All 9 DCEU Characters Who Have Already Been Recast in James Gunn's DC Universe

With Creature Commandos Season 1, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2 we are now officially three entries deep into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU. And, with the release of Lanterns, Supergirl, and Clayface, that universe will soon be taken in even more interesting directions. It represents a shift away from the DCEU, though not a full back turn. However, it is still something new, and with that comes a back turn on the DCEU’s casting choices, at least for the most part. And, while we’re still in this universe’s early days, there’s no better time to start compiling a list of those characters who have officially moved from one performer to another.

Videos by ComicBook.com

That means character recastings, not actor recastings, so don’t expect to see Jason Momoa here because he went from Aquaman to Lobo. As for those who have retained their roles, there’s everyone from Peacemaker, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag Jr. (who went from the DCEU’s The Suicide Squad to the DCU’s Peacemaker Season 2), Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, and Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle (at some point).

9) King Shark

To be honest, it’s hard not to look at either Birds of Prey or The Suicide Squad as the true beginning of the DCU. They aren’t, technically, but they feel more in line with this new cinematic world, which oscillates between the brightness of Superman and the somewhat dark oddball nature of Creature Commandos, than anything from the DCEU. This throughline is only strengthened thanks to Peacemaker Season 2’s tightrope walking between the two DC movie eras. Peacemaker Season 2 ties into Season 1 which ties into The Suicide Squad which ties into Birds of Prey…you get it.

Regardless, The Suicide Squad‘s King Shark, voiced by Sylvester Stallone, is different from the one we see in the finale of Creature Commandos. And, in that finale, he’s voiced by Diedrich Bader, whose best performance will always be as Lawrence, the nosy neighbor in Office Space.

8) Perry White

Wendell Pierce doesn’t get much screentime in Superman, but we get the gist that he’s playing the serious but ethical Editor-in-Chief, and Pierce does that well. He’s a likable performer who balances warmth with professionalism.

Laurence Fishburne’s screentime was a bit more expansive, though not by a massive amount. To be fair, he was in two movies, so Pierce will match that sooner rather than later. Even still, Fishburne’s made a greater impression, especially when he was putting himself between a staffer and General Zod’s world-ending machine. It was a good hero moment for a flesh and blood human being.

7) Jimmy Olsen

Michael Cassidy’s Jimmy Olsen has such a tiny part in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that it’s very easy to forget such a relatively important character was ever even a part of the DCEU. But he was there, just more as a spy than a plucky journalist as he’s typically written. He tries to smuggle a tracker in a camera, it’s discovered by a Nairomi gang member, and he’s executed.

The DCU’s Jimmy, played by Skyler Gisondo, is far more fleshed out. He is a kindhearted but driven journalist, with the humorous added detail of being the object of many women’s desires even if he doesn’t fully understand why. Gisondo’s comedic chops help make him a source of levity, but this Jimmy is also a character integral in the plot’s forward momentum. This one was a huge improvement, and it will be great to see more of Gisondo in the DCU.

6) Jonathan Kent

Both versions of Jonathan Kent, the one seen in Man of Steel and Superman, are technically similar individuals. They exist to point Clark Kent in the right direction in life.

However, Pruitt Taylor Vince’s take in Superman is a far sweeter soul. And, frankly, he seems like a better parent. Kevin Costner’s version was so serious, and he made questionable choices along the way, such as allowing himself to be swept up by a tornado even though his adopted son could have easily seen him. Why be that desperate to have Clark conceal his powers? Would revealing his abilities really be worse than the trauma of losing a second father? Either way, here’s an example of a recasting that resulted in both a differently written and differently performed individual.

5) Martha Kent

Like with Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell’s Martha Kent is a warmer, small-town version of the character. We believe these versions of Kent’s parents more than the ones in the DCEU.

With Diane Lane’s take, it really felt like a big movie star taking on a typical loving mother role. Lane was excellent, don’t get us wrong, but it was hard to shake the knowledge you were watching a very famous actor playing a relatively famous role. In the DCU, we feel like we’re seeing an actual adoptive mother fearing for her ailing space-son.

4) Lois Lane

Both versions of Lois Lane are very similar, as well they should be. She’s quite iconically driven as a journalist, but fair as well. Both Amy Adams and Rachel Brosnahan sold that aspect just as well as they sold her being smitten with Clark Kent, the man behind the Superman suit.

It will be interesting to see Brosnahan’s Lane factors in down the line. For now, though, she’s done her job of further solidifying the notion that Gunn knows how to cast his universe brainchild.

3) Lex Luthor

If there is an entry here that is an improvement, this is the improvement. We went from Jesse Eisenberg playing a more boisterous, insane version of his The Social Network Mark Zuckerberg to a more convincingly intelligent and plotting sociopath.

Eisenberg is a talented actor, but his Lex Luthor was a disaster. It’s genuinely difficult to watch his stammering, awkward scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. We also don’t fully believe that he could pull off his whole plan because the character is written as more unhinged than brilliant. With Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, however, we fully believe his ability to mastermind a plan just as we believe it all comes from a place of all-consuming jealousy. The most exciting aspect of Man of Tomorrow is to see how Lex factors in, because with just one movie Hoult made him the best character of this new DCU.

2) Superman

To many, Henry Cavill is still Superman. He was the first main character we met in the DCEU and continued to have a presence throughout the universe’s run (though not as much as he should have been). It was a controversial portrayal of the character, though only because of how he was written, not how he was performed. Like with the remainder of the Justice League, Cavill’s Superman got shortchanged by the cancellation of the team-up movie’s sequels, but at least we got something of an arc for the Man of Steel.

David Corenswet’s Superman is a far more hopeful figure. Even with just one movie he really has made as strong an impression as Cavill did in Man of Steel. Cavill will be missed, but because of Corenswet it’s become easy to leave him in the past as a product of his time and look forward to a sunnier future.

1) Supergirl

It’s hard to say just how Milly Alcock’s Supergirl will play with audiences considering her true debut has yet to hit the big screen, but the trailer is pretty impressive. Plus, even with less than a minute of screentime in Superman, she made a nice, funny, charming impression.

Without a doubt, this character has the biggest change in personality between her DCEU and DCU counterparts. Sasha Calle’s Supergirl in The Flash was serious, beaten down, but incredibly resilient and brave. Calle played the character that was required to perfection, to the point she was the highlight of the movie over even the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. Sadly, it was a one and done for that Supergirl, but Calle’s career has certainly survived that film’s failure, turning in another memorable performance in The Rip.

Do you think the recastings have been improvements for the most part? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!