Both the Marvel and DC movie universes have featured some of the most high-profile actors in Hollywood. However, only a select few actors can claim to have appeared in both universes.
There generally isn’t much intersecting between the actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe, but there are exceptions to every rule. This list will make note of every actor who has starred in both MCU and DCEU films — or at least starred in Marvel and DC movies released since the start of the MCU, including unconnected films like The Batman or Into the Spider-Verse. And while some of the names on this list will be obvious, others may surprise you.
Idris Elba
One of the most prominent actors to appear in both the MCU and the DCEU is Idris Elba. Initially appearing as Heimdall in the Thor trilogy, Elba’s time in the MCU came to an end when Heimdall perished at the hands of Thanos in the opening of Avengers: Infinity War. However, Elba would soon take on a much more prominent role when he appeared as Bloodsport, one of the main characters in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
Zachary Levi
Of course, Idris Elba isn’t the only Thor supporting player who went on to find a leading role in a DCEU film. Zachary Levi appeared briefly as Fandral in The Dark World and Ragnarok, in which he was unceremoniously killed by Cate Blanchett’s Hela. Not long after, he would become the title character of Shazam! and its upcoming sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods, currently slated to hit theaters on December 16, 2022.
Laurence Fishburne
The Matrix star Lawrence Fishburne appeared as the Daily Planet’s editor-in-chief, Perry White, in both Man of Steel and its sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Later on, he appeared as Hank Pym’s old coworker Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
J.K. Simmons
Speaking of short-tempered newspaper editors, one of J.K. Simmons’ most iconic roles is that of J. Jonah Jameson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films — a role he’d later reprise for the MCU in Far From Home and No Way Home. However, he also plays Commissioner Gordon in Justice League (both the theatrical and Zack Snyder cuts), and will be reprising the role in the upcoming Batgirl film on HBO Max.
Willem Dafoe
Another Spider-Man star who made his way to the DCEU is Willem Dafoe, best known for playing the Green Goblin in both the Raimi Trilogy and No Way Home. But over in the DCEU, he played Aquaman’s Atlantean mentor Vulko in Aquaman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Djimon Hounsou
Hounsou appeared as the Kree commander Korath in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, but he’s also played two separate roles in the DCEU. First, he lent his voice to King Ricou of the Fishermen in Aquaman. Soon after, he appeared in the flesh as the Wizard in Shazam!
Randall Park
Another Aquaman cast member who appeared in the MCU is Randall Park, aka Black Manta’s accomplice Dr. Stephen Shin. A year later, Park played FBI agent Jimmy Woo in Ant-Man and the Wasp, a role he reprised in WandaVision.
David Dastmalchian
After briefly appearing as one of the Joker’s henchmen in The Dark Knight, Dastalmachian went on to play the computer hacker Kurt Goreshter in Ant-Man and its sequel. But most recently, he portrayed the Polka-Dot Man in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
Taika Waititi
On the topic of The Suicide Squad, it also featured a cameo from another big-name MCU director — Taika Waititi, who both directed Thor: Ragnarok and provided the voice of Korg. But in The Suicide Squad, Waititi appears in the flesh as the original Ratcatcher, father of Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2.
Ben Mendelsohn
One of the MCU’s most unexpected fan-favorite characters is Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos, leader of the Skrulls in Captain Marvel, who later reappeared in Spider-Man: Far From Home. However, Talos isn’t Mendelsohn’s first time playing a comic book villain — he also played the corrupt businessman John Daggett (based on recurring Batman: The Animated Series antagonist Roland Daggett) in The Dark Knight Rises.
Brian Tyree Henry
Brian Tyree Henry left quite an impact on Marvel fans as the super-smart inventor Phastos in Eternals — the MCU’s first openly gay hero. But before that, he also played a bit part as an Arkham employee in Joker. And before that, he was the voice of Miles Morales’ father Jeff Davis in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Chris Pine
And speaking of Into the Spider-Verse, the animated film also featured Chris Pine as the Peter Parker of Miles’ home universe. And before portraying the web-slinger, Pine played Diana’s love interest Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman.
Tom Hardy
But while none of the live-action Spider-Men have appeared in any DC movies, one live-action Venom has. Before becoming the Lethal Protector in Venom and its sequel, Tom Hardy played another brawny supervillain — Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
Angela Bassett
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Angela Bassett ever appeared in any DC movies. But nearly a decade before she appeared as T’Challa’s mother Ramonda in Black Panther, she played Amanda Waller in Green Lantern — long before Viola Davis took up the role in the DCEU.
Clancy Brown
The main villain of Green Lantern, the monstrous Parallax, was voiced by legendary character actor Clancy Brown, better known as Lex Luthor in Superman: The Animated Series. However, Brown went on to voice another comic book villain when he portrayed Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok.
Ryan Reynolds
And on that note, it’s impossible to not bring up Hal Jordan himself, Ryan Reynolds. Besides starring in the ill-fated Green Lantern film, Reynolds also played Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, in both X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the current Deadpool films. And while Reynolds’ Deadpool wasn’t initially part of the MCU, he’s set to join it properly in his upcoming third film.
Danny Huston
Another X-Men Origins cast member who appeared in a DC film is Danny Huston, who portrayed Wolverine’s nemesis William Stryker in the 2009 film. Later on, he played another villainous military man, General Erich Ludendorff, in Wonder Woman.
Andy Serkis
While he’s best known for his motion-capture work, one of Andy Serkis’ most prominent on-screen roles is the villainous arms dealer Ulysses Klaue, who made brief-but-memorable appearances in both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther. But more recently, he played Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman.
Jeffrey Wright
Speaking of The Batman, its Commissioner Gordon has also appeared in the MCU, albeit not on film. Jeffrey Wright previously lent his voice to Uatu the Watcher in the What If…? animated series.
Michael Keaton
While he hasn’t properly joined the DCEU yet, Keaton’s iconic Batman is set to appear in the upcoming Flash film. But of course, Keaton has already appeared in the MCU as the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Finally, it’d be a shame to bring up Keaton’s Batman without discussing Michelle Pfeiffer, who played opposite him as Catwoman in Batman Returns. But decades later, Pfeiffer joined the MCU as Janet Van Dyne, aka the original Wasp, in Ant-Man and the Wasp.