A live-action My Hero Academia movie was announced Dec. 12 by Netflix, with Joby Harold tasked to bring an adaptation to life. As one of the most popular anime series of the 21st century, fans on Reddit were quick to chime in with their opinions.
Satisfied with the writer, who also served as writer and executive producer of Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans began throwing out their casting picks. Of course, the powers-that-be never listen to fan picks, but just for the fun of it, we thought we would throw our own picks into the mix. These choices are a little out of left field, but why go with the flow when you can pave your own path?
Deku – Tanner Buchanan
Reddit users are already screaming for Tom Holland to play the hero. While Holland is great, we would like to give other young up-and-coming actors a chance to shine. Tanner Buchanan would be a great fit for the role. The 24-year-old Cobra Kai star is already in the physical shape needed to play the green-haired hero and has a lot of experience with fight scenes from his time portraying Johnny Lawrence’s troubled son.
All Might – John Cena
All Might is massive — and we mean massive — so they will need to cast someone that already looks the part, which makes John Cena a right look for the role. Not only that, but the WWE superstar turned actor is a huge fan of the anime, which fans discovered when he posted an image from the anime movie in Feb. 2021 on his Instagram account.
Ochaco Uraraka – Kiernan Shipka
Kiernan Shipka is a talented young actress who could easily star as Uraraka – the funny, quirky and cheerful female lead. Shipka is best known for her roles in Mad Men and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, two roles that showed off her acting chops.
Shota Aizawa – Adam Driver
Aizawa has a gruff exterior that masks his feelings for his students. Not only does Adam Driver look exactly like the anime character, but he has the acting skills necessary to truly show off the Class 1-A teacher.
Eijiro Kirishima – KJ Apa
Young, muscular, and known for his dyed bright red hair, KJ Apa looks like he was born to play Kirishima in this live-action version of My Hero Academia. Kirishima is a strong, encouraging, and dedicated hero who is always looking to improve himself. He is extremely loyal to those he considers his friends and is one of the most popular heroes in Class 1-A.
Shoto Todoroki – Jacob Bertrand
Rising star Jacob Bertrand, who portrays Hawk in the hit Netflix show Cobra Kai, is able to easily pull off the two sides of Hawk’s personality — the shy, bullied teen and the cold, calculating renegade he becomes — all while also making him incredibly likable. Todoroki is very similar to the character of Hawk and Bertrand could really bring out the best aspects of the character.
Endeavor – Dave Bautista
Endeavor is the rival of All Might and father of Todoroki. He is abusive to his son and strives to surpass All Might as the number one hero. He is large and powerful which is why Dave Bautista would be a perfect fit for the role. He already looks the part and is used to playing super-powered beings in his role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Shigaraki – Aaron Taylor Johnson
The second main antagonist needs a great actor to pull it off, which is why Aaron Taylor Johnson would be perfect for the role. The Golden Globe winner is tall and slim, with the acting chops needed to give the antagonistic Shigaraki a likeability common in anime villains.
All For One – Hugh Jackman
There’s probably nothing Hugh Jackman cannot do and it would be exciting to see the Wolverine actor suit up as the main antagonist in My Hero Academia. It would be interesting to see Jackman play a villainous role and having an actor of his caliber as All For One could pull in serious viewers.