So everyone knows that the biggest casting announcement of the last week has been that Ben Affleck will be playing Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel. And while Twitter and the internet at large may beg to differ, Marvel also make some rather impressive casting announcements this week as well. While only one of the actors below will actually be showing their face in their new role, each is more unexpected than the next…
4. Vin Diesel is Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy
Yep, you read that right. Vin Diesel, best known for his roles as iconic roles as perennial badasses Dominic Toretto and Riddick, will be playing a talking tree. Or rather, a being that looks like a tree, but can talk and fights like the best of them. It is unknown whether Diesel will be providing motion capture for the character as well, although with his commitments to Fast & Furious 7, it is likely to be a voice-only role.
No word yet on whether he’ll say anything more than the characters catch-and-only-ever-heard-phrase of “I am Groot”.
3. Bradley Cooper is Rocket Racoon in Guardians of the Galaxy
As if the GotG cast wasn’t crazy enough, Bradley Cooper has joined as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, a “genetically and mechanically altered” raccoon. An excellent marksman who’s always looking for a fight, Rocket is expected to be one of the scrappier members of the team. It’s also implied that he has OCD. Go figure. Cooper seems like a decent choice for the character, although it is doubtful he will be doing any of the motion capture as well.
2. Elizabeth Olsen is Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron
The only actress on this list and the only one of the bunch that we will actually get to see on screen is the newly announced Wanda Maximoff AKA Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron: Elizabeth Olsen. There was much speculation surrounding the character, and not only from us, with Saoirse Ronan rumoured to be the frontrunner before declining the offer. Olsen has now been confirmed for the role, and while Kick-Ass himself, Aaron Taylor Johnson is rumoured to be playing her twin brother, Quicksilver, it has yet to be confirmed.
We’re just glad it’s Elizabeth and not one of the actual Olsen twins.
1. James Spader is Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron
This one happened so quickly, I didn’t even have a chance to consider what actor I would really want to see in the role. While I guarantee James Spader never would have made my list, it’s only because I never would have thought he’d do a superhero film. Plus, he’s headlining the new TV series Blacklist this fall. That fact has many speculating that his involvement in the film will be quite minimal, and I’m sad we won’t actually get to see Spader, but hearing him is almost as good.
Who would have thought that Alan Shore would one day become an unstoppable killer robot? And is that not the best sentence you’ve ever read?
What do you think of the newest members of the MCU? Perfect choices or are you still too caught up with Batfleck to even think about anything else? Sound off below or send us your thoughts on Twitter!