10 Marvel Roles Henry Cavill Would Be Perfect Casting For

Some actors have a certain unquantifiable intangible quality that just draws people into them. A lot of times, these cults of personalities don’t even have to be good actors; they just need to feel like someone viewers would want to spend more time with, even beyond the film’s runtime. While he isn’t Tom Cruise yet, Henry Cavill has been bubbling in Hollywood for quite some time and has always been one moment away from taking over the industry. From just missing out on playing Bond to his complicated time at DC, Cavill has consistently almost become the star of a popular hit franchise.

That said, Cavill fans have always rallied around him because of his onscreen presence, and it’s clear audiences want to see him lead a huge franchise as much as he does. After his unceremonious exit from DC and a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, it only makes sense that he goes to the franchise of all franchises: Marvel. Maybe the MCU can finally give him the shot he deserves at leading an ongoing hit series; in a time when Marvel is not a guarantee anymore, perhaps they can help each other. With his stereotypical good looks and peak superhero build, there’s no shortage of great Marvel characters for Cavill to play. With the X-Men on the Way and the Multiverse Saga coming to a close, the possibilities are almost endless. These Marvel characters are perfect for Henry Cavill, and hopefully, he’ll eventually play one.

10 Cyclops

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Thanks to the FOX X-Men movies, some fans may mistake the fan-favorite X-Men character Cyclops as a boring, love-struck side character instead of the brooding, kick-ass leader of the X-Men haunted by his past. Indeed, Cyclops is among the best Marvel characters, an archetypical leader and hero with something of a chip on his shoulder.

After being wasted throughout his tenure as Superman, Cavill playing the leader of Marvel’s next huge franchise seems fitting. Cavill also has the star persona to make Cylclops the main character he never got to be in the previous films. More importantly, in the comics, Cyclops is a strong, silent type with lots going on underneath, something fans know Cavill can do because of his previous roles. Take Cavill’s work on The Witcher, which is more similar to Marvel’s dower Cyclops than DC’s hopeful Clark Kent.

9 Captain Britain

Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe

Created for the British branch of the Marvel Universe, this protector of the UK was given his super abilities by the Sorcerer Supreme Merlin. While sharing the super strength and stamina of Steve Rogers, Brian Braddock also has magical abilities and a bad drinking habit that makes him very different and possibly more interesting.

When there’s already fan art and AI trailers of Cavill as Captain Britain and the actor himself has expressed interest in the role, it almost seems like fate. There also hasn’t been a British hero leading a Marvel movie after 34 films. It’s also perfect timing MCU-wise, with Captain Britain having run-ins with Spider-Man and the X-men on the page. Braddock is also known to be arrogant and somewhat belittling, something fans loved from Cavill’s standout performance in Mission Impossible: Fallout.

8 Hyperion

Created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema,

Roy Thomas made this overpowered character as a homage to Superman, with both characters sharing many of the same abilities. However, unlike Superman, Thomas, AKA Hyperion, is often controlled by other entities and can straddle the line between hero and villain depending on who’s controlling him, making for a potentially fascinating and complex movie.

After his untimely departure as the Superman character, seeing Cavill play this alien with super strength, speed, heat vision, and flight is oddly fitting and would be a bit of a redemption arc for the actor. The powerful Hyperion is also an Avenger villain and could even be the next potential big bad of the MCU. If Cavill’s previous work as villains, most notably in Fallout, is any indication of what he could bring to Hyperion, he could potentially be more of a threatening Thanos.

7 Ghost Rider

Created by Gary Friedrich, Roy Thomas and Mike Ploog

Johnny Blaze, a stuntman who’s sold his soul to Mephisto and whose skull now ignites in flames every night riding his motorcycle, is easily one of Marvel’s coolest heroes. While fans enjoyed the Robbie Reyes version in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., these character’s powers and abilities really demand a big-screen spectacle.

While Nicolas Cage‘s Ghost Rider was eccentric and pulpy, Cavil’s more serious and grounded sensibilities could take the character in a darker direction. His grittier take on Johnny Blaze being possessed with the spirit of vengeance could see Marvel make their first real horror film. Cavil’s also proven from both his darker and lighter versions of Superman that he has the range to play both Johnny Blaze and the merciless Ghost Rider demon.

6 Betta Ray Bill

Created by Walt Simonson

This fan-favorite antagonist and ally of Thor with the face of a horse gave ’80s comic fans the shock of the century when he was the only character up till that point able to wield Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, other than himself. Truthfully, Cavill could have made a great Thor, but Betta Bill is the next best thing.

With Bill’s unique look, Cavill would have to wear makeup or play a CGI character, which might make it less weird to average audiences confused as to why DC’s Superman is now a Marvel hero. Cavill also has the perfect body type to play this notoriously buff character and is one of the few actors fans can see realistically going head-to-head with Chris Hemsworth, looks-wise. Bill may also be the perfect replacement for Thor when Hemsworth is ready to move on from Marvel.

5 Venom

Created by Todd McFarlane, David Michelinie, Mike Zeck

An alien goo who’s violently obsessed with Spider-Man and takes over a reporter who’s also consumed with him sounds silly. However, over the years, Venom has not only become a classic comic book villain but a hero in his own right. With a piece of Venom staying in the MCU timeline in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s the perfect time to see Tom Holland go up against a variant of Eddie Brock.

It would also be a second chance for fans to see Spider-Man and Venom go head-to-head after the disappointment of Spider-Man 3 and a Venom trilogy with no Spider-Man. As for Cavill, with his versatility in playing heroes and villains, he seems like an easy pick for the role. Venom gives him a chance to show Brock’s evolution from villain to anti-hero while still embracing the campy side of comic books. It also doesn’t hurt that Cavill is jacked, just like Eddy and Venom in the comics.

4 Union Jack

Created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins

The only thing cooler than Batman is British Batman. The first two iterations of Union Jack are father and son, wealthy aristocrats with machine guns who fight crime, Nazis, and vampires in their free time. What’s interesting about Jack’s third successor,Joseph Chapman, is he’s not from old money but works in a shipyard, which could lay the foundation of a great Cavill-led film.

This British action star playing Union Jack should be a no-brainer. Jack has no superpowers and relies heavily on his physicality, which Cavill has in spades, as seen in multiple movies, including the recent The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Fans who’ve seen it know Cavill is practically playing Union Jack without the mask, and he’s endlessly entertaining in the action scenes. The first Union Jack was also in Captain America: First Avenger, making for the perfect tie-in.

3 Mr. Sinister

Created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

This Victorian-age mad scientist is gifted with powers after losing his wife and children, becoming one of the greatest X-Men villains not featured in a movie. As the first one to ring the alarm that humans may one day mutate, Sinister would make an interesting first foe for the MCU’s X-Men. In fact, Sinister is an interesting enough villain to be the star of a solo movie.

Sure, Cavill would make a great Sabertooth, and judging by his size, he’d make the perfect Juggernaut. However, seeing Cavill play against type and be more of a mental threat to the MCU’s first live-action interpretationof the X-men sounds too good to pass up. There’s also an added bonus of Mr. Sinister being Cyclops’s arch-enemy, meaning he may be in multiple movies and become an important MCU antagonist. Besides, depending on the artist, Cavill often looks eerily similar to this fan-favorite villain.

2 Agent Jay (Men In Black)

Created by Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers

When fans think of Men In Black, the last thing that comes to mind is the MCU. While the world is familiar with the goofy big-screen version of the Men in Black, the original ’90s Malibu Comic acquired by Marvel reads more like Training Day with aliens. Agent Kay isn’t just an older chromagen but a cold-hearted killer who doesn’t neutralize witnesses but kills them. Meanwhile, Agent Jay isn’t comic relief but a voice of reason grappling with his partner’s sinister tactics.

The Men In Black sequels have continuously disappointed, but instead of trying to find someone to replace Will Smith‘s natural charisma, allowing Cavill to play the ethical consciousness of Agent J allows them to get around this challenge. As most fans know, Cavill excelled at playing a similar role in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Taking Agent Jay in the other direction and letting Cavill play the more serious, straight-laced boy scout from the comics might be more intriguing and a breath of fresh air.

1 Wolverine

Created by Len Wein and Marve John Romita Sr

This infamous pint-sized X-men with a bad attitude was introduced as a small cameo in The Incredible Hulk issue 118. Decades later, he’s one of the most iconic heroes for comic and non-comic fans, thanks to the X-Men film franchise. However, many questioned if there’s an actor worthy of filling Hugh Jackman‘s shoes as the character.

While the idea of another 6-foot-tall Wolverine may be a turn-off for hardcore X-Men fans, Cavill’s cameo in Deadpool and Wolverine as a Logan variant left the fandom begging for more. While only lasting a moment, Cavill’s menacing delivery, disheveled look, and Logan’s infamous hair completely sell him as the character. It might be too easy, but sometimes, the best things are hiding in plain sight.

NEXT: 10 MCU Characters Better Than Their Comic Book Counterparts