It seems to me that Kevin Hart is ready for the next level (and I do not mean Jumanji: The Next Level, if any clarification was needed). What I do mean is that, after years of establishing himself as one of the most popular voices in the laughter business with his successful stand-up career and landing the lead role a few of his own comedy movie franchises, he appears to be pushing his efforts toward something different from what he is better known for, such as the Marvel movies, for instance.
In fact, I think you can clearly see when Kevin Hart's active transition into becoming another kind of movie star went into in progress. Outside of a few low-key comedies and his comparatively more dramatic turn in The Upside, the majority of the 41-year-old actor’s filmography in the past few years has been mostly action comedies - including the aforementioned Jumanji reboot, his first time sharing the screen with Dwayne Johnson in Central Intelligence, and the Quibi original series Die Hart, in which he plays a fictionalized version of himself trying to land a part in a full-on action thriller. If that last example alone is not him begging to be the next Bruce Willis, I do not know what is.
Even if he did not manage to follow the Die Hard star, perhaps he could be the next Paul Rudd, or Ryan Reynolds, or even the next Michael Peña with a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that could range from the demanding stunts he has clearly been craving to more of the same comic relief. Either way, it could be a significant help in getting Kevin Hart closer to playing more of the roles his good friend The Rock gets to play all the time. Five characters from the pages of Marvel Comics come to mind, starting with one who would actually make a pretty insane villain for the upcoming Black Panther sequel (emphasis on “insane”).
Achebe
There is little known about who Achebe really is or how he became a cold-hearted tyrant, but, allegedly, he was a meek African peasant whose wife left him for the leader of a guerrilla rebellion that razed his farm and left him for dead before he sold his soul to Mephisto - the Devil of the Marvel Universe. Apparently this is how he was able to acquire multiple high-ranking certifications (including a Yale Law degree) and work his way up in the governmental ladder in Wakanda, where he began relying on a hand puppet named Dakit to influence his authoritative decision making. While Achebe sounds ridiculous enough on paper to easily see Kevin Hart in the role, it also sounds like a frighteningly plausible political commentary that he could play as an earnest villain in a future Black Panther movie.
Werewolf
Believe it or not, if Kevin Hart does get cast as a Marvel character, it would not be his first superhero movie if you count the the 2008 spoof Superhero Movie, The Secret Life of Pets 2 (in which his rabbit character Snowball assumed a costumed, crimefighting alter ego), and his upcoming superhero comedy Night Wolf. It has been a while since any new developments came out regarding that film, in which Hart discovers his future father-in-law is the titular crimefighter, and it almost makes me wonder how good the chances are of it being made at this point. If plans were to fall through, maybe the actor could still be in a lycanthropic comic book movie by playing a modern-day Jack Russell (also known as Werewolf for his animalistic abilities under a full moon) in his own flick or facing off against Moon Knight in his upcoming series.
Night Thrasher
If there is one thing that Kevin Hart has become well-known for outside of his comedy, it is his surprising turn as a fitness guru - having hosted the popular YouTube workout series What the Fit and even developing his own workout plan you can practice in your own home. Coincidentally, pristine athleticism would be a requirement to play Night Thrasher - the vigilante alter ego of wealthy businessman Dwayne Michael Taylor, whose parents’ murder inspired him to perfect his martial arts, adopt keen skills in weapons invention, and plenty more that make him a formidable, masked threat against evil. Ignoring the fact that his origin story sounds just a little similar to Batman, this role (which is still unoccupied since his debut in Freeform’s The New Warriors series was cancelled) would be a unique addition to the MCU and to Hart’s repertoire.
Cardiac
This Marvel hero, who first appeared as a Spider-Man supporting character in 1990, is also quite unique for a certain weakening affliction of his that he managed to turn into a strength. His name is Dr. Elias Withram, who development an artificial skin made of vibranium that he uses when fighting evil in honor of his dead brother, but what earned him the name Cardiac is his artificial heart that, not only keeps him alive, but conjures powerful energy blasts through his staff that sure is handy while in combat. So far, he has only been briefly mentioned in the Netflix original Marvel character crossover series The Defenders, leaving the chance for Kevin Hart to bring his tragic backstory (and pretty epic costume) to the big screen.
Robbie Robertson
One other character whose previous depiction on screen could have been stronger is Joseph “Robbie” Robertson - a Manhattan reporter, who eventually succeeded J. Jonah Jameson’s position as Editor-in-Chief, and a good friend to Peter Parker. Despite a heartfelt portrayal by actor Bill Nunn, his presence is barely acknowledged in any of director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies and since J.K. Simmons got to bring Jameson back in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it only seems fair that The Daily Bugle’s unsung hero gets another shot, too. Besides, Tom Holland’s Peter still has yet to get into photography and once that happens, Kevin Hart just might be the perfect journalistic mentor.
What do you think? Would Kevin Hart make a great addition to the Spider-Man movie franchise as Robbie Robertson, or would you rather see him play something more like an adult Miles Morales, which is technically possible? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the comedic actor, as well as even more hypothetical comic book movie casting sessions, here on CinemaBlend.
