These days, it seems that every actor in Hollywood has made the shortlist for a new superhero movie -- and that could be a liability for the onslaught of comic book movies to come, since casting directors are always on the hunt for the hot new up-and-comer, not the guy who got cut before his final Captain America screen test. With that in mind, then, Movieline has assembled a list of eight men who are superhero-ready, yet haven't been named as a close contender for any past roles. (Though if casting directors are willing to think outside the box, we've got more than a few non-white suggestions, too.)
Studios always aim young when they're signing a superhero, because they want that actor to be good to go for at least 10 years of sequels (should it come to that). The problem with that line of thinking? It deprives us of John Hamm as Superman. Admit it: your ticket would already be bought.
Steven Strait
Don't hold the fact that Strait starred in Roland Emmerich's dud 10,000 BC against him -- there's only so much a man can do when he's dressed up in a loincloth and being shouted at by the director of Godzilla. Though Strait has the looks and build of an action hero, he can actually act (just check him out in the current indie smash City Island). Some enterprising casting director should give him a shot and let him fulfill the promise he showed in the teen superpowers movie Sky High.
Chris Pine
Pine's already got the Star Trek franchise, so you'd think he wouldn't want to line up another... except that he's also attached to play Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan in a new series of films for Paramount. If Pine really doesn't mind signing his life away on sequels, it's hard to argue that he wouldn't have made a compelling, charismatic Captain America.
Nicholas Hoult
How did this UK import not make the heavily British shortlist for Marc Webb's Spider-Man reboot? He's cute enough to please teen girls, but believably geeky enough to embody Peter Parker.
So far, Marvel's shown an excellent knack for casting its caped heroes with quality actors like Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton, and Jeremy Renner. Were they to add the dangerous Tom Hardy (who impressed in Bronson) to the mix, I'd immediately become intrigued. Sure, he's shooting Mad Max right now, but he'd make an excellent contribution to The Avengers, whether hero or villain.
The Vampire Diaries star hasn't yet had a major movie role, but if studio execs keep ticking down the list of superheroes until there's few left, they're going to need someone to play Aquaman.
The 20-year-old's Beastly was just pushed back to next year, but that's almost a good thing for him -- between that and his lead role in the sci-fi drama I Am Number Four, 2011 should be the year that he lands on a great many casting shortlists. One of them is bound to be Marvel's or DC's.
Would Gosling take on a superhero franchise? Doubtful -- but it could be exactly what he needs. Others may disagree, but the consensus at Movieline HQ (especially in the wake of Blue Valentine) is that the actor is becoming a little too mannered and self-impressed. A superhero could provide just the shakeup he needs to stop smirking after every "authentic" improvisation.