34 actors who have been in Marvel and DC movies

Kirsten Acuna,Olivia SinghAug 7, 2021, 21:58 IST

Both Michael Rooker and Idris Elba were a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe before joining "The Suicide Squad."Marvel Studios, Warner Bros., Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

It's only a matter of time until actors appear in a Marvel or DC film.
Now, it's increasingly more likely for actors to hop from one studio to the next and sometimes back.
From Michael Keaton to Idris Elba, here are actors who have appeared in both universes.

Before David Harbour was Alexei Shostakov/the Red Guardian in "Black Widow," he appeared in 2016's "Suicide Squad."

On the left: David Harbour in "Black Widow." On the right: Harbour in "Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios/Disney+; Warner Bros.

David Dastmalchian has appeared in multiple Marvel and DC projects from "Ant-Man" to "The Dark Knight." He's finally playing a leading man in "The Suicide Squad."

From left: David Dastmalchian in "Ant-Man and the Wasp," "The Dark Knight," and "The Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.; Warner Bros.

J.K. Simmons was known for years as the man asking Peter Parker for photos of Spider-Man. He then appeared as James Gordon in the DCEU before reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson.

On the left: J.K. Simmons in "Spider-Man." On the right: Simmons in "Justice League." Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures; Warner Bros.

J.K. Simmons was known for years as the man asking Peter Parker for photos of Spider-Man. He then appeared as James Gordon in the DCEU before reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson.

Ben Affleck was Daredevil before he put on the cape and cowl to play Batman in a few DC movies.

On the left: Ben Affleck in "Daredevil." On the right: Affleck as Batman. 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

Michelle Pfeiffer appeared in "Ant-Man and the Wasp" years after bringing the role of Catwoman to the big screen for DC.

On the left: Michelle Pfeiffer in "Ant-Man and the Wasp." On the right: Pfeiffer in "Batman Returns." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Halle Berry made Storm an iconic X-Men character before trying her hand at a different version of Catwoman in a solo movie.

On the left: Halle Berry in "X2." On the right: Berry in "Catwoman." 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

While you probably remember James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops in the "X-Men" films, he also appeared in "Superman Returns."

On the left: James Marsden in "X2." On the right: Marsden in "Superman Returns." 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

Before Tom Hardy became Venom, he was unrecognizable behind a mask in "The Dark Knight Rises" as Bane.

On the left: Tom Hardy in "Venom." On the right: Hardy in "The Dark Knight Rises." Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros.

Michael Keaton plays Vulture in the Spider-Man franchise now, but first, he played one of the greatest incarnations of Batman.

On the left: Michael Keaton in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." On the right: Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Sony Pictures/Marvel; Warner Bros.

Idris Elba went from playing Heimdall in the MCU to being a leader of the Suicide Squad in James Gunn's film.

On the left: Idris Elba as Heimdall in the MCU. On the right: Elba plays Robert DuBois in "The Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

Before Ryan Reynolds played the delightful miscreant Deadpool, he starred as Green Lantern in one of the worst comic-book adaptations.

On the left: Ryan Reynolds in "Deadpool 2." On the right: Reynolds in "Green Lantern." 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

"Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi voiced Korg in the MCU after he appeared in "Green Lantern" years prior.

On the left: Korg in "Thor: Ragnarok." On the right: Taika Waititi in "Green Lantern." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Willem Dafoe played one of the most iconic Spider-Man villains before being a mentor to Aquaman.

On the left: Willem Dafoe in "Spider-Man." On the right: Dafoe in "Aquaman." Sony Pictures; Warner Bros.

Joe Manganiello was Spider-Man's high-school bully before appearing as Deathstroke in the DC universe for Zack Snyder.

On the left: Joe Manganiello in "Spider-Man." On the right: Manganiello in "Zack Snyder's Justice League." Sony Pictures; Warner Bros.

Before Michael Fassbender played the perfect young Magneto, he appeared in "Jonah Hex."

On the left: Michael Fassbender in "X-Men: Apocalypse." On the right: Fassbender in "Jonah Hex." 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

Josh Brolin has run the gamut. Though you may remember him as Thanos or Cable in Marvel movies, he first played Jonah Hex for DC.

From left: Josh Brolin in "Avengers: Endgame," "Deadpool 2," "Jonah Hex." Marvel Studios/Disney; 20th Century Fox;

After playing badass Domino in "Deadpool 2," Zazie Beetz caught Joker's eye in WB's Oscar-winning film.

On the left: Zazie Beetz in "Deadpool 2." On the right: Beetz in "Joker." 20th Century Fox; Warner Bros.

Bryan Tyree Henry has shown up in pivotal roles in both "Into the Spider-Verse" and "Joker." He'll next appear in Marvel's "Eternals."

From left: Jefferson Davis, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," Henry in "Eternals," and Henry in "Joker." Sony Pictures Entertainment; Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Angela Bassett joined the MCU as royalty after playing a version of Amanda Waller in DC's "Green Lantern."

On the left: Angela Bassett in "Black Panther." On the right: Bassett in "Green Lantern." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

You may not have realized Chris Pine voiced Peter Parker in the excellent "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" in between his time as Steve Trevor in the "Wonder Woman" franchise.

On the left: Peter Parker, voiced by Chris Pine, in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." On the right: Chris Pine in "Wonder Woman 1984." Sony Pictures Entertainment; Warner Bros.

You may not have realized Chris Pine voiced Peter Parker in the excellent "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" in between his time as Steve Trevor in the "Wonder Woman" franchise.

Though he's known for dishing out card tricks in the MCU, Randall Park was also Dr. Stephen Shin in "Aquaman."

On the left: Randall Park in "Ant-Man and the Wasp." On the right: Park in "Aquaman." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Tilda Swinton played a gender-swapped Ancient One in "Doctor Strange" after her role in "Constantine."

On the left: Tilda Swinton in "Avengers: Endgame." On the right: Swinton in "Constantine." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Rachel Weisz also jumped to the MCU years after appearing in "Constantine."

On the left: Rachel Weisz in "Black Widow." On the right: Weisz in "Constantine." Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios; Warner Bros.

We know Ben Mendelsohn as the friendly Skrull Talos now, but before that, he appeared in "The Dark Knight Rises."

On the left: Ben Mendelsohn in "Captain Marvel." On the right: Mendelsohn in "The Dark Knight Rises." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Zachary Levi was one of Thor's friends before becoming the leading man of DC's "Shazam!"

On the left: Zachary Levi in "Thor: The Dark World." On the right: Levi in "Shazam." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Jared Leto's becoming a Marvel vampire after playing DC's most iconic Batman villain.

On the left: Jared Leto in "Morbius." On the right: Leto in "Suicide Squad." Sony Pictures; Warner Bros.

Christian Bale is playing an MCU villain after starring in "The Dark Knight" trilogy.

On the left: Christian Bale at the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in January 2020. On the right: Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises." John Shearer/Getty Images for PEOPLE; Warner Bros.

Sean Gunn pulls double duty in both the MCU and DC universe.

Gunn is the brother of director James Gunn. On the left: Sean Gunn has played the stand-in for Rocket Raccoon. In the middle: Gunn also plays the Ravager, Kraglin. On the right: Now, Gunn plays Weasel in "The Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

Michael Rooker also appears in both the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise and "The Suicide Squad."

On the left: Michael Rooker plays Yondu in the "Guardians" franchise. On the right: Rooker gets implanted with a chip as Savant in "The Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

Director James Gunn also brought Sylvester Stallone into both his Marvel and DC films.

On the left: Sylvester Stallone plays a leader of the Ravagers. On the right: Stallone voices King Shark in "The Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

Before Laurence Fishburne was doing experiments in the MCU, he was Lois Lane's editor in the DCEU.

On the left: Fishburne is seen in "Ant-Man and the Wasp." On the right: We see Fishburne at the Daily Planet as Perry White. Marvel Studios, Warner Bros.

In addition to playing Korath in the MCU, Djimon Hounsou has also portrayed three different DC characters.

From left: Djimon Hounsou as Korath in "Guardians of the Galaxy," Midnite in "Constantine," King Ricou in "Aquaman," and the Wizard in "Shazam." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.; Warner Bros.; Warner Bros

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has looked unrecognizable in his Marvel and DC roles.

On the left: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in "Thor: The Dark World." On the right: Akinnuoye-Agbaje in "Suicide Squad." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

Tommy Lee Jones appeared as a colonel in "Captain America: The First Avenger." But more than a decade earlier, he played one of Batman's most notorious foes.

On the left: Tommy Lee Jones as in "Captain America: The First Avenger." On the right: Jones in "Batman Forever." Marvel Studios/Disney; Warner Bros.

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34 actors who have been in Marvel and DC movies

Before David Harbour was Alexei Shostakov/the Red Guardian in "Black Widow," he appeared in 2016's "Suicide Squad."

David Dastmalchian has appeared in multiple Marvel and DC projects from "Ant-Man" to "The Dark Knight." He's finally playing a leading man in "The Suicide Squad."

J.K. Simmons was known for years as the man asking Peter Parker for photos of Spider-Man. He then appeared as James Gordon in the DCEU before reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson.

Ben Affleck was Daredevil before he put on the cape and cowl to play Batman in a few DC movies.

Michelle Pfeiffer appeared in "Ant-Man and the Wasp" years after bringing the role of Catwoman to the big screen for DC.

Halle Berry made Storm an iconic X-Men character before trying her hand at a different version of Catwoman in a solo movie.

While you probably remember James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops in the "X-Men" films, he also appeared in "Superman Returns."

Before Tom Hardy became Venom, he was unrecognizable behind a mask in "The Dark Knight Rises" as Bane.

Michael Keaton plays Vulture in the Spider-Man franchise now, but first, he played one of the greatest incarnations of Batman.

Idris Elba went from playing Heimdall in the MCU to being a leader of the Suicide Squad in James Gunn's film.

Before Ryan Reynolds played the delightful miscreant Deadpool, he starred as Green Lantern in one of the worst comic-book adaptations.

"Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi voiced Korg in the MCU after he appeared in "Green Lantern" years prior.

Willem Dafoe played one of the most iconic Spider-Man villains before being a mentor to Aquaman.

Joe Manganiello was Spider-Man's high-school bully before appearing as Deathstroke in the DC universe for Zack Snyder.

Before Michael Fassbender played the perfect young Magneto, he appeared in "Jonah Hex."

Josh Brolin has run the gamut. Though you may remember him as Thanos or Cable in Marvel movies, he first played Jonah Hex for DC.

After playing badass Domino in "Deadpool 2," Zazie Beetz caught Joker's eye in WB's Oscar-winning film.

Bryan Tyree Henry has shown up in pivotal roles in both "Into the Spider-Verse" and "Joker." He'll next appear in Marvel's "Eternals."

Angela Bassett joined the MCU as royalty after playing a version of Amanda Waller in DC's "Green Lantern."

You may not have realized Chris Pine voiced Peter Parker in the excellent "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" in between his time as Steve Trevor in the "Wonder Woman" franchise.

Though he's known for dishing out card tricks in the MCU, Randall Park was also Dr. Stephen Shin in "Aquaman."

Tilda Swinton played a gender-swapped Ancient One in "Doctor Strange" after her role in "Constantine."

Rachel Weisz also jumped to the MCU years after appearing in "Constantine."

We know Ben Mendelsohn as the friendly Skrull Talos now, but before that, he appeared in "The Dark Knight Rises."

Zachary Levi was one of Thor's friends before becoming the leading man of DC's "Shazam!"

Jared Leto's becoming a Marvel vampire after playing DC's most iconic Batman villain.

Christian Bale is playing an MCU villain after starring in "The Dark Knight" trilogy.

Sean Gunn pulls double duty in both the MCU and DC universe.

Michael Rooker also appears in both the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise and "The Suicide Squad."

Director James Gunn also brought Sylvester Stallone into both his Marvel and DC films.

Before Laurence Fishburne was doing experiments in the MCU, he was Lois Lane's editor in the DCEU.

In addition to playing Korath in the MCU, Djimon Hounsou has also portrayed three different DC characters.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has looked unrecognizable in his Marvel and DC roles.

Tommy Lee Jones appeared as a colonel in "Captain America: The First Avenger." But more than a decade earlier, he played one of Batman's most notorious foes.