TheDC Universehas a knack for making movies with some brilliant performances, though not every great actor in the franchise is given their dues for a phenomenal character portrayal. It’s easy to recall some of theDC Universe’s best movie performances, with Christian Bale’s Batman, Heath Ledger’s Joker, and Christopher Reeves' Superman all coming to mind in the conversation. However, there are just as many unsung heroes of the various DC cinematic universes that never got the recognition they deserved for their fantastic character work.
Actors working under the DC banner have been unfairly glossed over for several reasons.Sometimes, the characters they played were undercut by choices that were no fault of the actor playing them, such as editing, writing, or even wardrobe and makeup. In other cases, their performances are simply overlooked because of the fact that they’re overshadowed by otherOscar-winning DC character performancesin the same movie, making it harder to appreciate the more undersung roles.
10Val Kilmer’s Batman
Batman Forever
Val Kilmer rarely comes up in the debate for thegreatest live-action Batman, frequently overshadowed by Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and even Adam West.Admittedly, his single feature as the character,Batman Forever,has plenty of problems that make it hard to see the genius of Kilmer’s take on the character.
Cast
After Tim Burton’s plans for a third Batman film fell through, director Joel Schumacher took over the franchise with 1995’s Batman Forever. Replacing Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer stars as Bruce Wayne opposite to Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, who play The Riddler and Two-Face, respectively. Batman Forever also marks the first time Robin appears on the big screen since Burt Ward reprised his Boy Wonder role in 1966’s Batman: The Movie.
But cutting through the absurdity ofBatman Forever,Kilmer’s talent as the Caped Crusader deserves more recognition beyond the bizarre rubber nipples of his costume.Kilmer truly leans into the dual nature of the Bruce Wayne/Batman dichotomy in a way few other cinematic Batmen are able to match.
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Inklings of his brooding nature as Batman seep into his boyish charm as Bruce Wayne, and vice-versa.This is shown off well in the film’s romantic sub-plot, in which Bruce Wayne finds himself in a love triangle with his alter ego. The coy smile Batman gives to the camera when Dr. Chase Meridian admits her feelings for Bruce Wayne is oozing with personality, proof enough of Kilmer’s unique take on the dour hero.
9Ciarán Hinds' Steppenwolf
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
It’s easy to write off Steppenwolf as yet another generic gray CGI monster villain after watchingJustice League,which butchered the concept of the character quite thoroughly.However,Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueexpanded on the alien warlord, giving him the depth and backstory necessary to be an actual interesting antagonist. This allowed Ciarán Hinds' performance to shine through quite amazingly, proving the actor’s talent to emote convincingly even through layers of CGI.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a reimagining of the 2017 film, where Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans, including Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg, to defend Earth from a looming cosmic threat, following Superman’s previous sacrifice. Released in 2021, it continues the DC Extended Universe narrative.
Impressively, Hinds was at once the voice, body double, and motion capture framework for the character’s face, providing an all-encompassing package for the computer-generated villain.This allowed Steppenwolf to feel truly dynamic and consistent in the Zack Snyder cut, which was able to make him feel almost sympathetic in his desperate bid for Darkseid’s approval. Hinds was able to give a surprising amount of depth to what was easily a stock bad guy in the previous cut, a performance worthy of more commendation.
8Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent/Two-Face
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knightis a movie laden with brilliant performances, all of which being particularly overshadowed by Heath Ledger’s legendary Joker.As great as Ledger’s career-defining villain was, he tends to overcrowd the conversation of the film’s all-star cast, eclipsing other well-realized characters. Lost in the shuffle is Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, who eventually becomes Two-Face over the course of the action.
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is the second installment in the Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale as Batman. Released in 2008, the film follows Batman’s alliance with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent as they combat the organized crime that threatens Gotham, facing the menacing Joker.
Eckhart does such a phenomenal job as Harvey Dent that it’s hard to remember he didn’t actually appear in the previous film,Batman Begins,feeling like a cohesive piece ofNolan’sDark Knightuniverse.It’s quite easy to believe why the people of Gotham feel so inspired by him as their knight in shining armor, which makes his tragic transformation into the psychopathic Two-Face all the harder to bear. Eckhart has to get across some explosive grief and fury after the death of Rachel, and it’s a gargantuan task he’s able to handle quite impressively.
7Jared Leto’s Joker
The reveal of Jared Leto’s Joker was one of the most infamous moments in the DCEU’s history. His edgy Hot Topic costume appearance and the rumors of Jared Leto’s ridiculous on-set activities while in-character as The Joker weren’t a great first impression for the first attempt at the villain since Heath Ledger’s passing. When he hit theaters inSuicide Squad,the film’s edit did him no favors, mincing the performance into bits in the final cut of the film, much to Leto’s own chagrin. It’s safe to say audiences never got to see Leto’s Joker in full force.
That being said,Zack Snyder’s Justice Leaguegave a brief glimpse at how great Leto’s Joker could’ve been in more capable hands in his brief cameo appearance in the alternate future nightmare sequence.Here, The Joker is quite lucid, having a fascinating conversation with his archenemy while still maintaining an air of alarming danger. With better costume design, directing, and editing, Leto’s Joker could’ve been much more highly regarded.
6Ben Affleck’s Batman
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Another great performance let down by the decisions of the DCEU, Ben Affleck’s Batman deserved better than he got.First showing up inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,Affleck’s performance wasn’t typically among the myriad of complaints critics and fans had with the film, which drowned out the strength of his portrayal. Combined with the controversial choice to make Batman a killer in the DCEU, the character ultimately left an uneven on-screen legacy.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features the iconic clash between Gotham’s Dark Knight, played by Ben Affleck, and Metropolis’s Man of Steel, portrayed by Henry Cavill. As these two heroes confront each other, a looming threat endangers humanity, setting the stage for larger challenges ahead in the DC Extended Universe.
It’s a shame thatBen Affleck’s solo Batman movie was canceled, as his darkness and drive as Batman was quite infectious. It was hard not to empathize with his criticisms of Superman inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,particularly after seeing his response to the catastrophic events ofMan of Steel.With his steely-eyed look, square jaw, unshakable resolve, and gritty dialogue delivery, Ben Affleck was a fantastic take on an older Batman beforeJustice Leagueturned him into a sassy babysitter.
5Patrick Wilson’s Orm
Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is one of the more celebrated members of the DCEU’s core Justice League roster, juggling two villains in his solo movie debut.While Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta is quite the intimidating presence, in truth, Patrick Wilson’s Orm deserves more credit as a promising villain. In particular, his reappearance inAquaman: The Lost Kingdomgives the character far more flavor and nuance as a defeated former royal, forced to work together with his nemesis half-brother in a desperate gamble to save Atlantis.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: In this sequel, Black Manta rises as a formidable adversary with the power of the Black Trident, seeking revenge against Aquaman. To defend Atlantis, Aquaman must form an alliance with his imprisoned brother, uniting to protect the kingdom from this new threat.
Patrick Wilson deserves more credit as one half of the buddy cop dynamic that carries the strongest sequences ofAquaman: The Lost Kingdom.The perfect foil to Jason Momoa’s wild Arthur Curry, Orm’s refined but bitter history posits him as one half of the aquatic odd-couple. That being said, he is able to grow something of a sense of humor in the second film as well, proof that Wilson was able to develop a fairly one-dimensional character.
4Michael Gough’s Alfred
Batman (1989)
Famously, the face underneath Batman’s cowl changed quite often across the originalBatmanquadrilogy, with Michael Keaton, George Clooney, and Val Kilmer all getting their moment in the spotlight.However, who isn’t talked about enough is the supporting cast that remained steadfast between the dramatic tonal shifts of each movie, returning time and time again to give Batman aid. Among them, Michael Gough’s Alfred is the shining star, not often given enough dues as the archetypal Alfred performance.
Batman
Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce’s trusty butler named Alfred.
As a veteran of the Hammer horror films of the 1950s,the British actor had the perfect gothic pedigree for the Batman movies, lending his experience with an air of prestige and warmth.Gough’s Alfred was a steadfast confidant and mentor to three different Batman performances, making up a significant portion of the series' appeal. It’s hard to believe Gough’s Alfred isn’t talked about more, drowned out by the star power of otherBatman movie Alfred actorslike Jeremy Irons, Michael Caine and Andy Serkis.
3Ray Fisher’s Cyborg
Another DCEU casualty ofJustice League,Ray Fisher’s Cyborg arguably got it the worst of his superhero team cohorts.One of only two heroes not to get a solo film alongside Ben Affleck’s Batman and by far the holder of the lowest overall screentime in the DCEU, Fisher’s Victor Stone was all but eliminated from the original cut ofJustice League,making his appearance just as vestigial as his few remaining organic body parts. That being said,Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueat least gave Fisher more time to shine.
Cyborg is quite an interesting, nuanced character, whose powers are just as much of a curse as they are a blessing.Fisher was able to get this across while still convincingly playing a young college-age man at over 30 years old by the time ofZack Snyder’s Justice League. The complexity of Fisher’s performance was sadly wasted on the DCEU, whose fans and critics have seldom acknowledged how layered and rich his character truly was.
2Zachary Levi’s Shazam
Shazam!
Shazam! Fury of the Godswas one of the DCEU’s latest box office bombs leading up to the franchise’s dissolution, making it hard to remember anything from the brief-lived duology fondly.That being said, Zachary Levi’s Shazam deserves more credit as one of the series' more likable heroes.Whereas Superman and Batman were overly concerned with being dour and serious for the majority of their runs, Levi was able to inject a healthy amount of pulpy flair into his DCEU appearances.
Shazam! follows teenager Billy Batson, who transforms into an adult superhero by uttering a magic word. Released in 2019, the film is part of the DC Extended Universe and explores Billy’s adventures and challenges as he discovers his new powers and battles the villainous Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
Particularly, inShazam!,Zachary Levi is quite believable as a young teen kid trapped inside the muscular body of a magically-powered adult.Levi’s mannerisms and overall personality are a great match for his child form, Asher Angel’s Billy Batson. Even in the wake ofZachary Levi’s bitter statementsregarding the failure ofShazam! Fury of the Godsand subsequent right-wing political punditry, it’s difficult not to admit that he killed it in the role.
1Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark
The Suicide Squad
Between John Cena’s Peacemaker, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport, and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, the cast ofThe Suicide Squadis packed with phenomenal performances that make standing out difficult.If there’s one character amid the team’s roster that perhaps still hasn’t gotten his dues, it’s Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark. Following in the footsteps of fellow action movie legend Vin Diesel, who voices Groot in the MCU’sGuardians of the Galaxyseries, Stallone lent his vocal talents to a CGI character that quickly became a fan favorite.
The Suicide Squad: Released in 2021, The Suicide Squad features supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, and Peacemaker, among others, as they join Task Force X. The team embarks on a mission on the enemy-held island of Corto Maltese under the direction of Amanda Waller in this entry of the DC Extended Universe.
That being said, Stallone has gotten little recognition for how well he was able to hit King Shark’s comedic marks with such limited material to work off of. As great as the CGI character is, his expressionless face relies quite heavily on the simple dialogue to make an impression, something Stallone is able to accomplish while wringing out a lot of laughs from King Shark’s simple mind. Buried beneath the impressive character work ofThe Suicide Squad’s roster, Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark is the definition of an underrated character in aDC universemovie.
