We have truly been spoiled with some incredible performances in our superhero films. Many of the best actors of our time have given iconic depictions of our favorite characters. But now the time has come. Based on your votes, let's see who the users of CBM rank as being the best portrayals of a character in film.
Note: The rankings were first and foremost decided by the total number of votes. In the cases of ties, the higher ranking was given to the character who had a higher overall average ranking amongst users. 20 people voted in total.
Honorable Mentions:
Ian McKellen as Magneto (The X-Men Series)
Total Votes: 5/20
Highest Raking by a User: 5th
Before we get to our official Top 10, here's a couple runner ups that came very close. First up, the legendary Sir Ian McKellan for his powerful take on the X-Men's greatest foe: Magneto. In the first
X-Men film, McKellan brought depth to the villain in ways that were not seen in comic book movies (CBMs) up to that time. He was a complicated character with a tragic backstory (which would be explored in-depth later on). Even in blunders like
The Last Stand, McKellan still shines as the character.
Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy (The Amazing Spider-Man Series)
Total Votes: 5/20
Highest Ranking by a User: 4th
Also included is Emma Stone's take on the beloved side character Gwen Stacy. Stone successfully translated the character into the modern day with a Gwen Stacy who is tough, independent, smart, and sophisticated. As a direct antithesis to her Kirsten Dunst counterpart, this love interest didn't always need to be rescued from danger. In fact, in both
The Amazing Spider-Man films' climaxes, she aids Spidey in defeating the bad guy (even defending herself against the Lizard). Say what you will about these films, Emma Stone's depiction of Gwen Stacy was no doubt a highlight, one that made her death all the more tragic.
And now, let's get into the Top 10.
10. Christopher Reeve as Superman (Superman)
Total Votes: 6/20
Average Ranking: 4th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Coming in at number 10 is the legendary Christopher Reeve with his iconic take on the Man of Steel. In the first big-budget theatrical CBM, Reeve embodied the iconic superhero who always stood in the Golden Age for "truth, justice, and the American way." Though he went on to do 3 more films as Superman, it is his first performance that will be no doubt remembered most in cinematic history. To this day, Donner's take is the gold standard that is used to measure the definitiveness of a newly released superhero film. No matter what DC does with the character nowadays, Christopher Reeve will always remain the definitive Superman in the eyes of many.
9. Michael Fassbender as Magneto (First Class, Days of Future Past)
Total Votes: 8/20
Average Ranking: 5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 3rd
The only character on this list to have multiple incarnations, Michael Fassbender brought something different to the table as the Master of Magnetism. With his introduction in
First Class as a Nazi-hunter, we are given a glimpse into one of the most detailed descents of a man into villainy in a superhero film. We sympathize with Fassbender's character and truly understand why he does what he does. Using
FC as a character study of Magneto was one of Fox's smartest moves in the franchise. His chemistry with other actors, especially James McAvoy, also makes him very interesting to watch. Not to mention that he gives us a more comic-accurate costume in
DOFP. Even in lukewarm films like
Apocalypse, Fassbender shines bright giving no doubt the most heartfelt performance in the film. We shall see if he returns to the role or not in
The Dark Phoenix.
The next two were tied in both total votes and avrage ranking, so as a result I used a third option, the highest ranking by a user, to determine who would come out on top.
8. Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool (Deadpool)
Total Votes: 9/20
Average Ranking: 5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 2nd
Though I was a little surprised he wasn't ranked higher, at number 8 is Ryan Rynolds' passionate take on the beloved Merc With a Mouth. It's not very often that an actor is given a second crack at a character. It just goes to show that an actor's take on a character is only as good as its writing and direction. In his debut solo film, Reynolds successfully pokes fun at the genre while breaking the 4th wall. On screen he truly represents the character straight off the page from his costume to his charm and whit. Reynolds emodies Deadpool perfectly, and not just in the film, but in advertising and other related media (Honest Trailers) as well. You can tell he is having so much fun as this character and his passion is evident both on and off screen. What's exciting is this is only the beginning; there will no doubt be much more Deadpool for years to come.
7. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman)
Total Votes: 9/20
Average Ranking: 5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Next up on our list is newcomer Gal Gadot as the Amazon Warrior herself, Wonder Woman. To be so recent and ranked so high is a testament to Gadot's skill set. Though a highlight in the dreadful
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, it is no doubt her layered perfomance in the recent solo outing that earn her the spot here. As both a fierce warrior and an innocent fish-out-of-water in London, Gadot brings a charm and charisma to the character. In the face of war, her character is revealed as one who stands up for injustice no matter what the cost. Even with the uncertainty of this year's
Justice League film, there can be no doubt that she will give a standout performance. Though many underestimated her, Gadot's take on Wonder Woman will go down not only as the best for a female superhero, but also one of the greatest of all time.
6. Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier (X-Men, Logan)
Total Votes: 11/20
Average Ranking: 5.5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Even with all of fans' qualms with Fox's take on the X-Men, it is hard to deny the fact that Patrick Stewart embodies the character of Charles Xavier tremendously. With his gentle demeanor and optiistic tone, Stewart brings to life the mind behind the X-Men. He has never given a bad performance, and continues to bring new and surprising elements to the character (
Logan). Even though his younger counterpart played by James McAvoy is equally compelling, Stewart's dedication to the role from the beginning has always been admired by fans. In growing up with the X-Men franchise, Stewart's take on Professor X has always been an enjoyable one to see.
5. JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2)
Total Votes: 11/20
Average Ranking: 4.5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Talk about straight off the page! Just take one look at JK Simmons, and you see Jolly Jonah himself. His manurisms and harshness bring Spidey's antagonist to life. Whether he's rebuking Peter for not getting photos in on time, or laughing hysterically at Peter's demands for a raise, or ranting about Spider-Man as a menace, JK Simmons sells it all and gives 100% in every frame of film. There is a reason he has yet to be recast in newer Spider-Man films, he is simpy irreplaceable.
4. Chris Evans as Captain America (The Winter Soldier, Civil War)
Total Votes: 11/20
Average Ranking: 3.5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Next up is our first entry from the MCU, Chris Evans as Captain America himself. As Phase 1 was rolling out, people seemed optimistic about the coming incarnations of Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk. But the one people were most unsure of was Captain America. How could this somewhat dated character be made relevant for today's world? Chris Evans gave pretty good performances in
Captain America: The First Avenger and
The Avengers, but it wasn't until his second solo film, The Winter Soldier, where people really began to notice. Arguably, he has become the face of the MCU right alongside Downey, maybe even more so. He manages to balance the moral heart of the character with the heroic freedom fighter. Whether he survives next year's
Infinity War or not is yet to be seen, but for now, Evans continues to give his all into the role.
3. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (Iron Man, Civil War)
Total Votes: 13/20
Average Raning: 5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
Though 2008's
Iron Man was a critical and commercial hit, no one expected Robert Downey Jr. to go on film after film and give incredible performance as Tony Stark himself. His comeback role, Downey brings charisma and charm to the superhero and alter ego. His character arc is one that audiences are invested in and eagerly following. The continued success of the MCU is largely owed to him. Even films that are not adored by audiences (the
Iron Man sequels) were still a smash hit by his star power alone. Giving a very emotional performance recently in
Civil War, Downey's longetivity in the role continues to prevail and will perhaps payoff with the culmination of his character in next year's
Infinity Wars.
2. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (Days of Future Past, Logan)
Total Votes: 13/20
Average Ranking: 4th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
There is no other actor in comic book movie history who has given more to his role than Hugh Jackman has to Wolverine. Spanning 9 films over 17 years, Jackman brings his own unique take on the clawed-mutant. From a newcome in 2000's
X-Men to an Oscar-worthy performance in this year's
Logan, it has been quite a joy watching the journey of his character. Sure he never donned the yellow spandex, but the fact that he can still be this highly regarded while not being "straight off the page" only shows how well Jackman has done for himself as Wolverine. Like many actors' on this list, even the bad films he's in are still fun to watch. His character arc and development is perhaps one of the most sophisticated in all superhero films. The culmination of his journey in
Logan, along with finally getting to see the character unhinged, provides satisfaction to those invested in his story. Though we are sad to seem him go, we celebrate the passion and intentionality Jackman brought to one of Marvel's most popular characters.
1. Heath Ledger as The Joker (The Dark Knight)
Total Votes: 17/20
Average Ranking: 3.5th
Highest Ranking by a User: 1st
"Why so serious?" All the other actors on this list portrayed their characters across several films. But Heath Ledger, with only one film, takes the title. The Oscar performance by Ledger is one unmatched in the history of comic book cinema. Ledger completely loses himself in the role, presenting an iconic take on the Joker that is both faithful to the source material and all his own. The bone-chilling manurisms, the memorable quotes, the intimidating screen presence, all aid Ledger's performance in bringing the Joker to life. And that's exactly what he did. He brought the Joker into our kind of world and time, a true anarchist/terrorist for our Post-9/11 world. He even outshines Batman in his own movie! Heath Ledger's performance will be difficult to top, especially to anyone playing future iterations of the Joker (sorry Leto). It is a shame that we will never get to see him in the role again, but perhaps it was the sole existence of this piece that makes his performance all the more memorable.
The breakdowns of the winners per franchise/studio are as follows:
X-Men (Fox): 4
DC (Warner Bros.): 3
MCU (Disney): 2
Spider-Man (Sony): 1
That's it for this countdown, stay tuned for another to come next time. For now, sounds off below what you think of this ranking. Cheers!