8 Amazing Casting Choices In Marvel TV Shows

Marvel has made some exemplary casting decisions in building up their cinematic universe of superheroes. From Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man to Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and beyond, the studio has a knack for finding the actor who is the best fit for the role – with a few odd exceptions. However, the casts of the studio’s TV arm often do not get the credit they deserve, at least not when compared to their big screen counterparts. After all, it’s no easy task carving out your own superhero, especially when they live in a world where heavyweights like the Avengers also exist. So, in a similar vein to our recent list of 8 Amazing Casting Choices In DC TV Shows, we're running down some of Marvel's best casting decisions on the small screen. As always, if you feel that we've missed any, drop a comment down below and let us know. 8) Josh Keaton - Peter Parker/Spider-Man Before we get onto Marvel’s live-action output, first a word about their animated shows. Apart from the fondly remembered X-Men: The Animated Series, not too many of the company’s cartoons are that well considered by fans. One that did have a devoted cult following, though, was the sadly short-lived The Spectacular Spider-Man series. Despite its popularity, it was cancelled after only two seasons when Disney bought the Spider-Man TV rights. Nevertheless, the show still provided the best animated Spider-Man in our books. Just as the series looked to the early comics, Keaton pitch-perfectly portrayed Peter Parker in his high school days – geeky yet slightly cocky, super-powered yet the unluckiest guy alive. It’s a very authentic presentation of the character from the comics with a very likeable voice performance from Keaton. Tom Holland could do worse than watch this show in preparation for Spider-Man: Homecoming. 7) James D’Arcy - Edwin Jarvis We would absolutely put Hayley Atwell on this list (and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Clark Gregg, too, for that matter), but sadly she doesn’t qualify as the actress was initially cast as Peggy Carter for Captain America: The First Avenger. Instead, we will plump for the second MVP of the much-missed Agent Carter’s – James D’Arcy as the loveable Edwin Jarvis. For the Iron Man movies, the filmmakers made the clever decision to change Tony’s faithful butler Jarvis from the comics into an A.I. (in a bid to avoid comparisons with Batman’s Alfred). That worked a treat, but we’re really glad they found a place for the original character in the MCU somewhere. In Agent Carter, Jarvis is assigned by his boss Howard Stark to accompany Peggy on her adventures and the two become firm friends. D’Arcy and Atwell enjoy a terrific comedy chemistry throughout the show, with their hilarious repartee becoming the heart of the whole series. 6) Bridget Regan - Dottie Underwood It’s a testament to the entertainment value of the character usually known as Dottie Underwood that, though she was only the secondary antagonist of Agent Carter’s first season, she emerged as one of the show’s best characters. Initially presented as a ditzy neighbour of Peggy’s, it later becomes clear that she is in fact a Black Widow (just not the Scarlet Johansson one). An insane, amoral assassin with a serious obsession with Peggy, Dottie was a cool enough character on the page alone, but Regan had a sparky chemistry with Hayley Atwell that really made Dottie come to life. It was a real shame that season two under-utilized her to the extent that it did. It would have been great for the third season to have forced Peggy and Dottie forced to work together permanently, promoting Regan to series regular. Alas, that's never going to happen now. Don’t mind us, we’re just going to go cry in a corner. 5) Charlie Cox - Matt Murdock/Daredevil There have been many a controversial superhero casting over the years that have in fact turned out for the best. Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Grant Gustin, the list goes on. A more recent one, however, is the appointment of Charlie Cox as Marvel’s Man Without Fear, Daredevil. Once most known for family-friendly fantasy movie Stardust, Cox definitely did not seem the right fit for the Hornhead’s helmet at first glance. We should have trusted Marvel, though, because he turned out to be the perfect choice. Daredevil is a series where the supporting characters (Punisher, Elektra, Fisk) often steal the show, but Cox’s Matt Murdock always remains its core. Through him, we get a believable portrayal of a religious, lawful man torn by his quest to become a violent vigilante. The British actor’s American accent might be a little bit shaky on some occasions, but Cox's conviction to the role never fails. 4) Jon Bernthal - Frank Castle/Punisher Speaking of Daredevil's side characters, arguably the standout of the show’s second season was The Walking Dead actor Jon Bernthal’s turn as Frank Castle AKA The Punisher. The Punisher already had an impressive three movies to his name, but none of those versions managed to really nail the character. But then Bernthal walked into someone else’s gig and absolutely nailed it. His volatile, emotional Frank does have some significant differences from the cold hardened killer of the comics, but this is because we are seeing a younger take on the character, who has yet to really become the Punisher. That scene where Frank talks about the death of his family by their graveside in ‘Penny and Dime’ is one of the most overwhelmingly emotional TV moments of the year. Kudos to the writers for coming up with it, of course, but it’s Bernthal who effortlessly carries the scene. 3) Vincent D’Onofrio - Wilson Fisk Many Marvel fans have noted that, while the studio’s movies frequently feature weak, underdeveloped villains, their TV series showcase some of the most well-written and fully-characterized bad guys around. Apart from Kilgrave (who we’ll get to in a moment), the other great Marvel TV villain is Daredevil’s Wilson Fisk – usually known to comic fans as the Kingpin. In the role, Vincent D’Onofrio offers a career best performance, perfectly walking that very difficult balance between being formidable and somewhat vulnerable at the same time. Through his genuine love for girlfriend Vanessa, and the character’s hang-ups about his abusive father, Fisk is a real human being, rather than a comic book villain. His surprise return in Daredevil’s second season was a highlight and we can’t wait to see more of him in season 3, which will be here in 2018. 2) Krysten Ritter - Jessica Jones Making a Netflix series around Daredevil was a safe bet – as one of the most popular Marvel heroes, many people wanted to see him get his shot in the limelight. But forming a show around the fairly niche character of superhero-turned-detective Jessica Jones was much more of a risk. It really all depended on a very capable actress getting the part and winning people over. Thankfully, that's just what happened. Krysten Ritter gave one of the best leading performances in a superhero show ever as the acerbic and alcoholic yet heroic Jessica. In playing a lesser-known hero, Ritter had the freedom to do what she wanted with the character. Jones’ prickly nature could have put audiences off the character, but Ritter’s compelling performance meant you could get behind her and were fully on her side in her battle against the terrifying Kilgrave. 1) David Tennant - Kilgrave As the most popular incarnation of the Doctor in the 21st century series of Doctor Who, David Tennant made a name for himself as one of the most loveable actors on television. It was an ingenious off-the-wall casting choice, then, to get him onboard Jessica Jones as the mind-controlling Kilgrave. Fans of Doctor Who will recognize elements of the Doctor’s manic energy and charisma in Tennant’s turn as Kilgrave – however, instead of using those things to save the universe, Kilgrave amorally uses his gifts to get everything he wants. Other actors might have played him as a darker, more overtly sinister character, but Tennant cleverly portrays him akin to an overgrown child – someone who never learnt that sometimes you can’t have things your own way. His juvenile disregard for the welfare of others is exactly what makes him scary. It seems unlikely, but we would love to see him return to the MCU in some form in the future.