Every Marvel Actor Who Appears In James Gunn's Superman

This article contains spoilers for "Superman," so beware.

It's easy to view Marvel and DC as two warring factions fighting for cinematic universe supremacy. However, for the folks working on the films, there's no reason why you should have to choose between the two. This is especially true for James Gunn, who has managed to skillfully toe the line between both companies thanks to his signature style and heart-on-his-sleeve storytelling. It began with "Guardians of the Galaxy," a now fan-favorite franchise within the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe. Then, after being temporarily fired from the third "Guardians" film, DC Studios snagged him for their soft reboot of "Suicide Squad," which eventually paved the way for him to become co-brainchild of their new and improved DC Universe.

Naturally, when a director makes this many projects, you're bound to see a few recurring faces, but Gunn's frequent collaborators have become so recognizable that they've turned into a motley crew not unlike the ones he writes into his own movies. You can trace a line from Gunn's earlier works, like "Slither" and "Super," all the way to his work on "Superman," which has already received rave reviews from critics. That said, not every Marvel transplant in "Superman" is from Gunn, and some of them have worked on projects pre-MCU and even in other Marvel mediums. 

Here's a look at every Marvel actor who appears in the new "Superman" film. Fair warning: Full spoilers ahead!

If you didn't already know Nicholas Hoult — which would be odd, considering he's been in countless hits like "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Nosferatu" — you're about to remember him for a while. He is the new Lex Luthor, and despite being arrested and taken to the Belle Reve Penitentiary at the end of "Superman," we're likely going to see a lot more of him as the DCU expands. Hoult excels as Gunn's iteration of Luthor, a particularly petulant stand-in for the world's wealth of tech giants a la Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Before scoring this comic book role of a lifetime, he scored an equally ambitious part over a decade earlier as young Hank McCoy, otherwise known as Beast, in "X-Men: First Class." It was a breakout role for young Brit, who managed a similar character duality with finesse. He was shy and reserved as Hank, but wasn't afraid to hulk out when transformed. Hoult continued to portray Beast throughout the "X-Men" reboots and even in a brief "Deadpool 2" cameo, however, his fate in the remaining MCU seems uncertain. Kelsey Grammar is set to return as the OG Beast in "Avengers: Doomsday," so who's to say some multiverse-hopping won't find Hoult returning as a Beast variant?

Moviegoers will immediately be taken aback by the film's first major cameo, a surprise Bradley Cooper (seen above in "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves") as Clark Kent's birth father, Jor-El. Alongside Angela Sarafyan as his mother, Lara, Cooper appears in the final message recorded for Clark by his parents before departing Krypton. 

Cooper does a great job selling Jor-El's calm affect and regal demeanor, which makes it all the more tragic when it is revealed he intended for Clark to rule over the human race. "I just said, 'Hey, will you do me a favor?'" Gunn recalled to Jake Hamilton on Jake's Takes. "'Go to England, we're going to shoot you in a 3D environment, make a hologram of you, and you can play Jor-El.' He was like, 'Okay.'" Seeing as Krypton is confirmed to be destroyed, it's hard to say if we will ever see Cooper return to the DCU, but Gunn is open to it. "You never know. It's possible."

Bradley Cooper is, of course, the voice of Rocket Raccoon, who has become not only a beloved character within the MCU but the new de facto leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy following the events of "Vol. 3." Though his casting has yet to be confirmed, we are all but certain Marvel is hiding Rocket for a big role in "Avengers: Doomsday."

It's been over a decade since we saw Green Lantern's light in live-action, but the time has finally come, courtesy of Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner. The machismo-laden frontman of the debatably-named Justice Gang is set to have a widespread presence across the DCU, including the upcoming second season of "Peacemaker" and the HBO intergalactic crime procedural "Lanterns," and we're excited! Fillion fits perfectly into Gunn's vision, helping solidify the film's "comic book brought to life" ambitions by leaning into Gardner's ridiculously thin skin combined with his undeniably powerful fighting skills.

Nathan Fillion's collaboration with James Gunn began with a starring role in 2006's "Slither" and continued in both "Super" and "The Suicide Squad." However, he has also worked on all three "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, though you may not have seen him. He voices an intimidating blue Kyln inmate in "Vol. 1," while his cameo in "Vol. 2" as Simon Williams, or Wonder Man, was ultimately left on the cutting room floor. Most MCU fans will most immediately recognize him as Master Karja in "Vol. 3," a security officer who is forced to fight the Guardians as they infiltrate the Orgoscope. He also voiced Headpool, one of the many Deadpool variants in "Deadpool and Wolverine," suggesting Fillion may have a future in the MCU beyond his collaborations with Gunn.

In a film filled with superpowered star talent, Edi Gathegi easily steals the show as Mr. Terrific, a stoic but slick member of the Justice Gang and, by all accounts, their most technically proficient member. At first, Terrific can't be bothered with pesky human emotions, but pressure from Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) convinces him to save not only Clark from Lex Luthor's pocket universe but, eventually, all of Metropolis. Terrific is but one of many characters in the film who ultimately succumbs to Clark's capacity for compassion.

You may not recognize Gathegi by name, but you've likely seen his face either as Laurent in the "Twilight" film series or as Matias Solomon on "The Blacklist." One of his breakout roles was also as Armando Muñoz, or Darwin, in "X-Men: First Class", but Gathegi wouldn't be surprised if you forgot about him. "There was a lot that they could have done with that character," he told Entertainment Weekly. "The fact that he died in ["First Class"] isn't that big of a deal if he does what he does in the comics, which is come back. Every movie that came out and the character didn't come back, it solidified that it was a misrepresentation and a missed opportunity." Thankfully, Gathegi's time in the DCU is far from over. "As it stands right now, ["Superman"] isn't the only project that I'll be in."

Hot off of a star-making supporting turn in "The Last of Us" season 2 as Dina, Isabela Merced appears in "Superman" as the surprisingly sidelined Kendra Saunders, aka Hawkgirl, who has been reimagined here as more prickly than previous incarnations. Not only is she reluctant to help save Superman after he is kidnapped by Lex Luthor, but her fighting style is somewhat more aggressive. You can literally hear her squawk like a hawk at her foes when she flies toward them. It will be interesting to see how Merced further portrays Hawkgirl, which we will see in season 2 of "Peacemaker."

Stepping away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and into Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU), Isabela Merced played Anya Corazon, also known as Spider-Girl, in "Madame Web." Needless to say, that experience didn't quite pan out. "Madame Web" and "Kraven the Hunter" effectively killed the SSU, so it's unlikely her character will ever return. Though the role gave her valuable experience going into "Superman," she was careful not to let the film's creative team catch on. "I just didn't tell them about 'Madame Web,'" Merced told ComicBook. "They asked, 'Oh, do you have any previous stunt training?' And I said, 'Yeah, but I don't remember where I did it. I was in a harness too, I don't know where." Clever girl.

Normally, nepotism rubs us the wrong way, but for the man behind Rocket Raccoon, we'll let it slide. Sure, Bradley Cooper may provide the voice of everyone's favorite Guardian, but Sean Gunn, James Gunn's younger brother, plays an even more crucial role: acting as the physical stand-in for Rocket on set so actors can convincingly play off of an entirely CG character. If you haven't seen any shots of Gunn on-set, you're missing out. Of course, Gunn is more than just a stand-in. He also portrays Kraglin, initially a Ravager in Yondu's crew who is now an acting Guardian himself. Gunn has even said his journey as an MCU star is reflected in Kraglin's journey as a Guardian.

That said, Sean Gunn has definitely left a larger impact on the DCU. Gunn portrayed Calendar Man and Weasel in "The Suicide Squad," and then he went on to reprise the role of Weasel and originate the role of G.I. Robot in the first season of the animated "Creature Commandos" series. Sadly, given both Calendar Man and G.I. Robot's respective fates, Gunn will be letting those roles lie. However, fan-favorite Weasel is sure to reappear in future DCU content.  Furthermore, Gunn gets a quick cameo as tech billionaire and Justice Gang financier Maxwell Lord toward the end of "Superman," teeing him up to play a larger role in the second season of "Peacemaker."

Everyone's favorite freckled-faced cutie Skyler Gisondo has already made a name for himself through scene-stealing roles in comedies like "Booksmart" and "Licorice Pizza," not to mention his dramatic prowess in HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones." Now the entire globe is going to notice him in a big, new way as Jimmy Olsen, Clark Kent and Lois Lane's trusty co-worker at The Daily Planet who also helps them throughout their superhero adventures. Comic fans know there are some major narrative possibilities for Olsen across the DCU, and we can't wait to see what Gisondo brings to the table beyond "Superman."

In terms of Marvel appearances, Gisondo appears very briefly as Gwen Stacy's younger brother, Howard, in "The Amazing Spider-Man" duology. Aside from a few throwaway lines and a sick head of hair, you don't get much from him. However, you can still get plenty of quality early work from a young Skyler Gisondo, including his recurring voice role as B-Dawg in the "Air Buddies" franchise (yes, those movies are cute, deal with it) and as Larry Daley's son, Nick, in "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb."

James Gunn has been very open about DCU stars jumping between animation and live-action, so it's fascinating to see that approach formally tested with Frank Grillo. After voicing Rick Flag, Sr. in "Creature Commandos," Grillo appears in the flesh as Flag in "Superman." Following the uncertain events of "Commandos," Flag is now the US Secretary of Defense, a wide story gap that, as explained by Grillo to GamesRadar+, will be addressed in season 2 of "Peacemaker." "I take over [as] the leader of A.R.G.U.S," he explains. "I go from being boots on the ground badass to now being in charge, which enables me then to find out the truth about my son."

Frank Grillo portrayed Brock Rumlow, also known as Crossbones, in the MCU. Despite being offered a seven-picture contract, his character was killed after only his second film appearance. "They never told a story [about Crossbones]," he told ComicBook. "I think there was more meat on the bone. I was disappointed, which is why I went over to DC." In fairness, Grillo has accepted offers to return as the character. as he reluctantly provided a cameo in "Avengers: Endgame" and voiced multiple variants of Crossbones in "What If...?" — but it's pretty clear in interviews that Grillo's beef with Marvel leaves him with no desire to return in any further capacity.

Most of Alan Tudyk's most beloved roles force him to become unrecognizable: Sonny in "I, Robot," Heihei in "Moana," and K-2SO in the "Star Wars" franchise, among others. It should come as no surprise that Tudyk brings his same stylings to "Superman," specifically as Number 4 (or, as he names himself at the end of the film, Gary), one of the robots that assists Superman in operating and maintaining the Fortress of Solitude. Tudyk performed the role through motion capture, though they also used practical versions of the robots for certain shots on set (via Deadline).

Tudyk has played a number of roles across DC projects, however his Marvel roles are a tad more dubious. The only one fans may recall is Alistair Krei, CEO of Krei Tech and the red herring villain of "Big Hero 6." Yes, "Big Hero 6" is based on a Marvel Comics series, though it was created by Man of Action, technically qualifying it for this list. Other than that, Tudyk's Marvel run is mere morsels. He appears as a redneck in the second "Deadpool" film and voices the Bodega Cats in Insomniac Games' beloved "Spider-Man" game (one of the best Marvel video games), but that's about it. Needless to say, if you want more Alan Tudyk, you should probably start watching "Resident Alien" on Netflix like everybody else.

Yes, Pom Klementieff is in "Superman." Would you know that unless we told you? Probably not. It wouldn't be a James Gunn movie if the film wasn't littered by cameos with his closest collaborators, and "Superman" is no exception, but this cameo is truly blink-and-you-miss-it, or rather blink-and-you-miss-hearing-it. Klementieff, who portrays Mantis in the MCU, voices one of Superman's robots in the Fortress of Solitude, specifically Number 5. When you inevitably see the film again, perhaps you can keep a look out for her number and see if you can hear her voice, because other than a few throwaway lines, she doesn't play a serious role in the story.

Thankfully, when you play a role as fun as Mantis, that doesn't especially matter. Now as an acting Guardian of the Galaxy following the events of "Vol. 3," Klementieff will continue to charm us in Marvel projects and may even get another shot as playing a character in the DCU. If that wasn't enough, she got to be in two "Mission: Impossible" films and may even reappear, given the ambiguous ending of "The Final Reckoning." So Klementieff has nothing to worry about, nor do her fans.

Here's another fun, if disposable cameo from the school of Gunn. Michael Rooker has long been in Gunn's rolodex since his role in "Slither," so it was only logical for him to appear in "Superman." However, the only appearance (if you can even call it that) he makes in the DCU's first cinematic outing is voicing another one of the homogeneous robots guarding the Fortress of Solitude. Similar to Klementieff, unless you really look out for his number and voice, you're gonna have a hard time finding him. Thankfully, Rooker is set to make his true DCU debut in "Peacemaker" season 2 as Red St. Wild, an entirely original character created by Gunn.

Rooker is best known as daddy Yondu in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, an initially antagonistic leader of a Ravagers squad who winds up becoming the emotional center of the franchise in "Vol. 2." Despite meeting his demise in the film's climax, Yondu remains a fan-favorite character, and Rooker has vocally reprised the role across three episodes of "What If...?" and  "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special."

In an industry filled with character actors, few are as underappreciated as Wendell Pierce. The Juilliard graduate has been nominated for a Tony Award three separate times, including for his work in the 2020 revival of "Death of a Salesman," and has provided stellar supporting turns in projects like "Malcolm X," "The Wire" and "Suits." In "Superman," he plays Perry White, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet who convinces his employees to join Lois Lane in her pursuit of the inter-dimensional rift during the film's climax.

It won't Marvel fans too long to remember where they last saw Wendell Pierce. He portrayed Congressman Gary, a government official determined to impeach Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for her illegal experimentation on humans using super serums, in "Thunderbolts*" (or "The New Avengers"). This was Pierce's first time in the MCU, yet his commanding presence is felt instantly and immediately elevates the material he is given, even if his storyline ultimately goes nowhere. In terms of DC projects, you may also recognize Pierce's voice as Lex Luthor in two episodes of "Harley Quinn" season 5.

Mikaela Hoover is one of James Gunn's lesser-known collaborators, yet her involvement with Gunn and even DC Studios co-head Peter Safran goes back further than almost anyone else in his ensemble. Beginning with the obscure superhero comedy horror series "Sparky & Mikaela," Hoover has appeared in almost every project Gunn has touched, including his non-directorial efforts. Some of these are background roles, like Nova Prime's Assistant in the first "Guardians" film, however others contain true heart and soul, like cybernetic bunny rabbit Floor in "Vol. 3."

In "Superman," Hoover is almost unrecognizable as Cat Grant, one of Clark Kent and Lois Lane's co-workers at The Daily Planet. Though her role in the film doesn't have too many lines, her blonde hair and fashionable style heavily infers that Gunn based his version of Grant on the comics, which allows us to fill in the blank that she is also a gossip columnist. Grant winds up as a passenger for the film's wild climax, in which Lois Lane flies Mr. Terrific's ship across Metropolis. You'll soon see — or hear, rather — Hoover again as Tony Tony Chopper in the second season of Netflix's live-action "One Piece" series.