10 Actors Who Defended Huge Comic Book Movie Failures

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The actors featured in the movie failures of the MCU and the DCU are sometimes vocal in defense of their work in spite of its failure. Though the movies of the MCU have helped cement comic book movies as huge blockbuster affairs, not every entry into the genre is a success. Bloated budgets often lead to financial disappointment, and adapting beloved source material is always something of a risky endeavor.

In some cases, such as with many of the movies in the DCEU, comic book movies are considered failures. In spite of this, their stars often speak up in defense of their failed movies, lamenting critical or financial issues as unfair representatives of their work. Having poured their creative energy into making an entertaining film, some actors are understandably reluctant to dismiss their comic book movies entirely. With that in mind, here are 10 actors who defended their failed comic book movies.

10 Dwayne Johnson Believed Black Adam’s Failings Were The DCU’s Fault

Black Adam (2022)

Heading up the cast of Black Adam in 2022 was the larger-than-life Dwayne Johnson. The wrestler-turned-actor used his popularity to increase the hype surrounding Black Adam’s release, which ultimately proved to be something of a disappointment. Critical reviews were mixed, and the film’s box office take was less than stellar, prompting Black Adam to be labeled a failure by most conventional metrics of cinematic success.

Dwayne Johnson disagreed with the assessment of Black Adam, arguing that studio interference and the then-turbulent leadership at DC hurt the movie both ahead and after its release. He also suggested that the planned DCU reboot was the reason Black Adam wouldn’t be getting what he considered to be a well-deserved sequel. Though many would disagree with Johnson’s opinion on Black Adam’s problems, his willingness to defend the movie does show his belief in the story.

9 Ryan Reynolds Didn't Hate Green Lantern As Much As You Might Think

Green Lantern (2011)

Before the beginning of the DCEU’s movie timeline, 2011’s Green Lantern adapted the titular hero to the big screen played by Ryan Reynolds. The movie was panned by critics and proved to be a box office flop, prompting even its star to distance himself from the film with jokes at its expense. However, a decade after its release, Reynolds rewatched Green Lantern, again poking fun at the film, though also offering some defense of the movie.

Reynolds praised the quality of the movie’s cast, and refused to downplay the hard work undertaken by its cast and crew. He described it as not perfect, but also not a tragedy. While it certainly isn’t high praise, it was a diplomatic way of reminding its detractors of the many people who helped make it, gracefully defending Green Lantern even while joking about its failure.

8 Connie Nielsen Described Wonder Woman 1984 As A "Beautiful Film"

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Despite Wonder Woman being considered one of the best movies in the DCEU, its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, was not favored by critics. The film was scrutinized for its disappointing visual effects, problematic plot points, and generally unimaginative story, causing many to consider it a substantial failure. One of the movie’s stars, Connie Nielsen, who played Queen Hippolyta, openly defended Wonder Woman 1984 against its critics.

In an interview with Den of Geek, Nielsen defended the film extensively. She described it as “a beautiful film”, and asserted that “everything that happens in this film makes a lot of sense.” She defended director Patty Jenkins’ vision for the movie and its titular hero as well, blaming the reliance on tropes in the superhero genre for much of the critical backlash. Nielsen’s assessment of the film might be somewhat biased, but she was more than willing to speak up in its defense.

7 Ben Affleck Says He Finally Got Batman Right In The Flash

The Flash (2023)

The DCEU was plagued by creative missteps and critically divisive movies, and 2023’s The Flash only furthered that reputation. The movie received mixed reviews across the board, though one DCEU actor actually admitted to thinking his role in The Flash was some of his best work in the franchise. Ben Affleck starred in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, but his brief cameo in The Flash is what he considers his best version of Batman.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Affleck opened up on the difficulties of playing Batman in the DCEU. He explained that he thought he’d finally worked out how to play the character in The Flash, and that he believed his acting in the role was great. Though The Flash was unable to achieve any semblance of critical acclaim, it was enough to make Ben Affleck feel a swell of pride for his take on Batman after several negative experiences.

6 Corey Stoll Voiced Support For Quantumania Despite Its Failures

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Ahead of its release, Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania was teased as one of the biggest movies of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Poor critical reception led to an underwhelming box office take, branding the film as one of the MCU’s most embarrassing failures, with particular ire being focused on its reimagining of MODOK. The MCU’s MODOK’s origin was changed to merge with that of Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross, previously known as the villain Yellowjacket.

When asked about the backlash in an interview with Variety, Stoll offered an incredibly diplomatic answer. He suggested that the criticism came from a place of reverence for the comics, but that he personally loved the experience of making Quantumania and thought MODOK’s innovative origin felt organic to the MCU. It was a carefully considered and deeply respectful answer to the negative perception of Quantumania.

5 Brandon Routh Doubled Down On Superman Returns’ Quality

Superman Returns (2006)

Of all the actors to play Superman in live-action, Brandon Routh is one of the most overlooked. Having been cast in the role for 2006’s Superman Returns, Routh’s tenure as the Man of Steel was incredibly short-lived, thanks in no small part to the poor performance of the film. Superman Returns earned some critical praise and a respectable figure at the box office, but it failed to garner enough interest for the studio to pursue a sequel.

Routh was interviewed on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast, and spoke candidly about his love for the film. He not only defended the film by explaining that he doesn’t consider it a failure at all, but also asserted that he would have loved to play the role again. Routh delved into the reasons he believes a sequel wasn’t green-lit, and defended the film from the perceived criticisms often leveled at it.

4 Maisie Williams Thought The New Mutants Was Progressive

The New Mutants (2020)

As the last movie in Fox’s X-Men movie timeline, 2020’s The New Mutants was widely considered one of the worst in the entire franchise. Almost an entirely separate entity from the other entries into the franchise, The New Mutants focused on a team of teens with mutant abilities who find one another while being held in a secret facility. The movie was widely panned by critics and proved to be a huge box office bomb, earning it a reputation for being a failure.

One of the film’s stars, Maisie Williams, publicly defended The New Mutants, though. Speaking with Radio Times, Williams explained that she considers herself “proud” of The New Mutants, and that she thinks the film is undeserving of its poor reputation. She went on to explain that she believed it to be “progressive and new”. Though many would disagree with Williams, she still dared to speak out against the widespread criticism of the movie.

3 Joel Kinnaman Disagreed With Suicide Squad's Bad Reviews

Suicide Squad (2016)

Joel Kinnaman was only one part of a large ensemble cast in 2016’s Suicide Squad, though he was one of the film’s most vocal supporters. The DCEU movie bombed with critics, but was still able to make a respectable sum at the box office. Even so, Suicide Squad quickly became notorious for its narrative issues and its overwhelmingly poor critical reception.

Joel Kinnaman, who played Rick Flag in the movie, considered critics’ responses to be unfair regarding the movie. In an interview with Vulture, Kinnaman suggested that fans’ opinion of the movie was considerably better, claiming that he “can't remember ever seeing a bigger disparity between reviewers’ and fans’ response to a film.” Defending Suicide Squad as a success based purely on its box office would be relatively logical, but attempting to deny the film’s issues as pointed out by critics is perhaps a harder argument to make, though it's worth noting this disparity remains.

2 David Harbour Was Proud Of His Hellboy Reboot

Hellboy (2019)

2019’s Hellboy took a beloved comic book character and, according to both critics and audiences, wasted him in the movie's narrative. Despite receiving scant praise for some of its visual elements, 2019’s Hellboy reboot was ridiculed for its poor CGI, unoriginal story, and generally underwhelming execution. Though its Ron Perlman-led predecessors is widely considered to be far superior, the film’s star, David Harbour, defended his Hellboy from criticism.

When asked about the film in an interview with Digital Spy, Harbour revealed that he believes the negative response to the film was unfair, and that he felt it had positive qualities overshadowed by multiple voices being involved in the creative process. He acknowledged the movie’s problems, but still insisted that he considers it an entertaining piece of cinema. It’s hardly the most vehement defense of a film, but it’s a reasonable stance to take from its star.

1 Emma Roberts Defended Madame Web Against Widespread Criticism

Madame Web (2024)

2024’s Madame Web was dismissed almost instantly upon release as a borderline nonsensical entry into the superhero genre. A number of issues were highlighted by negative reviews, including strange elements of its story, poorly-written dialogue, and wooden acting from its stars. Even so, one particular actor from the film was vocal in their defense of it, though she didn’t play a particularly big role.

Emma Roberts, who played Mary Parker in the film, spoke about its failings in an interview with Variety. She blamed the movie’s poor reception and box office performance on internet memes, which she asserted make everything about it seem worse. She explained that she felt its cast and director had “done a good job”, but that “people just make such a joke out of everything now.” Her comments regarding Madame Web mark one of the latest defenses of a comic book movie and its failings in the history of the MCU, the DCU, and broader superhero releases.

DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount's Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.