With his chiseled physique, rugged charm, and uncanny ability to hide his British accent (over time, at least), Charlie Hunnam seems tailor-made for superhero movies. And yet something seems to be keeping him from joining that world, be it through a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, or even beyond either of those massive franchises.
There were rumors that Marvel was eyeing him for a role in the upcoming Eternals movie, but, of course, that turned out to be all talk and nothing more. Plus, there have been a few fans who have voiced their support of him as a picture perfect ideal casting choice for a certain DC character whom I'll mention later. Unfortunately, seeing the 40-year-old U.K. native and star of Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen as that character does not look likely, as superhero movies evidently do not land on his list of aspirations – a sentiment he has shared on record. That being said, is there anything wrong with using our imaginations to have a little fun imagining Charlie Hunnam in other superhero roles anyway? Seven heroic characters come to mind, which you can find below.
Ghost Rider
It may sound like the obvious choice to cast Charlie Hunnam, best known for playing Jax Teller on Sons of Anarchy, as one of Marvel's most badass bikers, but if you bear with me you will see I have an idea to give this idea some unique flair. Two incarnations of the Ghost Rider, a skeletal, incendiary demon hunter, have been given the live-action treatment, including twice on the big screen (both times with Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze) and once on the small screen (Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Perhaps the MCU should consider reinventing the Sprit of Vengeance once again for a new film by casting Hunnam as the second person to hold the mantle, Danny Ketch – who actually fought Johnny Blaze at one time. It could be a fun idea if Cage were down.
John Constantine
If Charlie Hunnam would prefer to not just play bikers all his life, fighting demons is still an option, and DC has the perfect role for him. Originating from the Hellblazer comic, John Constantine, an expert in the mystic arts and occult activity, has also been adapted both for cinema (played by Keanu Reeves) and TV (more accurately portrayed by Welsh actor Matt Ryan on his own series, guest appearances on the Arrowverse, and even two animated Justice League Dark movies). With no word at the moment of Ryan reprising the role for J.J. Abrams' upcoming Justice League Dark adaptation, Hunnam could be the perfect choice to succeed him, which would also give him a great chance to use his natural accent.
Captain Britain
An even more suitable choice of comic book hero for the British Charlie Hunnam would be this Marvel character, whose patriotism is a big part of his whole existence. Captain Britain (whose otherworldly powers actually set him well above his American equivalent, Steve Rogers) is the alter ego of adventurer Brian Braddock, who was actually subtly name-dropped in Avengers: Endgame, but still has yet to receive a proper introduction into the MCU. This is despite the likes of fellow Brits Simon Pegg and Orlando Bloom voicing interest in the role. As exciting as either of those actors would be in the role, Hunnam would have it in the bag just thanks to build and appearance alone.
Max Damage
Speaking of appearance, all Charlie Hunnam might have to do is dye his hair in order to look like the spitting image of this Boom! Studios original character. Mark Waid's comic book series Incorruptible depicts superhuman Max Damage's transition from a villain into a hero after witnessing the destructive acts of The Plutonian, whose transition from superhero to supervillain iss chronicled in Waid's sister series Irredeemable. Together, the two titles make up a powerful story of redemption (from Max's end, at least) about two complex characters on both sides of the law, which might make for a great TV series, especially if Max were portrayed by an actor with Hunnam's range.
Adam Warlock
Speaking of range, clearly Charlie Hunnam is the kind of guy who likes to take challenges, always looking for something new to try, and one environment he has yet to try on for size is outer space. Coincidentally, the cosmic regions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite some mid-credits teasing in the past, have yet to see the proper introduction of Adam Warlock, even though he was actually a major player of the comic that inspired the story in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Why not kill two birds with one stone here and bring the golden-haired Hunnam into the MCU as legendary golden warrior?
Green Arrow
And now for the moment most of you were all waiting for: yes, Charlie Hunnam is a solid dead ringer for orphaned billionaire Oliver Queen, otherwise known as the hawkeyed Green Arrow. Following the success of The CW series titled simply Arrow (on which the vigilante archer was played by Stephen Amell for eight seasons) and its countless spin-offs, fans have been demanding a cinematic adaptation with Hunnam as the top choice, not just for being striking mirror image to the DC hero, but for the reputation of playing badass characters he has acquired throughout his career. With the right story, the right vision, and a miraculous newfound motivation in Hunnam to say yes to such a role, this would be heavenly match.
The Goon
One of Charlie Hunnam's first blockbuster film roles was in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, as a soldier tasked with fighting building-sized monsters, but all from the comfort of an equally large robot he co-piloted. Perhaps he might have returned for the sequel if he was given the chance to fight such creatures up close and personally, just as the title character of the Dark Horse comic book series The Goon does. Leading the long-awaited adaptation of this tongue-in-cheek horror noir would not only be groundbreaking for the comic book movie genre, but would give Hunnam an opportunity to bring out his humorous side, rarely seen since his American breakout role on Judd Apatow's short-lived series Undeclared, while still being a total badass.
What do you think? Are these the superhero roles you would like to see Charlie Hunnam take on, or does his disinterest in playing a costumed vigilante render this entire list pointless? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for more updates on the former Sons of Anarchy star, as well as more purely hypothetical superhero movie casting sessions, here on CinemaBlend.
