The Star Who Played The Most Superheroes on Screen May Not Be Who You Expect

We are well and truly in the middle of the era of the superhero movie right now. While some have said the MCU is flailing and there are complaints of comic book movie fatigue, few can deny that Avengers: Doomsday is one of the most exciting projects of the year.

The truth is, superhero movies have been popular for decades, and they’ll continue to thrive for many years to come. Indeed, they’re so widespread now that it’s hard to find an actor or actress who hasn’t been in a Marvel or DC project at this point.

Some actors have embraced the genre more than others. But, when it comes to playing the hero, no one is doing it like the legendary Nicolas Cage.

Nicolas Cage Has Played 5 Superheroes

So far in his illustrious and intriguing career, Cage has already taken on the role of a superhero five times. And that puts him way out in front when it comes to that record.

It all began in 2007 for Cage, when he took on the role of Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider. Those who know about Marvel characters beyond the MCU will be well aware of just how cool this dark, brooding hero can be (and hopefully Ryan Gosling can match those vibes). While the film – and its sequel – didn’t really do Blaze justice, there’s definitely enough cool elements here to have a good time with it. If you want to see Cage go wild on a motorbike with a flaming head and a badass leather jacket, you can rent Ghost Rider on Apple TV for £3.49.

In 2010, Cage played his most interesting hero, and he’s not even a part of the MCU or the DC Universe. Kick-Ass was originally a comic book printed in 2008, and it was so good that just two years later, Matthew Vaughn made a film out of the story. Cage puts in an enthralling turn as Damon Macready, who dons a cape and cowl – that looks strikingly similar to Batman’s – to become the no-nonsense vigilante, Big Daddy. The film is a slick and stylish comic book movie with hard-hitting fight sequences and a compelling story, and both the first movie and its sequel are well worth your time. Check them both out by renting them on Sky Store.

While Cage wasn’t the main man in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, his voice work as Spider-Man Noir made him a real scene-stealer, and also bagged him his own TV show. Spider-Noir hits Amazon Prime Video later this year and if it’s half as fun as that animated movie, we’re in for a treat. Cage brings a brilliant deadpan humour to the role and delivers fantastic quips, and the show itself looks absolutely stunning, which is always a bonus.

Sadly, not all of Cage’s work in the superhero realm has been positive. Back in the ‘90s, he was tapped to play Superman in a Tim Burton movie that never was. He even wore the costume, and while it wasn’t your ordinary take on the Man of Steel, it was a fascinating concept. What was not fascinating, however, is the CGI version of that iteration that showed up in The Flash. It was messy, in bad taste, and is honestly a film you can avoid. 

However, we’ll not hold it against Cage, mainly because he delivered a great little cameo as the voice of Superman in the wonderful animated movie, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies. The array of characters in that film and the very clever cultural references slipped into the story are incredible, and it’s the kind of movie that works for both kids and adults alike. Check it out on Now TV Cinema if you want a delightful pick for your next movie night with the little ones.

Not that he needs another credit to take the record for playing the most superheroes, but Cage also appeared in a relatively unknown movie called Jiu Jitsu in 2020. Here, he plays Wylie, a man who trains an elite band of martial artists who take on an army of alien invaders. While he’s not technically super, we’d argue this hero having what it takes to defeat extraterrestrial foes is enough to meet the criteria.

Is Anyone Close To Stealing His Record?

Ryan Reynolds is the actor closest to matching Cage’s record, but he’s not really that close. The Canadian star has played three different heroes over the years. Obviously, we know how amazing he is as the titular anti-hero in Deadpool – so much so that he was pretty much born for the role. However, he’d rather forget his work in Green Lantern, and Blade: Trinity, where he played Hannibal King, is by far the worst of the three movies in that trilogy.

A number of other actors have done the double when it comes to playing superheroes, and to varying levels of success, too. Halle Berry, for example, received scathing reviews for her turn in Catwoman, but was also one of the best elements of the X-Men movies where she played Storm.

Chris Evans, too, was part of the much-maligned Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007. But, he was able to move on from that role as the Human Torch and embody everything that’s right about the MCU when he picked up the shield to play Captain America. He’s since reprised the role of Johnny Storm for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine that was, admittedly, very, very fun.

Ben Affleck just couldn’t seem to get it right whichever side he played for, however. His Daredevil movie was critically panned, and then a decade later he was given the opportunity to play Batman for Zack Snyder. However, Batman v Superman took a beating from critics and audiences, and things got even worse for the DCEU when the very messy Justice League hit theatres after a chaotic production.

Josh Brolin might be the most successful actor to portray two different comic book characters on-screen, although neither are what you could call heroes. Thanos, of course, was the universe-destroying Titan who made life miserable for the Avengers in Infinity War and Endgame, while Cable caused all kinds of trouble in Deadpool 2.

You’d also have to include Brandon Routh in the honourable mentions here. He famously portrayed Superman in the 2006 flick, Superman Returns. He didn’t get another chance to don the iconic blue and red suit on the big screen, but he did reprise the role in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover from CW.

And finally, just to play devil’s advocate, there is an argument that Tara Strong has actually played the most superheroes, or at least superpowered characters. The only problem is she’s never on-screen, with all her roles being voice work for animated series and movies. She has voiced countless characters over the years, including the likes of Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Raven, Ben 10, and even Miss Minutes in Loki.

So, Cage can keep his crown, but only on a technicality! He’s the live-action king, but Strong is the real MVP of the superhero world.