valerie Brown in Josie and the Pussycats, alongside Rachael Leigh Cook (Josie) and Tara Reid (Melody).

And while most fans will remember that Dawson also played the badass Gail in the Sin City movies, it’s a little easier to forget she appeared in Men in Black II as well…and that she contributed voices to DC’s animated features Wonder Woman and Justice League: Throne of Atlantis before her Marvel ship came in.

And for the record? Dawson remains proud of Josie and the Pussycats over a decade later.

“That movie is so amazing, and it really didn’t hit its audience then,” Dawson told THR in 2014. “People didn’t really get it. But if you watch it now, it’s so on the money — from media manipulation to endorsements and boy bands.”