Josh Brolin Joins the Ranks of Actors Who Play More Comic Book Characters Than You Remember

Earlier today, it was announced that Josh Brolin has landed the anticipated role of Cable in the upcoming Deadpool sequel — but, of course, the actor is no stranger to comic book audiences, as he is also currently playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having debuted in that role with Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014.

Simultaneously playing Thanos and Cable also means that Brolin will be starring in two of the largest comic book movies of 2018. Avengers: Infinity War will surely be very Thanos-heavy.

Playing Thanos was not Brolin’s first comic book rodeo, though.

In 2010, Josh Brolin starred as Jonah Hex in the film of the same name. The movie wasn’t much of a hit at the box office, and many non-comic book fans might not have even known about the character’s four-color origins.

The Jonah Hex feature co-starred Megan Fox, who herself has been part of two comic book franchises, playing “Lilah” in Jonah Hex and April O’Neil in Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

Who else has pulled off a similar stunt? Let’s run down the list…!

CHRIS EVANS

When Chris Evans was first announced as Captain America, Marvel fans may have gone through a bit of “deja vu” as he had already played a high-profile character in the Marvel Universe: He was Johnny Storm, the flaming Human Torch, in two Fantastic Four films.

He would also go on to appear in Snowpiercer, based on a French-language graphic novel, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, in which he plays one of the Oni Comics character’s “evil exes.” And did we mention he appeared in the DC/Vertigo adaptation The Losers?

It’s interesting to note that Evans’ Johnny Storm successor, Michael B. Jordan, also has a role in Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther film, playing a different character.

Of course, the Steve Rogers role has been the more successful one for Evans, who has now starred in three Captain America films of his own in addition to the two Avengers releases thus far. He could also be seen in cameo roles in Ant-Man and Thor: The Dark World…plus one coming up in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

JUSTIN HARTLEY

A few months before making his Smallville debut as Oliver Queen (the Green Arrow), Justin Hartley starred as Arthur “A.C.” Curry, better known as Aquaman, in a pilot executive produced by Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

The CW passed on the project, but the actor made quite an impression on the producers, who later casted him as the first actor to play the Green Arrow on the network.

Hartley played Oliver Queen for five seasons of Smallville, three of which were spent as a series regular.

While Justin Hartley hasn’t visited Stephen Amell on The CW’s Arrow, the actor has achieved quite a bit of a success in a non-superhero role, as one of the stars of the NBC drama This Is Us.

Interesting trivia: Aquaman pilot actors Adrianne Palicki, Amber McDonald, and Rick Peters all also made appearances on Smallville throughout its ten seasons.

ADRIANNE PALICKI

Adrianne Palicki played a siren in the previously-mentioned Aquaman pilot; she also may be the most prolific of all of the actors on this list!

In 2011, Warner Bros. Television and producer David E. Kelley chose the actress to play Wonder Woman in an ill-fated TV pilot featuring the character. Unlike Aquaman, Wonder Woman never had an official release; initial responses to the first reveal of the Wonder Woman costume had less-than-fantastic feedback.

Those aren’t Palicki’s other comic book or superhero projects, though.

In 2004, Adrianne Palicki guest starred in the Season 3 finale of Smallville as a young woman who believed herself to be Kara, cousin of Kal-El with powers just like his. It turns out that she wasn’t Supergirl (as we expected), and this wasn’t mentioned when Laura Vandervoort came on to the series, but in 2004, this was as close to the Girl of Steel as Smallville had gotten, and most publicity around the time did bill her as their take on Supergirl.

Finally, Palicki starred as Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird, on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., joining the show in the second season. At one point it was proposed for Palicki’s Mockingbird and the character of Lance Hunter to go off to their own spin-off, Marvel’s Most Wanted, but ultimately, it didn’t end up happening.

BEN AFFLECK

Ben Affleck claimed that he had sworn off playing superheroes after his costumed stint in the 2003 Daredevil film, but he’s actually returned to tights twice since then.

Affleck played former Superman actor George Reeves in the acclaimed 2005 biopic Hollywoodland, and as such, did don the classic Superman tights for the real-life role.

A few years later, however, Affleck was chosen to fight Superman as Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Affleck will be seen next in Justice League; he is expected to star in his own standalone Batman film in the near future.

RYAN REYNOLDS

Deadpool was the role that got away from Ryan Reynolds.

A longtime fan of the character, Reynolds was cast as Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth for X-Men Origins: Wolverine — and then promptly transformed into a merc WITHOUT a mouth for that film.

We shall not talk about that. We know Wade wouldn’t be able to.

In the intervening years while waiting to give Deadpool the justice he deserves, Reynolds was cast as Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, in DC’s high-profile Green Lantern film. Sadly, Green Lantern wasn’t the success that films like The Dark Knight had been, and there was never a sequel; the movie did feature Reynolds with his now-wife, Blake Lively, so it was not all a loss.

Eventually, things worked out for Reynolds to play Deadpool, and both the green-CG-suited Green Lantern and mouthless Wade were mercilessly mocked on the big screen.

Reynolds also played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity, and before that, he had a role in the 1996 Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV-movie that predated the weekly series…as well as R.I.P.D., based on a comic by Peter M. Lenkov.

STEPHEN AMELL

TV’s other Green Arrow, Stephen Amell, once traded his bow and arrow for something a little more in line with his Canadian heritage – a hockey stick – as Casey Jones in Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel, Out of the Shadows.

While Amell continues to play Oliver Queen on Arrow, there have not yet been any developments on a Casey Jones return.

A reference to a vigilante wearing a hockey mask was made in an early episode of Arrow‘s fifth season, providing a nod to Amell’s big-screen alter ego.

BRANDON ROUTH

An actor who once played one of DC Comics’ biggest icons is now currently playing one of their smallest — literally.

There was a lot of publicity surrounding Brandon Routh’s casting as Clark Kent aka Superman in Bryan Singer’s 2006 film Superman Returns. While Returns didn’t spawn a sequel and reviews were mixed, fans generally enjoyed Routh’s performance in the role, and the actor returned to the world of DC with a recurring role as Ray Palmer in Arrow‘s third season.

Ray Palmer is, of course, the superhero also known as The Atom, and initially, Ray had created a suit that put him more along the lines of Iron Man. Eventually The Atom gained the ability to shrink, and he’s now a part of the spinoff series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Along the way, he also had roles in Dylan Dog and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

HALLE BERRY

This list of actors to play more than one comic book role is hardly compete. Who could forget that Halle Berry has played both Storm and Catwoman? (Actually, can we?)

This is also not taking into account the veterans of past series who return for the new ones — John Wesley Shipp, Amanda Pays, and Alex Desert on The Flash being prime examples; Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, Laura Vandervoort, and Helen Slater over on Superman being examples, as well.

One might think that there are just so many actors who can take on these iconic roles. Maybe they have that “comic book” look. In any event, it will be interesting to see who can or will be added to this list in the future.