Summary
TheMarvel Cinematic Universeis only as strong as its performances - though some get more credit than others. The MCU was set up from the beginning for enormous success with the inclusion of many celebrated actors in complex roles. While some, likeRobert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, have received consistent acclaim for their performances, others have been overlooked. This is bound to happen in creating an enormous, lived-in universe with many past andupcoming MCU movies; however, it is worth reflecting on some of these lesser-celebrated roles to remember how important they have been to the franchise.
Friends and foes alike,many minor Marvel characters have been pulled from the pages of comics and reinvented to better serve the Marvel Cinematic Universe stories. Others have been made up asoriginal MCU characterssimply for their inclusion in these stories, with their actors managing to blend them into a world of well-established figures. Looking at some of these performances of villains and heroes, many excellent performances can be highlighted, all of which deserve to be remembered and some of which must be explored in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Ranked Worst To Best
Over 17 years and 35 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have redefined blockbuster cinema. But how do all the films stack up?
10Tommy Lee Jones As Colonel Chester Phillips
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain America’s journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been one of the most important. The characters he encountered who either doubted or believed in him fed into that. A rough military man,Phillips initially opposes Rogers’s participation in the Super Soldier project but slowly becomes supportive of the idea.With genuine emotion, Phillips' hardened edges soften throughout the film.
As an audience surrogate, Jones is incredible to watch here as he journeys through reflection and discovery, and it is effective to see the brusque masculine Marvel character be transformed by what is before his eyes. Jones is a strong performer, andseeing his emotional acting range play out here reflects how the world sees Steve Rogers. This strong performance has left audiences wonderingwhat became of Phillips afterCaptain America.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Cast
Captain America: The First Avenger follows Steve Rogers, a frail man from Brooklyn transformed into the super-soldier Captain America during World War II. As he aids the war effort, Rogers confronts Red Skull, who seeks world domination through a powerful device for a nefarious organization.
9Jeff Bridges As Obadiah Stane
Iron Man (2008)
Jeff Bridges played the first MCU villain and was one of the best and most effective antagonists in the universe. With a unique presence that oscillates wildly between genuine, paternal friendless, and terrifying, ugly menace,Bridges rises to the occasion with his role inIron Manin a way that would continue to shape the MCU’s perspective on war, weapons, and profiteering. Understanding the character’s profit-driven outlook and seeing that vilified was a compelling introduction to the universe.
Iron Man, as a character, has massive connections to warfare and weapons technology, and those are never better explored than in the conniving, corporate maneuvering of Obadiah Stane. Somerumors suggest theIron Manvillain could reappear, buteven if the villain had never put on an Iron Monger suit of his own, the effects of his character and how they influenced Stark’s outlook on defense are necessary to the universe. Bridges’ strong performance gives the character and material great depth.
Iron Man
Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
8Stanley Tucci As Abraham Erskine
Abraham Erskine, portrayed with exceptional charisma by one of the best actors working today, serves as an emotional anchor forCaptain America: The First Avenger. Tucci’s Erskine is a man who sees beyond Steve Rogers' physical appearance, influencing his faith in inner strength. Despite Steve’s constant struggle with his initial size,Erskine’s understanding of his true potential never wavers, nurturing him towards the man he would become in the Super Soldier program.
Erskine’s faith, understanding, and belief are significant for how they shape the Captain America character as well as the MCU universe.The components of his character, executed with such quiet effectiveness, have gone on to influence the moral ideals of the universe, perfectly showing the importance of the franchise’s theme of having faith in others.
7Corey Stoll As Darren Cross
Ant-Man (2015)
Stoll’s performance as Darren Cross inAnt-Manis a testament to his acting prowess. He effectively brings to life a twisted and sadistic villain, balancing fear, fierceness, madness, brilliance, and jealousy.The mania that consumes Cross inAnt-Mantransforms him into a compelling antagonist.Stoll’s portrayal is a masterclass in using strength and tension to create a memorable character.
Unfortunately, some of these performances should not be revisited.Stoll’s inclusion as the MODOK character inQuantumaniaseemed to fundamentally misunderstand the character of Darren Cross, reducing him to a more simplified figure compared to his prior appearance. While the actor is a strong performer, and his Darren Cross character was an excellent addition to the original film, this revisiting of Cross may, unfortunately, and unfairly, make even this excellent performance seem weaker in retrospect.
Ant-Man
Ant-Man follows master thief Scott Lang as he becomes a hero under the guidance of Doctor Hank Pym. Using his Ant-Man suit, Lang gains the ability to shrink in size while increasing in strength, and together they must protect the technology from new threats and execute a world-saving heist.
6Ray Stevenson As Volstagg
Thor (2011) And Thor: The Dark World (2013)
The entire Warriors Three, including the late Stevenson, go a long way toward building the world of Asgard in the MCU.Stevenson’s portrayal is powerful and authentic, adding a layer of realism that is often underappreciated. His raw, entertaining charisma makes the world feel lived in and real, and his relationship with Thor is believable and fleshes out the world of Asgard.
While Ray Stevenson has tragically passed, the role remains a testament to his acting talents.A generous and compelling performer, Stevenson fulfills a unique Hollywood type,and his relationship with Thor in these films evidences strong connections between Asgardians that are underexplored in later films. As hero or villain, and doling out violence or friendship, Ray Stevenson imbues every role he inhabits with distinct character and intensity.
Thor
Thor, released in 2011, introduces Chris Hemsworth as the titular Norse god. Banished to Earth by his father Odin, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, Thor must live among humans and learn humility. As he adapts to his new circumstances, a threat from Asgard, led by his brother Loki, endangers Earth.
5Liv Tyler As Betty Ross
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Liv Tyler provides the emotional crux for Edward Norton’s Hulk, and their chemistry goes a long way to accomplishing that. In addition, Tyler plays an excellent audience surrogate in the film through her humanity.Her role is characterized by her resistance to her father and fears for Banner,which are human components that are immensely important in a film of CGI monsters.
As this role was arguably underutilized, Marvel appears set to redeem some low points of their franchise with the return of Betty Ross in the MCU.The actress will be appearing in Captain America:Brave New Worldwhich will hopefully lead to further appearances in the franchise.Having the romance between Bruce and Betty would be an excellent way for the MCU to evolve with effective character stories.
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (1977): In this film, scientist David Banner suffers a gamma radiation overdose, triggering a transformation into a giant, muscular green creature whenever he becomes angry. This condition compels him to undertake a journey to understand and control his monstrous alter ego.
4Lee Pace As Ronan The Accuser
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Menacing and terrifying, Lee Pace gives one of the best MCU villain performances, which is regrettably under-celebrated. As Ronan,Pace commands the screen, and every word he says is powerful and impactful.With a larger universe and cast of characters to set up inGuardians of the Galaxy, however, there is little room for Ronan to be used here to his full potential. Still, Pace shines in every moment he appears.
With an excellent costume, and powerful emotion expressed through a face frozen in stoicism, Pace pulls out the nuances of the character’s emotions and quietly creates a brutal, menacing threat in Ronan. Much of his subdued performance is full of suppressed intensity that allows Pace to effectively blend into the ensemble.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill. Abducted from Earth as a child, Quill navigates intergalactic adventures, becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb coveted by Ronan the Accuser.
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3Emily VanCamp As Sharon Carter
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
While his MCU story hinges around his romantic relationships, the exploration of Captain America’s personal life in the MCU is oddly lacking in many aspects. His relationship with Sharon Carter feels like the main challenge to this, butit is a complex relationship rife with conflict due to Cap’s relationship with Peggy. Sharon feels complex and larger than the role, with her evolving connections to the MCU as more is unveiled about her. Played with a difficult, ambiguous style, the character feels whole from her first appearance and yet is allowed to evolve and change significantly in subsequent projects.
This complex characterization is taken in a different direction with Sharon’s appearance inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier,which received mixed responses. However,Sharon’s role there does suggest that the character will have a future in the MCU.This is exciting because VanCamp is a strong and charismatic performer, so being given the opportunity to evolve beyond her complex pairing with Captain America could allow her role to become yet more layered and nuanced.
It’s Not Too Late For The MCU To Redeem Sharon Carter
Sharon Carter has been a sorely underutilized MCU character for a variety of reasons, yet that does not mean it is too late for her redemption.
2Jon Favreau As Happy Hogan
Iron Man (2008) & Iron Man 2 (2010)
Jon Favreau has grown to a surprising heart of the MCU throughout the recentSpider-Manfilms, even if he is often used as a punchline. His character, however, began as a small on-screen role when he directedIron Man, and largely functioned as an extension of his directorial outlook.Happy Hogan is used as a tool to allow other characters to shine; Favreau is a generous performer who plays Hogan intending to elevate his onscreen co-stars like Paltrow and Downey, allowing them to further show off their acting talents and complex characters.
InIron ManandIron Man 2, Favreau plays an excellent counterpoint to the effortless cool of Tony Stark with his dorky charm.As Tony’s assistant, he is desperate, a little flawed, and always entirely human.It is difficult to fulfill a role like this, but Favreau makes it seem easy with humor and charisma.
Iron Man 2
The third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2, is an action-superhero film that occurs six months after the original film’s events. After outing himself as the heavy metal superhero known as Iron Man, Tony Stark goes to great lengths to avoid demands from the government for his tech. But, unfortunately, the technology Tony used to save his life is beginning to impact his health inversely - just in time for a man named Ivan Vanko to arrive, who creates his version of the Iron Man tech to settle a decades-long score with Howard Stark’s son.
1Shaun Toub As Yinsen
Shaun Toub’s turn as Yinsen inIron Mansets up much of Tony Stark’s journey. Both brilliant scientists, Stark and Yinsen worked together in the cave to build the first version of the Iron Man suit and the arc reactor.Through all of this, Toub plays his role with a plaintive intensity that leads up to a conclusion where he is killed. Yinsen was always planning this, and his words throughout the film are given new meaning by his sacrificial death.
Beyond his effects here, Yinsen is an emotional anchor influencing Tony Stark’s view of mortality throughout the MCU. Yinsen’s death significantly influences Stark’s final trajectory inEndgame, where the hero gives himself up to save others. In a way, Toub’s performance creates the digital heart of theMarvel Cinematic Universe, and his role should be remembered much more fondly.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
