Superheromovies are still a huge draw for audiences. Since its meteoric rise to cultural prominence during the mid-2000s, the genre has launched the careers of many A-listers, fromHugh JackmantoChris Hemsworth,Tom Holland, andJason Momoa. Indeed, more than any other genre, superhero movies can shoot an actor into the upper echelon of the entertainment world.
Thus, I really want a fewcurrent up-and-coming actors to get the same treatment and star in a superhero movie. These actors have proven their talent in projects on the big and small screens, shining in both leading and supporting turns. They are just one major role away from becoming the next big thing, and a well-chosen superhero movie could make all the difference for their careers.
10Andrew Burnap
Best Known for ‘Snow White’ (2025)
The 2025 live-action remake ofSnow Whitewas quitedivisive with both critics and audiences. However, for all its flaws, many agreed that the two best parts of the movie wereRachel Zegler’s leading turn andAndrew Burnap’s breakout performance. Already a Tony winner for his work in the playThe Inheritance, Burnap also appeared as King Arthur in the 2023 revival of the musicalCamelot.
Burnap is quite a talented individual, having proven his dramatic chops inThe Inheritanceand his comedic abilities inCamelot. To make things better, he’s a song-and-dance man, meaning he’s perfect for a big-screen musical. In the superhero world, Burnap could play everything fromBooster Gold in the DCU to someone like Nova in the MCU. We still haven’t gotten a proper superhero musical, but if we ever do, Burnap should be atop the casting list.
Snow White
9Sarah Pidgeon
Best Known for ‘The Wilds’ (2020-2022)
Prime Video’s survival dramaThe Wildshad the misfortune of being largely overshadowed by Showtime’sYellowjacketsand was cancelled after just two seasons in 2022. However, it introduced many talented up-and-coming actors, most notablySarah Pidgeon. The actress also gave a standout performance in the Hulu miniseriesTiny Beautiful Thingsas the younger version ofKatherine Hahn’s character.
Pidgeon has everything to make a great and compelling superhero. At 28, she’s at the perfect age to join any franchise,perhaps the X-Men as a potential Jean Grey. Over at the blossoming DCU, Pidgeon could be a great pick for someone like Black Canary, or, inMatt Reeves' adjacent Batman saga,she’d make a great Helena Bertinelli.
8Iñaki Godoy
Best Known for ‘One Piece’ (2023-Present)
Stepping into the live-action shoes of a character as beloved asOne Piece’s Luffy is a challenging notion, but Mexican newcomerIñaki Godoyknocked it out of the park. With only a few credits to his name, Godoy stole the hearts of millions with a charming and effervescent performance as the future King of the Pirates, to the point where loyal fans and evenOne Piece’s creator himself,Eiichiro Oda, fell under his spell.
Godoy isa popular fan cast for the role of Garfield Logan, AKA Beast Boy, inthe upcomingTeen Titansmoviecurrently in development over at the DCU. In the DC-verse, Godoy could also bean inspired choice to play a young Robin, be it Jason Todd or Tim Drake, in Reeves’The Batman Part II. If not that, then Godoy could join the MCU as any young member of the X-Men or perhaps a more underrated hero like Marvel Boy.
7Sophie Thatcher
Best Known for ‘Companion’ (2025)
The aforementionedYellojacketsfeatures an ensemble of absurdly talented young performers. However, perhaps none has made a bigger splash thanSophie Thatcher, who delivered a star-making performance in this year’ssci-fi horror sleeper hitCompanion. Now, Thatcher is on everyone’s radar, so it shouldn’t be long before the superhero genre comes knocking on her door.
Thatcher could fit a number of X-Men roles, including Jean Grey. However,I think she’d make for an interesting Rogue or Mystique, two characters that can be quite challenging to cast. Thatcher has the perfect dark, somewhat unpredictable quality needed to excel in those roles. In the DCU, Thatcher might be a good choice to play Barbara Gordon, if theBrave and the Boldmovie actually happens. If not,she’d make a perfect Faorain a sequel to this year’sSuperman.
6Jack Champion
Best Known for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022)
Jack Championstarred in two of the most talked-about movies of the last few years. In 2022, he played Spider in the smash hitAvatar: The Way of Water, and a year later, he was among the young cast of the popular slasherScream VI. Both characters were somewhat divisive, but Champion’s performances certainly stood out, which is no easy feat considering both films have large ensembles.
Like others on this list, Champion is a popular fan cast,specifically for the character of Cyclops. However, I thinksomeone like Iceman would be a better fit. If the MCU’s X-Men go the younger route, Champion could realistically play anyone save for Wolverine, so the odds look good. In DC,Champion is the right age to play a Teen Titan, including Beast Boy, should Godoy’s casting not work out.
Avatar: The Way of Water
5Agustín Della Corte
Best Known for ‘Olympo’ (2025)
Netflix’s sports dramaOlympofeatures an ensemble of ridiculously beautiful and talented people, but there is one clear standout:Agustín Della Corte. The Uruguayan actor played a major role inJ. A. Bayona’s Oscar-nominated survival dramaSociety of the Snow, butOlympois his first major leading role, and he effortlessly walks away with the whole thing. A former rugby player, Della Corte already has the peak physique to play pretty much every hero imaginable.
In an ideal role, the role of Marvel’s Hercules would still be available, but it isn’t, sosomeone like Hyperion or Nova should work out. Over at DC, I think Della Corte would be a perfect choice to play Nightwing, but they’ll likely go the younger route for Dick Grayson. Thus, I think a hero like The Flash could be great for Della Corte.A more interesting choice would be Conner Kent, AKA Superboy, because one look at this hunky actor is enough to tell he has the Superman look to a tee.
4Sophie Wilde
Best Known for ‘Talk to Me’ (2023)
Sophie Wilderose to international prominence with her stellar performance in the terrifying 2022 horror movieTalk to Me. Since then, she’s appeared in other movies and TV shows, most prominentlyNicole Kidman’sBabygirl. Wilde is also set to appear inAlejandro González Iñárritu’s upcoming comedy starringTom Cruise.
There’s no shortage of great characters for Wilde to play at both Marvel and DC. In the former,she could play a really great Misty Knight, one of the company’s most underrated street-level characters. However, I thinkWilde could shine more in DC as someone like Vixen. One of the DC characters with the most potential, Vixen is long overdue for a showcase on the big screen, and Wilde is the perfect choice to bring her to life.
Talk to Me
3Anna Sawai
Best Known for ‘Shōgun’ (2024)
No show in 2024 made more waves than Hulu’s historical samurai epicShōgun. The show catapulted lead actressAnna Sawaiinto international prominence, earning her a plethora of awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the first Japanese woman to win the coveted award. Sawai stars in the criminally underrated Apple TV+ seriesMonarch: Legacy of Monsters.
FollowingShōgun, Sawai should be atop every casting list, including the superhero genre’s. However, I think there’s a perfect character for her, and that’s Lady Deathstrike. A supervillain and main foe to Wolverine,Lady Deathstrike is one of the most badass female characters in Marvel, and Sawai would knock her out of the park. Sawai could conceivably play any other major female character, but I think she’s pretty much a perfect casting choice to play the iconic villainess.
2Damson Idris
Best Known for ‘F1’ (2025)
Joseph Kosinski’s sports dramaF1is currently a huge critical and commercial success, which should fortunately do wonders for starDamson Idris’s career. He previously shone in the FX crime dramaSnowtownand theBlack Mirrorepisode “Smithereens” and will play a major role in the highly anticipated, upcoming adaptation of the fantasy novelChildren of Blood and Bone.
Idris' star is on the rise, meaning now it’s the ideal time for either Marvel or DC to snatch him. The latter could use Idris' talents in the X-Men, casting him as anyone from Cyclops to Bishop.I especially like the idea of Idris as Cyclops, since he has the stern quality without being overly steely. In the DCU,Idris could play everyone from Hawkman to Blue Marveland surely excel.
1Simone Ahsley
Best Known for ‘Bridgerton’ (2020-Present)
Speaking ofF1, the movie recently made headlines when it cutSimone Ashley’s role to a mere cameo. It was truly the film’s loss, because Ashley is a magnetic star who pulled focus since her days on Netflix’s teen dramaSex Education. However, Ashley truly broke out with her leading turn as Kate Sharma in the second season of the period romanceBridgerton, often considered by many to be the best so far.
Ashley would bemy top pick to play Zatanna in the DCU. I’ve always loved Zatanna’s character, and I feel she’s due for a huge showcase in the upcoming iteration of DC on the big screen. Over at Marvel,Ashley could play a villainess like Enchantressin a potential fifth Thor movie, or maybe a more unexpected character like Tigra. I really hope we see more of Ashley, and a major superhero production could be just what her career needs.
Bridgerton
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