Of all the aspects of the modern superhero film that need to evolve for the genre to survive, perhaps none are as overlooked as casting. Not casting in the traditional sense, necessarily (though that too could use an overhaul), but rather in how writers, directors, and producers select which characters appear in a given film. The current formula is incredibly limiting — one headlining superhero, a love interest/best friend, another supporting character (with spin-off potential), and a villain. The result is often a wild concept quickly getting dampened by an overabundance of normal people in the cast.
While characters with humanity are central to impactful storytelling, it seems comic book movie creatives confuse them with human characters whose lack of powers, costumes, and history in the source material can greatly hinder their ability to contribute to a genre that emphasizes all three. Excitingly, the films of 2025 appear to be favoring ensemble casts, allowing each story to be told by and populated with a previously rare number of colorful characters at their disposal.
“Fantastic Four,” “Thunderbolts,” and even “Superman” — as Gunn recently announced the film will debut DC’s brutal superhero team The Authority — are ostensibly written to feature majority superheroes and supervillains in their respective stories. Additionally, “Captain America: Brave New World” seems to have a superpowered supporting cast as well, including the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), Sabra (Shira Haas), a new Falcon (Danny Ramirez), and potentially even the Red Hulk, played by Harrison Ford.
