Marvel Studios Officially Recasts 1 Historic Superhero Actor as Major Villain

One of Marvel's biggest superhero actors will take on another recast role in the greater Marvel universe. Over the years, Marvel has been no stranger to bringing actors back to play multiple characters in both theatrical movies and Disney+ shows.

Ross Marquand is playing the role of Apocalypse in X-Men '97 Season 2, giving him his fourth different role in a Marvel Studios project, marking a historically-high total of hero and villain portrayals in titles from the studio. Apocalypse was originally voiced by John Colicos in the first three seasons of X-Men: The Animated Series, and James Blendick played the role in one episode of Season 4. Marquand took over for Professor X in X-Men '97, after he was originally played by Cedric Smith.

Marquand is also part of the live-action MCU, having played the ghostly version of Red Skull on Vormir in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame. The part was first played by Hugo Weaving in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, but he declined to return due to the heavy prosthetic work.

Marquand then moved to the animated world for Marvel, playing the villainous Ultron in Season 1 of What If...? Ultron was previously played by James Spader in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Spader will return as Ultron in 2026's VisionQuest.

Marquand also took on the role of Doctor Doom in one scene of X-Men '97 Season 1, which included a gathering of powerful characters like Baron Zemo and Bastion. This comes after the late Julian McMahon's performance in the first two live-action Fantastic Four films from 2005 and 2007 and Toby Kebbell's take on the villain in 2015's Fan4stic.

Marquand is now the seventh actor in Marvel Studios history to play both a hero and a villain in Marvel Studios-produced titled; the others are listed below.

Every Other MCU Actor To Play a Hero & Villain

Benedict Cumberbatch - Doctor Strange & Dormammu

2016 gave Benedict Cumberbatch his MCU debut as Doctor Stephen Strange in the solo Doctor Strange movie. Since then, he has played the role in six subsequent live-action MCU movies and voiced the hero in multiple episodes of What If...?. It is still unclear whether the powerful sorcerer will return for 2026's Avengers: Doomsday, but many hope to see him in this movie and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.

Cumberbatch also produced the voice and motion-capture for the villainous Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension, in the first Doctor Strange film. Many expect Dormammu to play a part in Doctor Strange 3 after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' mid-credits scene teased a return to the Dark Dimension.

Gemma Chan - Sersi & Minn-Erva

2021's Eternals featured Gemma Chan's Sersi, an immortal being with the ability to alter the molecular structure of living and non-living matter, as the lead character. As the film went on, Sersi stepped up in a leadership role for her team, helping defeat Richard Madden's Ikaris and stopping the rise of a new Celestial, Tiamut.

This was Chan's second MCU role, after first playing the villainous Minn-Erva in 2019's Captain Marvel. Minn-Erva was a Kree warrior on Carol Danvers' team early in the film, but she turned on the titular heroine and fought against her before Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury and Lashana Lynch's Maria Rambeau shot her down.

Robert Downey Jr. - Tony Stark & Doctor Doom

One of the MCU's biggest recastings involves Robert Downey Jr., the MCU's first leading star, who originally played Marvel Studios' Tony Stark/Iron Man. Downey played the genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist in 10 different MCU films before the character was killed in Avengers: Endgame.

Now, Downey has been called back into action, as he was confirmed to play Doctor Doom in 2024. He is expected to play the supervillain in both Doomsday and Secret Wars, and the character is teased to have a vendetta against the multiverse that leads him to seek its destruction.

J.P. Karliak - Morph & William Stryker

J.P. Karliak takes on a pair of important roles in the animated X-Men '97, the first being Morph. Taking over from Ron Rubin, Morph is the X-Men team's resident shapeshifter, with the ability to flawlessly alter his physical appearance, voice, and size to mimic anyone he looks at (minus any extra powers).

Karliak also takes on a villainous role in this series as William Stryker, a noted X-Men antagonist. Stryker first appeared near the end of Season 1, entering the fray as a prominent anti-mutant extremist.

Alison Sealy-Smith - Storm & Adversary

Alison Sealy-Smith is one of a handful of X-Men: The Animated Series stars returning for X-Men '97, reprising her role as Ororo Munroe/Storm. Storm is an Omega-level mutant with the ability to control the weather, regarded as one of the team's most powerful heroes.

Sealy-Smith takes on double-duty in Season 1, Episode 6, playing the terrifying villain known as Adversary. Manifesting in the form of a giant crow, Adversary is an ancient, reality-warping demon who torments Storm when she is without her powers and serves as a psychological threat designed to feed on her suffering.

David Errigo Jr. - Banshee & Mojo

David Errigo Jr. is another X-Men '97 star with more than one voiceover role, the first one being Banshee. Also known as Sean Cassidy, Banshee can project massive sonic screams and use soundwaves to fly at supersonic speeds. Tragically, the character was killed in Season 1, Episode 5, when he was vaporized by a blast during the attack on Genosha.

Errigo Jr. also moves to the villain side in X-Men '97, portraying the intergalactic tyrant known as Mojo. This giant with mechanical spider legs traps Roberto Da Costa and Jubilee in a video game on Jubilee's 18th birthday, wanting to turn them into entertainment for millions of mindless viewers.

Martha Marion - Moira MacTaggert & Emma Frost

Finally, Martha Marion plays two important characters in X-Men '97, starting off as Moira MacTaggart. Moria is an appointed member of Genosha's ruling council, but along with Banshee, she perishes during the Sentinel's attack (which also takes out Gambit).

Marion also takes on the role of Emma Frost, another Omegal-level mutant known for her top-level telepathic abilities and skin that can turn into diamond. After surviving Genosha, she comes back in Season 2, shockingly aligning herself with government task forces like X-Factor.