# What older, award winning actor has NOT been tapped up for a super-hero film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932 "2017-09-22T02:46:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/41 "2017-09-22T18:21:02Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Does playing Metro Man in _Megamind_ count? It does. I forgot all about that! > [@DrCube](#): > > He was also King Koopa in the Super Mario Bros movie. It’s not a comic book, but I’d say Mario counts as a superhero, right? (Speaking of which, why aren’t there way more Mario movies??) I don’t think it did well in theaters and with the possible exceptions of the Tomb Raider and Resident Evil franchises, videogame movies tend to fare poorly. Which is a shame, because I can think of a fair number of videogames that might make good films - Fallout, Halo, The Last of Us, Bioshock, Metal Gear, Dead Rising (if done in a slightly tongue in cheek Zombieland style) just to name a few. They could also make very very bad films. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/42 "2017-09-22T18:22:18Z")
Clint Eastwood > [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t think **Omar Sharif** has been tapped for any superhero films, ever, although he has been in some wild films. I’m surprised that he said he was disgusted by his role in **The 13th Warrior** – he played a wise arab mentor to the Arabic hero of the story (admittedly played by the non-Arabic Antonio Banderas). How much more positive of a role do you want? I think a lot of people were disgusted by a lot of things in The 13th Warrior. Personally, I don’t think the film is that bad as a sort of Viking Seven Samurai / Magnificent Seven ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/43 "2017-09-22T18:28:52Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Add Rosemary Prinze, Sally Field, Marisa Tomei, and Michelle Pfeiffer to your above list. Prinze, Field, and Tomei all played Spider-Man’s Aunt May (mentor role) and Michelle Pfeiffer is set to play Janet Van Dyne (the first Wasp) in the upcoming “Ant-Man & the Wasp” movie. The Wasp was also not a villain, but she was Pym’s partner and was pretty much a major “behind the scenes” (her disappearance into the microverse was a major plot driver for the first film.) > > Also, J.K. Simmons played J. Jonah Jameson, Peter Parker’s boss / Spider-Man’s nemesis. I also blanked on the Bale movies so add Oldman and Neeson. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/44 "2017-09-22T21:08:58Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Paul Reubens? Played the Penguin’s father in _Batman Returns_. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/45 "2017-09-22T21:15:16Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > (Paul Reubens) Played the Penguin’s father in _Batman Returns_. And was also The Spleen in “Mystery Men.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/46 "2017-09-22T21:34:53Z")
Wow ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/47 "2017-09-22T22:01:42Z")
Thanks to this thread, I now have the image in my head of Woody Allen starring as the Molecule Man in some MCU movie, and Wallace Shawn as the Mole Man. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/48 "2017-09-22T22:28:06Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Thanks to this thread, I now have the image in my head of Woody Allen starring as the Molecule Man in some MCU movie, and Wallace Shawn as the Mole Man. Mel Brooks as the Tinkerer. _“A freeze ray, you want? What do I know from freeze rays? Here, lemme rig you up a blinding-flash strobe thing out of household appliances, maybe toss in some sonics for you to blanket the area; they’ll be so dazzled and dazed while the knockout gas is getting 'em, who cares if they’re frozen in place?”_ ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/49 "2017-09-22T22:29:06Z")
Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine in “Kingsman: The Secret Service”. Also, Tim Robbins in “Green Lantern”, Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe in “Spiderman” & “Spiderman 2”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/50 "2017-09-22T22:34:47Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine in “Kingsman: The Secret Service”. _That’s_ your go-to for Samuel L. Jackson being in a comic-book superhero movie? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/51 "2017-09-22T22:53:52Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And was also The Spleen in “Mystery Men.” Does Buffy count as a Superhero? He was in the movie too…? ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/52 "2017-09-22T23:07:18Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > _That’s_ your go-to for Samuel L. Jackson being in a comic-book superhero movie? I thought “The Spirit” was too obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/53 "2017-09-22T23:56:06Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Add Rosemary Prinze, Sally Field, Marisa Tomei, and Michelle Pfeiffer to your above list. Prinze, Field, and Tomei all played Spider-Man’s Aunt May (mentor role) and Michelle Pfeiffer is set to play Janet Van Dyne (the first Wasp) in the upcoming “Ant-Man & the Wasp” movie. The Wasp was also not a villain, but she was Pym’s partner and was pretty much a major “behind the scenes” (her disappearance into the microverse was a major plot driver for the first film.) Leslie Uggams is another “prestige” actress brought in the a superhero movie (_Deadpool_) to give it some weight. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/54 "2017-09-23T00:11:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Wow :p:p:p:p\* I honestly feel Tom Waits would be great as a downbeat superhero, playing some shithole gig that still allows smoking, but aware that in the crowd are two Russian thugs who are out for a couple rounds before they break into the Grand Museum later that night. Still trying to figure out what magical superpowers he can deploy against these brutish, nasty perps. \*uh…me too. ::kicks pidgeon-toed at dirt:: ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/55 "2017-09-23T00:56:32Z")
Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/56 "2017-09-23T08:11:18Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I don’t think it did well in theaters and with the possible exceptions of the Tomb Raider and Resident Evil franchises, videogame movies tend to fare poorly. Which is a shame, because I can think of a fair number of videogames that might make good films - Fallout, Halo, The Last of Us, Bioshock, Metal Gear, Dead Rising (if done in a slightly tongue in cheek Zombieland style) just to name a few. They could also make very very bad films. The recent _Warcraft_ didn’t do too well either. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/57 "2017-09-23T09:24:39Z")
Is Harry Potter a superhero? If not, we can count Maggie Smith as one yet to be tapped. ETA: I’m gonna throw in Angela Lansbury. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/58 "2017-09-23T14:14:17Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > ETA: I’m gonna throw in Angela Lansbury. I think she gets a point for THE PURPLE MASK, which did the “Scarlet Pimpernel” thing with a bit of a “Zorro” twist. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/59 "2017-09-23T15:54:46Z")
Has Ed Harris or Denzel Washington done a superhero film? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-award-winning-actor-has-not-been-tapped-up-for-a-super-hero-film/796932/60 "2017-09-23T15:58:44Z")
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