For 10 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has brought several of our favorite heroes and villains from the ink-drenched panels of comic book pages to the light and magic of the silver screen. We've seen dozens of famous movie stars step out of their normal roles and give us performances that put the Marvel in marvelous. Big screen names like Robert Downey Jr., Michael Douglas, and Glen Close have all lent their phenomenal abilities to bring these characters to life, and many have been met with a more than welcome reception. It takes a lot of talent to bring some of these characters to life, and the fans love them all the more for it. From Earth's mightiest heroes to the most vicious of villains, the faces of Marvel have certainly gained some superior star-power in their decade-long run.
Though the Marvel series is home to many spectacular performances, there are still those that, while they do an adequate job, only do the basic amount to perform the character. These are certainly talented actors and actresses, but either their portrayals or interpretations of characters are simply forgettable. The MCU has its Killmongers but it also has its Aldrich Killians. While most of these are minor characters just filling in slots, some are a bit too grievous to ignore. Today, we're going to explore those phenomenal performances worthy of superhero stature, as well as those that simply pass the bar. Here are our picks for the marvelous and mediocre MCU performances.
15 MARVELOUS: CATE BLANCHET (HELA)
In Thor: Ragnarok, Cate Blanchet truly hit it out of the park with her portrayal of the goddess of death. Hela is like something ripped from the Disney Villains catalog and dipped in goth makeup. She's fierce, she's destructive, and she doesn't take any lip from a certain golden-haired god of thunder.
When Hela crushed Mjolnir with her hand, we knew we were in for a treat. Blanchet's performance is confident and infectious, making her very presence on the screen give the viewers goosebumps. Like many actors on this list, Blanchet is obviously having fun with this role, and the energy and emotion certainly carry over.
14 MARVELOUS: BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH (DOCTOR STRANGE)
There are few actors that can pass for a spitting image of a fictional character, but Benedict Cumberbatch looked fresh out of a comic book when he donned the cloak of levitation and assumed the mantle of Doctor Strange in 2016. Sherlock traded Baker Street for Bleeker street when the actor went from a high-functioning sociopath to Sorcerer Supreme when he starred in this epic fantasy.
Cumberbatch, while doing his best American impression, is near perfect casting for Strange. We see him go from egotistical super-surgeon to a wiser master of magic, and the performance is nearly flawless. A slightly newer face to the series, he's certainly one we're glad to have.
13 MEDIOCRE: ANTHONY HOPKINS (ODIN)
Let's be frank, it's nearly impossible for Anthony Hopkins to give a bad performance. The Oscar-winning actor has played everything from a mad ventriloquist to a cannibal psychiatrist, and he hardly ever disappoints. A character like Odin the Allfather shouldn't be a problem for him.
While Hopkins's portrayal of the Norse god-king is by no means bad, it does feel a bit watered down compared to some of the actor's accolades. Hopkins's version of Odin is noble, proud, and well spoken, but that's about it. It kinda feels like Odin is more of a character in a Shakespeare production than a Marvel movie. It's not bad, but certainly not the actor's most dynamic.
12 MARVELOUS: MICHAEL KEATON (THE VULTURE)
A welcome return to the superhero genre, former Batman actor, Michael Keaton, has joined the ranks of Marvel, but this time on the other side of the law. Adrian Toomes got a significant upgrade in Spiderman: Homecoming, going from creepy-old-guy with a wing-suit to a complex and even sympathetic villain. Taking a more aviator than avian approach, the new Vulture is one tough bird.
A great deal of the Vulture's character comes from Keaton's performance. Instead of being the vengeance-driven maniac the character has been in the past, Keaton's interpretation is trying to right the wrongs dealt by the one-percent. Keaton's charismatic and dedicated performance is what grounds the character in the universe, making him both bombastic and believable.
11 MARVELOUS: JOHN C. REILY (ROHMANN DEY)
There are those actors that are powerful performers, then there are those that are just fun to watch. Comedian John C. Reily is, of course, one of the latter. His goofy yet warm portrayal of Nova Corps agent, Rohmann Dey, is certainly a character we wanted to see the Guardians encounter again.
Reily's take on the Nova commander is one we don't often see in a person of that type of authority. Rohman Dey is portrayed more like a dad dealing with his screw up kids than an authoritarian looking out for the good of the galaxy. The performance is honest and genuine, and that's why we'd love to see more of Reily in this role.
10 MEDIOCRE: LEE PACE (RONAN THE ACCUSER)
Lee Pace is an actor of phenomenal range, able to perform romantic leads, comedic roles, and character parts. Unfortunately, it's barely seen in his portrayal of this galactic zealot. Pace has performed in everything from Pushing Daisies to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, proving he has the ability and talent. So why doesn't that show with Ronan?
Pace's portrayal of Ronan is sort of a one-trick-pony. He's on a mission to destroy Xandar, he has an evil army of goons, and practically shouts every other line in over-the-top theatrical fashion. There are '60s Batman villains with more subtlety. It's neither a bad villain or a bad performance, but definitely not the most versatile of Marvel's rogues gallery.
9 MARVELOUS: KURT RUSSELL (EGO)
When it comes to sci-fi and action stars, there are few as profoundly awesome as Kurt Russell. The Starman plays father to the legendary Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2, and, of course, his performance was out of this world. His charm and passionate demeanor had us buying into his act as much as our favorite renegade heroes.
For many fans who saw this film, the reveal of Ego's master plan was certainly a shock. We were all too blinded by Russell's disarming smoothness to notice the sinister overtones of the celestial being. But that just made his turn on the cast that much more enticing.
8 MARVELOUS: JEFF GOLDBLUM (THE GRANDMASTER)
Part of the Grandmaster's greatest charm is his large personality and loud wardrobe. Sakaar's sensational cosmic overlord needs a big talent to fill his robes. What better actor to portray this cosmic showman than the wonderfully weird Jeff Goldblum?
Goldblum fits so seamlessly into the role, he practically becomes the Grandmaster. Every line he delivers is one-hundred percent his own signature, strange, stammering style. Charismatic and just a touch unhinged, Goldblum's portrayal of the decadent ruler says, "I'm here, I'm fabulous, and I'm ready to cause trouble." We wouldn't have it any other way.
7 MEDIOCRE: NATALIE PORTMAN (JANE FOSTER)
Though a phenomenal leading lady, Natalie Portman's Jane suffers from DIDD, "damsel in distress disorder." More forgettable than outright bad, Jane feels like your standard girlfriend-to-save than an actual fleshed-out part of the MCU. Simply put, it's incredibly watered down compared to her other sci-fi/fantasy roles -- she's definitely no Evie.
Jane Foster fits all the earthling/mortal girlfriend qualifiers. She becomes one of Thor's first mortal friends, helps him get used to the 21st-century customs, shows him life on earth, gets saved by him at some point, and promises to wait for him when he goes back to Asgard. Perhaps there's a reason for the "mutual dumping?"
6 MARVELOUS: BENICIO DEL TORO (THE COLLECTOR)
An unexpectedly marvelous mention, Benicio del Toro made his mark on the MCU when he assumed the guise of Tivan The Collector. First appearing in the post-credits scene of Thor: The Dark World, the suave yet sinister keeper of curiosities has since appeared in the Guardians' first outing, as well as an illusion from the mad titan, Thanos.
This is a very impressive performance from del Toro, who oozes sophistication and charm as one of the Guardians' most famous foes. It's subtle, yet the right amount of flamboyant -- calm but still crazy -- and he perfectly becomes the character. It makes us hope his death at Thanos's hands was an illusion, and only that.
5 MARVELOUS: IDRIS ELBA (HEIMDALL)
While this big British actor may not be playing Bond any time soon, he will always have a place as one of our favorite Asgardians, Heimdall. Idris Elba handles the character with a calm, cool, countenance, but isn't afraid to hack and slash his way to victory either. The Asgardian all-seer will definitely be a star on this performer's resumé.
The vigilant Heimdall has had a part to play in every piece of Thor's series, and Elba does not disappoint. From the gold-clad sentry to the rugged sword waving warrior, his interpretation of the character has always been noble, courageous, and loyal up unto the very end. We can only hope Doctor Strange has a way to bring everyone back so we can see more of this incredible character.
4 MEDIOCRE: BOKEEM WOODBINE (SHOCKER)
Spider-Man: Homecoming was the long-awaited return of our favorite friendly-neighborhood-Spider-Man. With it came a more realistic and sympathetic take on one of Spidey's greatest enemies. Unfortunately, it wasn't this guy.
Bokeem Woodbine was one of the two characters who took up the mantle of the Shocker. Sure the electro-blasting tech was there, but the appearance and performance of the character were tedious and brief. It honestly felt like a filler part just to sneak in an easter-egg for the fans. Woodbine's portrayal was practically your standard thug wearing the Shocker's colors. It felt like a waste of what could have been a visually stunning villain.
3 MARVELOUS: BRADLEY COOPER AND VIN DIESEL (ROCKET AND GROOT)
What would the Guardians of the Galaxy be without our favorite Marvel pair, Rocket and Groot? Aside from being one really amazing '70s playlist, we would definitely be lacking in the fun department without the incredible and comedic voice work of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. One is short, furry, and packs major heat and a hard-hitting one-liner for every scene, and the other melts everyone's hearts with three little words.
For many fans, these two are worth the price of admission. Cooper's comedic timing and original vocals have brought Rocket out of the '70s and into the hearts of modern audiences, but that's nothing compared to Vin Diesel's affectionate inflections as Groot. Both are incredible talents, even if their acting chops aren't physically seen.
2 MEDIOCRE: COREY DANIEL STILL (YELLOWJACKET)
To his credit, Corey Daniel Still does deliver an okay performance as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket, but it's a performance we've seen dozens of times before. The corrupt businessman/CEO on a power trip is a tired movie cliche used since the Superman comics from the '40s. Basically, he's just the stereotypical white-collar criminal to go up against our underdog.
Still's delivery is, by all means, decent -- he's cocky, slick, and the right amount of despicable -- but let's face it, the only thing fans remember this guy for is the Yellowjacket suit. There's simply very little about this performance that stands out on its own aside from they otherwise incredible design.
1 MARVELOUS: ANDY SERKIS (KLAUE)
Of all the characters Marvel had to kill off, why did they ax Klaue? Played by the immensely gifted, Andy Serkis, Klaue is one of those villains who not only commit despicable acts but enjoys every second of it. His sharp wits, devilish persona, and delicious expressions make the character the best kind of over-the-top.
Serkis's performance is beyond infectious. Similar to Hela, but cranked up to 11, Serkis always looks like he's having the best time in the world. There's hardly a moment in both Age of Ultron and Black Panther where he doesn't have a mile-wide grin across his face. It's a performance that says "there's a guy who loves his job." His was a sincerely sinister performance that is certainly worth our highest spot.