When Julia Louis-Dreyfus first appeared on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, what followed my initial spell of bewildering excitement was a question I never considered before. Who could be the next Seinfeld cast alum to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Quite frankly, I believe that Jason Alexander (best known for playing George Costanza on the hit sitcom) is the most deserving of that shot.
Not only is the Tony-winning actor a great candidate for his underrated versatility, but he also does have some experience starring in superhero movies (he had a supporting role in 1994 comedy, Blankman) and DC TV shows (he is a regular cast member on Harley Quinn). In fact, his role on the animated HBO Max exclusive inspired me to choose the first of the following seven characters I believe he would master in the Marvel movies, if chosen.
M.O.D.O.K.
Fun fact: one of Patton Oswalt’s earliest acting gigs was a brief scene on Seinfeld which he shared with none other than Jason Alexander as George. Years later, the comedian would voice the title role of M.O.D.O.K., an animated Hulu original comedy centered on the obscure, partially robotic Marvel villain with a head much larger than the rest of his body. The character reminds me quite a bit of Sy Borgman, the partially robotic DC villain Alexander voices on the Harley Quinn cast, which is just one of the many reason I think he should be considered if Marvel ever wants to adapt the character for a live action movie.
Mojo
Anther partially robotic Marvel villain that came to mind when considering possible options for Jason Alexander is Mojo, but not just for the same reasons I considered him for M.O.D.O.K. (although there are a few varying similarities). This yellow, (literally) larger-than-life, inter-dimensional motormouth was created by Ann Nocenti as a parody of TV executives, which becomes clear in the way he runs his “Mojoverrse” the way the Nielsen Ratings System dictates a network. I know many fans would love to see this sadistic game show host-type in the X-Men movies someday and to see a TV icon with the onscreen energy of Alexander bring him to life would be a dream come true.
Gargoyle
One of Jason Alexander’s other most famous roles is Hugo the Gargoyle in Disney’s animated The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which first made me consider casting him as a hero named Gargoyle, who was originally human before his spirit was transferred into the body of the winged creature. That was until I found another character who goes by the same alias who was an even better fit for the actor: a mutated scientist named Yuri Topolov, who was actually the very first villain that Bruce Banner face off against in the premiere issue of The Incredible Hulk in 1962.
Alexander’s experience playing another short Russian criminal in 2000’s live action The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is all the proof I need that he could nail this portrayal and make it hilarious.
Stegron The Dinosaur Man
Speaking of notable voice roles, Jason Alexander actually played various characters on the hit ‘90s sitcom, Dinosaurs, which starred a cast of prehistoric puppets. I think it might be fun to see the actor return to this sort of role in the form of Vincent Stegron, who became a member of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery after injecting himself with a serum similar what turned Dr. Curtis Connors into the Lizard. In Stegron’s case, it imbued him with the physiology of a much more primitive species of reptile: a stegosaurus, hence calling himself The Dinosaur Man.
Mephisto
So far, you may have noticed that all of the Marvel characters we have suggested for Jason Alexander have been villains. Well, the simple explanation for that is I think the actor would make a fantastic villain based on much of his previous work (George Costanza on Seinfeld, included). In fact, I am so convinced of his abilities that I recommend going as far as casting him as one of the worst (and most requested) baddies of them all, Mephisto. Alexander does not initially seem like the idea candidate to play the Satan of the Marvel Universe (or Marvel Multiverse, I should say), which is exactly the kind of manipulative misdirect that this character is famous for.
Ben Parker
Speaking of the Multiverse, the MCU’s recent experiments with alternate realities could make it possible for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker to have one more moment to spend with his late Uncle Ben, and I would recommend Jason Alexander for the role if this were to occur in a new Spider-Man movie. Why? Seinfeld fans may recall an episode in which George goes on a date with Academy Award winner and future Aunt May actress Marisa Tomei (which he ruins by admitting to his ill-fated engagement to Susan Ross) and I think this would be a fun means for the actors to reunite.
J. Jonah Jameson, Sr.
However, there is another way that George Costanza’s romantic fantasy with Marisa Tomei could play out in the MCU and one that would be a more fitting source of comic relief, too. One of Aunt May’s love interests after Ben Parker’s death was the father of Peter’s boss, J. Jonah Jameson, whose MCU portrayal (once again by J.K. Simmons) is a bit different from the comics. Therefore, there is no reason why we should not make J. Jonah Jameson, Sr. a brother or distant cousin to the staunchly anti-Spidey media personality instead, to make Jason Alexander a more appropriate casting choice.
Now that I think about it more, there is a pretty major downside to pairing up Jason Alexander with Marisa Tomei in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bringing in J. Jonah Jameson, Sr. (or whatever we would call him instead) to marry Aunt May would mean the end of her blossoming romance with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau). Of course, the DC movies are always an option, too, and would he not also make a great Penguin in the centralized DCEU continuity? If you disagree with that, which Marvel character do you think best suits the Tony-winning actor?
This poll is no longer available.
