Top 25 Best Comic Book Casting Choices: Part 4

We are nearing the end of my list with only my Top 10 choices left to go.

At Number 10: Heath Ledger as The Joker 

Even at number ten, a lot of people are going to be furious by the ranking Ledger's Joker, but hear me out. Heath Ledger's Joker is extraordinary and certainly deserving of his posthumous Oscar. However, he neither reinvented the Joker nor perfectly captured the character from the comics. He certainly made the role his own, and in terms of performance alone, it is legendary, yet I can still others in the role.

At Number 9: Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

When a comic book character is "unofficially" based after your likeness and personality because of how freaking bada** you are, and instead of suing the company, you are cool enough to play said character in a film adaptation, you are one awesome mofo, and that is exactly what Samuel L. Jackson did when he agreed to play Nick Fury. While the original version of the Nick Fury character was a white guy created back in the 60s, the Ultimate universe of the Marvel comics, which heavily inspired the films, is actually based after the likeness of Samuel L. Jackson. Being the cool dude that he is, Jackson decided to just play the character, and, of course, he freaking killed it! 

At Number 8: Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Out of all the characters on this list, playing a bombastic god from another realm is probably the hardest to pull off, yet Chris Hemsworth succeeds on all fronts. Hemsworth manages to be more than a bulky muscleman in a suit of Asgardian armor, he is able to deliver the Shakespearean flawlessly. Unlike almost any superhero adapted to film, Thor is a warrior that loves combat, and Hemsworth is effectively able to convey that character. However, he is able to pull off the more dramatic moments like the brotherly conflict between Thor and Loki.

At Number 7: Michael Fassbender as Magneto

Being cast to play the X-Men's most iconic villain and being task to make said sympathetic, yet still villainous and unforgettable, is quite a sizable task, but Michael Fassbender pulls it off perfectly! His incarnation of Magneto is conflicted and troubled by his past, and the bond of friendship between Eric and Xavier is eXecuted eXceptionally well in the film, largely thanks to his eXcellent performance (sorry, but I could not pass up a chance for the X-puns).

At Number 6: Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man

Originally, Andrew Garfield cracked the top ten; however, after considering that he has only been in two as Spider-Man, whereas the other actors on the list have played their parts in three or more films. Despite this, Andrew Garfield is the near perfect Spider-Man. He has the humor, physical size, and sells the genius aspect of the character. The only somewhat valid complaint against Garfield is that he looks a little too much like a male model for him to be considered an outcast nerd, whereas Tobey Maguire looks like a wimpy kid regardless. That being said, Garfield shows his excellent range as Peter in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and if he continues to improve, he will easily crack the top five when third film is released.

Please check back soon for the final part of the list where Rick and I discuss our Top 5 picks in a Podcast.

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