Injustice 2’s in-depth story mode features our favorite DC superheroes, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and many, many more. Of course, there is already the DC Extended Universe with Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman, and more future movies like Justice League later this year, not to mention The Dark Knight trilogy and all the other superhero movies that have been made over the years.
So, there is just one rule for this casting exercise: the choices cannot have already played that particular character. For example, Ben Affleck cannot play Batman, but he would be able to play Superman (he doesn’t). Besides that, I will choose actors and actresses based on how they would play the video game characters based mostly on talent and looks. If you are unfamiliar with a real-life person, their IMDB pages are linked. [Note: this article contains SPOILERS for ‘Injustice 2’ and videos may contain spoilers for whatever they are about]
Batman: Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal almost being Batman has been well documented, and we finally give him the opportunity here. This was a really tough choice, but Gyllenhaal could pull off both Bruce Wayne and The Dark Knight. Plus, it’d be hard to headline a blockbuster movie with someone better than the Oscar-nominated 36-year old.
Superman: Matt Bomer
I didn’t even know who Matt Bomer was until I watched him in The Nice Guys as the villain John Boy, but he has the looks and talent to play a convincing rogue Superman. Henry Cavill was a mystery to me when he was cast as Superman, and he’s done a great job despite what the critics think.
Supergirl: Alice Eve
A new addition to Injustice 2, Supergirl is the “older” cousin of Superman (she was in hyper-sleep while Kal-El grew up on Earth), but she sides with Batman after she sees how the two handle crime. Alice Eve is known for her roles in Star Trek Into Darkness, She’s Out of My League, and a brief appearance in Entourage, and doesn’t just look the part of Supergirl; just take a listen to her American accent.
Wonder Woman: Jessica Biel
Way back in 2007, Jessica Biel was a possible choice for Wonder Woman in George Miller’s unmade Justice League movie. Yes, a decade has passed, but Biel is probably an even better fit for the role now than she was before, as Miller’s adaption was going to be a really young Justice League (Batman was going to be played by a 20-year-old Armie Hammer). It helps that Biel is no stranger to physically demanding roles.
Brainiac: Bryan Cranston
Cranston was my favorite choice for Lex Luthor and Commissioner Gordon in the DCEU, but there are still other roles he could play in a superhero movie, including the main villain in our Injustice 2 film. Brainiac actually has some similarities to Walter White in that they are both intimidating and intellectual, and we know Cranston could pull off a bald head.
Aquaman: Armie Hammer
I already brought up how Hammer nearly played Bruce Wayne in 2007, and he was considered for the lead again here, but at 6’5”, he would be too tall for Matt Bomer’s Superman. Instead, Hammer gets to play the King of Atlantis, who plays a big role in the battle between Batman and Superman, and also the fight against Braniac.
Black Adam: Oscar Isaac
Isaac has shown good versatility as an actor with roles in Ex Machina, A Most Violent Year, and Inside Llewyn Davis, so he should be able to take on the part of Black Adam, who is on Superman’s side and spends much of his time alongside Wonder Woman or Aquaman. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is actually playing Black Adam in an upcoming Shazam! movie, but I like Isaac for this one.
The Flash: Scott Porter
I didn’t even know until writing this, but Scott Porter actually voiced Robin for the Injustice 2 game. Still, that doesn’t disqualify him from playing The Flash, which is a role he has been rumored for in the past. Porter has voiced superheroes in other video games a few times, including Aquaman in Lego Batman 3, so he clearly would have interest in actually hitting the big screen as one.
Cyborg: John Boyega
We already have Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, so why not get his buddy Finn, too? John Boyega has the charisma to play a great Cyborg, and we already got a slight glimpse of what he would look like when we first saw him as a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens trailer.
Green Lantern: John Krasinski
It will be interesting to see who actually plays Green Lantern in the DCEU, and whether the character is Hal Jordan or John Stewart (or eventually both). Tyrese Gibson has made it well-known that he wants to be Green Lantern, but with Hal Jordan as Injustice 2’s version, John Krasinski is a great fit. Krasinski’s time as Jim on The Office showed he has the comedic skills for the part, and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi proved he can pull off the physique, too.
Green Arrow: Charlie Hunnam
Like many of these choices, fans have been clamoring for Hunnam to play Green Arrow in a movie. The former star of Sons of Anarchy didn’t want the part at first, but he changed his mind in a recent interview, saying “Well then, c’mon DC, what’s up?! Gimme a call, I’m here!” when asked about playing Green Arrow. The best part is that Hunnam could probably roll out of bed and show up to the set, because he looks almost exactly like the character in Injustice 2.
Harley Quinn: Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell has been a fan-favorite as Harley Quinn for a while now, all the way back to the Nolan days (after The Dark Knight). One fan even went as far as creating a movie poster with Bell as Harley Quinn, which the actress responded to when asked about it in an interview by saying, “I have wanted to play Harley Quinn since I was a little girl.” Sounds like a fit to me.
Gorilla Grodd: Andy Serkis
The leader of the newly-formed group called “The Society” would obviously need to be a performance-capture role, and who better than the star of the Planet of the Apes films? Andy Serkis has been sensational as Caesar, and he should have no problem transitioning into the role of a purely evil—yet still intimidating—Gorilla Grodd.
Catwoman: Mary Elizabeth Winstead
One of the leads in Season 3 of Fargo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead has the acting chops, athletic ability, and looks to play Catwoman. Winstead would be able to balance the criminality of Selina Kyle with the underlying goodness of her, including the time as the inside woman for Bruce Wayne trying to stop Gorilla Grodd and The Society.
Robin: Dylan O’Brien
Taron Egerton was rumored to be playing Jason Todd as Robin in Batman v. Superman, but that didn’t happen, so there could still be room for someone to step in as Batman’s sidekick if they decide to give him one. For this Injustice 2 movie, Robin is Bruce Wayne’s son Damien, and he doesn’t agree with his father’s no-killing way of fighting crime and takes Superman’s side. Dylan O’Brien is one of the few younger actors that would do a nice job with the character.
Black Canary: Evan Rachael Wood
Evan Rachael Wood killed it in a difficult role as Dolores in HBO’s Westworld, so this one should be easy for her.
Black Canary wants to keep the order that Batman has created, and will fight alongside her partner Green Arrow to accomplish that.
Scarecrow: Crispin Glover
I don’t think there is a more frightening character than Scarecrow in Injustice 2, and that includes a dead Joker and destroyer-of-worlds Brainiac. For me, Crispin Glover will always be known for playing the bad guy in Like Mike, and he is currently playing the creepy and omniscient “Mr. World” in the new, hit series American Gods. He would tremendous as Dr. Crane/Scarecrow.
Poison Ivy: Bryce Dallas Howard
There were several options for Poison Ivy, but Bryce Dallas Howard is a good fit with Kristen Bell as Harley Quinn for their scenes together. A talented actress and the daughter of director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon), Bryce can even cry on demand.
Deadshot: Clive Owen
Will Smith played an amazing Deadshot in Suicide Squad, and I like Clive Owen’s chances of doing the same in an Injustice 2 movie. Owen is a veteran actor and will do good by the character, though he will not have to play play the human side like Smith did because Deadshot is basically just the deadliest assassin in the world here (though Gorilla Grodd does have the trigger for the explosive device in his head, which might be forcing him to fight for The Society).
Blue Beetle: Christian Navarro
One of the stars of 13 Reasons Why, Christian Navarro was my choice as Blue Beetle before I even knew that he wanted the role in a future DCEU movie:
With DC, I think there’s some more realistic options, like the Blue Beetle. A Teen Titian, I could play, definitely. There’s options out there, I just haven’t met people yet. I would love to do something like that. Just to be involved in any way would be a dream come true.
First Kristen Bell now Christian Navarro; this casting is making dreams come true.
Firestorm: Trevor Jackson
Whoever plays Firestorm will spend a lot of his time with Blue Beetle by helping to guard Superman’s cell for Batman, and the 20-year-old Jackson would be the youngest of this Injustice 2 cast. Firestorm has a lot of confidence and cockiness in him, and Jackson certainly has confidence as an up-and-coming actor/singer, with television roles in Black-ish and American Crime.
Swamp Thing: Ron Pearlman
This one was a quick choice after a little research, as Ron Pearlman is the overwhelming favorite (by fans) for Swamp Thing in a movie, and he has been rumored to play the role in Justice League Dark, with Guillermo del Toro as a producer on the film. Pearlman has denied those rumors, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t true, and he would be great as the character.
Cheetah: Kate Mara
Casting Cheetah was a little bit more difficult than Swamp Thing. I chose Kate Mara as Wonder Woman’s adversary, as she would probably like a chance at superhero-movie redemption after playing Sue Storm in Fantastic Four a couple years ago, which didn’t turn out as she or anyone else would have liked.
Captain Cold: Michael C. Hall
Michael C. Hall is best known for his starring role as Dexter Morgan in Dexter, and he has actually voiced Batman in the animated movie Justice League: Gods and Monsters in 2015. Hall was briefly considered for the lead in our Injustice 2 film before we went with Gyllenhaal, but I chose him to bring Captain Cold to the big screen instead.
Atrocious: Vin Diesel
Diesel definitely has the voice to play Atrocious, and is no stranger to lending his voice to superhero movies by his role as Groot and Baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The star of the Fast & Furious franchise will bolster his blockbuster resume just as Atrocious aims to bolster the Red Lanterns.
Introducing Daniel Craig as Doctor Fate
Because this is such a star-studded cast, we got a little creative here to make it realistic that our last three actors would come aboard. Daniel Craig had no problems hiding his face for a cameo as a stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but this role will be more than that, and the current James Bond would work well as Kent Nelson.
With Dwayne Johnson as Bane
As stated, The Rock will play Black Adam in an upcoming movie, but why not cast him as Bane for an Injustice 2 movie? With Batman and Superman both under 6’0”—and Dwayne Johnson being jacked—this casting of Bane would be nearly perfect, especially because The Rock was a WWE superstar and could do some of Bane’s moves. The only concern is whether he can pull off the distinct supervillain voice, but it can easily be edited.
And Tom Hiddleston as The Joker
And finally, The Joker. The Dark Knight’s arch nemesis will only appear in dream sequences because Superman killed him, but Tom Hiddleston portraying the iconic character obviously would be hyped-up like crazy no matter how limited the role. The actor and the video game character actually resemble each other quite a bit when it comes to their faces, but this is more based on Hiddleston’s acting ability than anything else.
interesting idea..
I would just go Adrianne Palicki for Wonder Woman–taller and also has a history with ww