What DC Comics characters could the Guardians of the Galaxy cast play? Here are some do’s and don’ts when casting them in the DCU.
James Gunn has been in the headlines a lit over the past year, particularly since he and Peter Safran took over as co-chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios. Among the announcements they made are what movies and shows will be the focus of DC Comics/Warner Bros in the near future, with titles like The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Booster Gold coming in the future. The DC Studios reset hasn’t been met with a 100% positivity. However, if you’ve followed Gunn’s work with Marvel Studios, you’ll have faith in what he’s doing because he did a fantastic job.
Gunn took the Guardians of the Galaxy (a Marvel Comics team that were not familiar to a mainstream audience) and turned them into a billion-dollar franchise. Because of what the franchise did for him, he hasn’t forgotten the cast that made him popular. So much so that he plans to work with them again.
In an interview with Empire, Gunn said that he was close to all of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast saying, “This cast are like my family.” He also went on to say, “But I also know I will work again with all those people individually again”, suggesting he could do so at DC Studios. Considering how successful the Guardians franchise was, this makes sense. Plus, if the Guardians of the Galaxy did so well, working with the cast again is a smart move. The question is who would they play? Here are some DC Comics characters the cast of the GotG should and should *not* play.
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana’s performance as Gamora is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most underrated. She’s charged with playing the most dangerous woman in the galaxy. So far, she’s proven Gamora’s reputation as that to be true. Beyond that, Saldana is no stranger to action movies, starring in Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, Star Trek, and Columbiana.
DC Comics character she should play: Zatanna
When Zatanna uses a spell, the words have to be said clearly and her body movements have to look confident. Zoe Saldana exudes confidence and she would make people run scared when she casts her spells. It would be easy to see her playing one of DC Comics’ most powerful magic wielders.
Chris Pratt
A lot of people helped make the Guardians of the Galaxy a huge franchise. However, it starts with Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord. He’s their leader in the team and the star of the movie. Without him, Guardians of the Galaxy may not have become one of Marvel Studios more valuable movies.
On the DC front, Guy Gardner is a character that fits Chris Pratt perfectly. If you know the character, then you’re aware of how closely he resembles Star-Lord. The big difference is that Gardner is more annoying than Peter Quill ever was. Although, like Quill, there’s depth to Guy Gardner.
DC Comics characters he should play: Guy Gardner
If you know Guy Gardner, then you’re aware of how closely he resembles Star-Lord. If you don’t then you should get familiar. There’s a lot of similarities between the two space travelers. The big difference is that Gardner is more annoying than Peter Quill will ever be. Gardner may seem like he’s a step away from being a villain, but he’s 100% a hero.
DC Comics characters he shouldn’t play: Hal Jordan
Warner Bros. made the mistake of casting Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan for 2011’s Green Lantern. Reynolds is a great actor, but that wasn’t the right script or character for him. The same can be said for Chris Pratt. He should not play Hal Jordan. Casting him is an easy way for the project to fail (again).
Karen Gillan
This writer is on record saying that Nebula is the most underrated characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Karen Gillan has been perfect from the first time we’ve seen her and she’s only gotten better. There wasn’t an emotion she didn’t hit on. Her acting range would help the future of DC Comics movies and shows.
DC Comics character she should play: Poison Ivy
Playing Poison Ivy means being more than a brilliant scientist. She has to be seductive, a little psychotic, and switch from one to the other at the drop of a hat. Karen Gillan can do that with ease. If she was cast as Ivy, this could be a performance remembered as fondly as the way we remember Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman in Batman Returns.
DC Comics characters she shouldn’t play: Supergirl
Whoever plays Supergirl should be, at the oldest, in their mid-twenties. That’s not a knock on Karen Gillen, but Supergirl always looks like she’s in college or younger. On top of that, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow may not be a one part movie. Karen Gillan is 35 years old and the project is years away from being released. However, if James Gunn is going for a veteran Supergirl, then that could happen.
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper has accomplished a lot in his career. Who would have thought that the person who played the horrible character from Wedding Crashers would go on to be nominated for Golden Globes and win a Grammys? Yet, here we are. Also, no one would have thought he could bring a talking raccoon to life like he did.
DC Comics character he should play: Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is an important character to the Batman lore. Sure, the character’s death is what fans are most familiar with, but it’s still a crucial moment. Thankfully, the Thomas Wayne story doesn’t have to begin and end in Crime Alley.
Over the years, Warner Bros. has been producing Batman shows without the Dark Knight. Titans, Batwoman, and Gotham Knights are among the most recent examples. Why shouldn’t Thomas Wayne get a project? He had a life before his death and some of it was shady. Bradley Cooper could be the one to show the world who Bruce’s father was. A movie could be the right way to go.
DC Comics characters he shouldn’t play: Batman
Short and to the point, Bradley Cooper should not play Batman. It’s easy to see him as Bruce Wayne, but not so much the Dark Knight. We just can’t see him being the “I am vengeance” that Batman is known for. Not even in an animated feature.
Pom Klementieff
Pom Klementieff is underappreciated for what she’s done in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, especially in the Holiday Special. This writer believes she hasn’t been used to her full potential yet. The happiness and naïveté of the character is only part of what she’s capable of. There were a few moments where she displayed a level of sadness that certainly touched viewers. Maybe a new DC project with James Gunn will give her an opportunity to show even more range.
DC Comics character she should play: Something new
There are characters that made their first appearances in comic book TV projects before making their presence felt on comics. Melinda May, Phil Coulson, and Harley Quinn didn’t originate in the comics. Pom Klementieff should be the next actor to pull this off, originating a new DC character in live-action. She’s such a popular star that people will be excited to see who DC would cast her as. Plus, if the character becomes popular, she could get a spinoff and the character could jump into the comics.
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista is the greatest wrestler to become an actor. He’s showing range that Dwayne Johnson and John Cena can’t. If you look at the roles he’s played, you’ll see that he hasn’t type-cast himself. He recently said it’s been a struggle to play something that isn’t action. However, he’s shown that he shouldn’t be just the big guy. This writer will go on record saying he will win an Oscar before his career is over.
DC Comics character he should play: Basil Karlo/Clayface
Dave Bautista may want to break away from action roles, but this could be a perfect combination of action and drama. Depending on who’s writing him, Basil Karlo’s story is tragic. Bautista could deliver a performance that makes everyone watching sympathetic to Clayface’s story. Or, maybe he’s never Clayface. It’s possible for him to be just Basil Karlo.
DC Comics characters he should play: Harvey Bullock
Instead of another no, how about another yes? This is another role where Bautista’s acting skills would matter more. Harvey Bullock is smart mouthed and bitter at times. He’s also a fantastic detective with a warm heart. This would be another opportunity for Bautista to play someone with more layers to them.
Who would you cast the actors from Guardians of the Galaxy as in the DC Universe? Let us know in the comments below.