# Who you do consider the three best portrayals of super heroes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736 "2016-08-04T13:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/21 "2016-08-04T18:49:38Z")
In order: Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man. Chris Evans as Captain America Grant Gustin as the Flash Honorary Mention: Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/the Hulk. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/22 "2016-08-04T18:56:55Z")
Michael Keaton as Batman George Reeves as Superman William Daniels as Captain Nice ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/23 "2016-08-04T19:15:36Z")
George Reeves as Superman Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger Guy Williams as Zorro ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/24 "2016-08-04T19:26:54Z")
1. Christopher Reeve in Superman - really just a classic. Never has anyone been better cast in a superhero role. 2. RDjr. as Iron Man. He. is. Ironman. 3. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/25 "2016-08-04T19:27:56Z")
Dracoi wrote: “I also liked the casting for Magneto (Ian McKellan) and Xavier (Patrick Stewart), especially the way they play against each other. (If there’s any problem, it’s that I keep waiting for Magneto to whip out his staff and for Xavier to say “Engage” or “Make it so.”)” Were the double entendres intended here? ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/26 "2016-08-04T19:44:12Z")
Charlie Cox as Daredevil Christopher Reeve as Superman Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/27 "2016-08-04T20:15:49Z")
Nathan Fillion - Captain Hammer (Nah, I don’t have any real opinion. I was never a comic book reader, so I don’t have a good sense for how much the people did or didn’t nail the on-paper character.) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/28 "2016-08-04T20:22:30Z")
Chris Evans as Captain America Hugh Jackman as Wolverine Christopher Reeve as Superman ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/29 "2016-08-04T20:39:56Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > George Reeves as Superman > Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger > Guy Williams as Zorro I agree with Clayton Moore. When John Hart replaced him temporarily, he was bland and didn’t have Moore’s presence, or his voice. Moore proved you couldn’t switch actors and leave the mask on and nobody would notice. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/30 "2016-08-05T01:55:45Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > In a non-superhero role, the all-time best comic book performance is J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson in the Tobey McGuire Spiderman movies. You’re only saying that because Brian Blessed actually _is_ Prince Vultan. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/31 "2016-08-05T02:04:54Z")
Crappy movie, but casting Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin in _Daredevil_ was inspired. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/32 "2016-08-05T02:42:07Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > George Reeves as Superman > Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger > Guy Williams as Zorro How old ARE you? (Me too. That was my Saturday morning as a kid…) George Reeves did a… super job! He literally winked at the audience as he fooled Lois yet again, and his Clark Kent was pretty dapper and had a lot more personality than later portrayals. That show was great (I still watch an episode every Saturday morning with my cereal), and had brilliant casting: Jack Larsen was a perfect Jimmy Olson, John Hamilton was wonderfully crusty as Perry White. And Noel Neill AND Phyllis Coates were excellent Lois Lanes. But Christopher Reeve was the best Clark Kent, maybe of all time. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/33 "2016-08-05T03:14:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are you saying Ryan Reynolds did a bad job portraying Deadpool, or do you just not like Deadpool as a superhero character? I don’t need a potty mouthed R rated superhero. I’ll never understand why it is “adult” to have a character act like a 8 year old. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/34 "2016-08-05T03:36:56Z")
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America RDJ as Tony Stark/Iron Man Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/35 "2016-08-05T03:38:01Z")
1. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine 2. Michael Keaton as Batman 3. Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool Bonus: Will Smith as Hitch or Ron Pearlman as Hellboy ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/36 "2016-08-05T03:47:35Z")
I’ve never been a big comics reader either, so this is based purely on how well the actor embodies the character from the screen: -Downey as Ironman is perfect. -Mark Ruffalo as Hulk had some of the most perfect moments, in the first movie; the second one wasn’t as impressive for him, but the first one, boy howdy. -Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones had such a novel take on a superhero, and it’s one that I’ll not soon forget. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/37 "2016-08-05T05:43:02Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I don’t need a potty mouthed R rated superhero. I’ll never understand why it is “adult” to have a character act like a 8 year old. You must know some pretty hardcore eight year olds. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/38 "2016-08-05T06:54:56Z")
Morton Downey Jr as Ned Stark, aka the Metal Man. Elijah Wood as plucky reporter for the Daily Planet, Pete Spiderman. Christopher George Reeves as mild-mannered Kent Clark. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2016, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/39 "2016-08-05T11:16:04Z")
Much as I love George Reeves, Christopher Reeve was better. RDJ as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. but one of these may be eclipsed this December by Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange. (I hope it’s good.) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736/40 "2016-08-05T12:07:03Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I recently saw Deadpool, and thought Ryan Reynolds portrayal of Deadpool was a simple caricature of a superhero. So, he played him the way he’s written in the comics, you mean? > [@faithfool](#): > > Bonus: Will Smith as Hitch I think you mean Hancock, no? _Hitch_ was a romcom… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-you-do-consider-the-three-best-portrayals-of-super-heroes/761736.md?page=3)