Some completely missed the mark
Dominating the box office around the world, superhero movies are extremely popular. And while their success has launched many actors to stardom, some have sadly buried the careers of others. Whether the movie was good or bad, certain roles were simply not well received by audiences and critics alike.
Curious? Click on to discover the actors we've seen a lot less of since they starred in superhero movies.
Mark Ruffalo is so familiar to audiences as Bruce Banner that it's easy to forget he wasn't the only one to play the Hulk on the big screen. Edward Norton also played the green hero in 'The Incredible Hulk' (2008). However, his version turned out to be incredibly forgetful.
'The Incredible Hulk' (2008) wasn’t just unfortunate for Edward Norton. Liv Tyler's Betty Ross, Bruce Banner’s love interest, didn’t impress either.
Known for her portrayal of Phoenix in the 'X-Men' franchise, we haven't seen much of Janssen since. She received somewhat mixed reviews, which sadly didn't help her career.
Probably the most unforgettable character in 'X-Men: First Class' (2011), January Jones' Emma Frost didn't sit well with critics and fans alike.
In what was considered a disastrous superhero movie, Jessica Alba's Sue Storm in 'Fantastic Four' (2005) didn't please critics either.
It seems like the 'Fantastic Four' movie wasn't particularly great for any acting career. Ioan Gruffudd played Mister Fantastic, and he hasn't been in any other major blockbuster since.
Looks like there's a curse surrounding anyone who plays Mister Fantastic. The 2015 adaption of 'Fantastic Four' didn't really help Teller career-wise, although he's since recovered with movies like 'Top Gun: Maverick' (2022).
Possibly Jennifer Garner’s worst career decision was accepting the role of Elektra in 'Daredevil' (2003). Its spinoff, 'Elektra' (2005), turned out to be an even bigger disaster.
While Ben Affleck moved on to bigger and better things, he'll never be able to escape his role as Daredevil in the aforementioned 2003 movie of the same name. Known as one of the worst superhero films of all time, Affleck's performance was uninspiring and dull.
Chris O'Donnell prospects were promising, up until the catastrophe that was 'Batman & Robin' (1997). After playing Robin, it took him almost a decade to finally get a lead on 'NCIS: Los Angeles.'
Chris O'Donnell wasn't the only one who suffered after 'Batman & Robin' (1997). Alicia Silverstone quickly downgraded to voicing cartoons and getting cast in small roles.
Many were excited to see 'Iron Man 2' (2010), but sadly it wasn't as good as people had hoped. Mickey Rourke's villain, Whiplash, was also highly disappointing, which wasn't great for his acting prospects in the new decade.
Originally cast as James Rhodes in the first installment of 'Iron-Man' alongside Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard didn't please fans. He was replaced by Don Cheadle.
We haven't seen much of Aaron Taylor-Johnson since he played Quicksilver in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015). Many fans and critics complained about his character.
What should have been Brandon Routh's big break turned out to be a disappointing performance. The general reception to 2006's 'Superman Returns' wasn't great either.
Before Dane DeHaan’s role as the Green Goblin in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014), he seemed to be a rising star. Unfortunately, his performance didn't launch him to stardom like originally anticipated.
Helen Slater's big screen debut in 'Supergirl' (1984) was a huge critical and commercial dud. After the superhero movie's failure, Slater continued acting, but didn't get any roles as big as the heroine.
The 2007 'Ghost Rider' movie didn't go over well. With Nicolas Cage in the lead, he hasn't been able to escape criticism over his failed superhero role since.
The first two 'Blade' movies were highly successful, but things didn't look so great after the third and final installment, 'Blade: Trinity' (2004). With behind-the-scenes problems that showed on camera, Blade became the last big character portrayed by Snipes.
Christopher Reeve was on top of the world after the release of 'Superman' (1979). However, the fourth and final installment was highly disappointing. Reeve had to struggle with not being typecast. In 1995, he suffered a horse riding accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, effectively ending his acting career.
Mostly known for playing Eric on the popular sitcom 'That '70s Show,' Topher Grace didn't have much luck in his later roles. Especially after his first big movie role as Venom in 'Spider-Man 3' (2007).
Tobey Maguire is the one and only Spider-Man for a lot of people. His first two performances were a huge success, but, as mentioned, 'Spider-Man 3' (2007) was a disaster.
Having starred in television series like 'Knight Rider' and 'Baywatch,' everyone loves the Hoff. However, his 1998 movie 'Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.' didn't do much for his career.
It's hard to imagine anyone other than Chris Evans portraying Captain America. But back in 1990, Matt Salinger actually scored the role first. But unfortunately for Salinger, he didn't have much of an acting career afterward. Fun fact though: he's the son of 'The Catcher in the Rye' author J.D. Salinger!
Sources: (Screen Rant) (TheRichest)
Actors whose careers were nearly ruined by superhero movies
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MOVIES Roles
Dominating the box office around the world, superhero movies are extremely popular. And while their success has launched many actors to stardom, some have sadly buried the careers of others. Whether the movie was good or bad, certain roles were simply not well received by audiences and critics alike.
Curious? Click on to discover the actors we've seen a lot less of since they starred in superhero movies.