10 Actors Who Replaced Other Beloved Stars as Iconic Movie Characters

At this point, there are so many memorable fictional characters that we’ve lost count. Many of those characters have been portrayed by incredible actors, and some not by one, but multiple. It’s understandable that as generations change, our favorite heroes need newer versions, and we’re all here for it. Check out our list of unforgettable movie characters that have been brought to life by several actors (and some that we’ve yet to witness) over the years.

Margot Robbie and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn

Margot Robbie made the character of Harley Quinn completely unforgettable in movies such as Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad. But it looks like director Todd Phillips has decided to go in a different direction for his sequel to Joker, which brought Joaquin Phoenix the coveted Oscar for Best Actor. Lady Gaga will be taking over the role of Joker’s eccentric girlfriend, and we can’t wait to see what she’s going to bring to the table.

Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender as Magneto

When the X-Men movies got their prequel start in 2011 with X-Men: First Class, Michael Fassbender was cast as the younger version of Ian McKellen’s sinister Magneto. We believe the casting choice was excellent. It was especially apparent when we saw the 2 actors portray the character at the same time in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Linda Hamilton and Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor

Linda Hamilton brought one of the most memorable and hardcore female characters in movie history to life in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. We knew it was only a matter of time before we saw a young version of her character come back to the big screen. The choice was obvious, as the Game of Thrones star, Emilia Clarke, rooted herself in our heads as a strong female character in the hit series, and she didn’t disappoint as Connor in Terminator Genisys.

Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy as Professor X

Similarly to Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart got his younger version in the talented James McAvoy. McAvoy offered a new spin on the character for the first couple of movies before finally taking his “final form” as the Professor X we all remember in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, and Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes

It’s no surprise that such a recognizable literary character as Sherlock Holmes has received multiple on-screen versions. Robert Downey Jr. appeared as the famous detective in Guy Ritchie’s interesting spin on the character in Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch blew everyone away in the hit TV show, Sherlock, which gave us a modern spin on the mystery stories.

As for Henry Cavill, he’s yet to show off his full take on the character, as his Sherlock appeared as a secondary character in Enola Holmes, a movie centered mostly focused on the detective’s sister. But now, with the sequel coming up, we’re hoping to see Cavill display those detective skills we love so much.

Michael Gambon and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore

Michael Gambon occupied an enormous place in our hearts as Albus Dumbledore over a span of many years. However, when the Fantastic Beasts movies needed to find a younger version of the famous Hogwarts headmaster, Jude Law had to step up to the plate. While he looked very different from the Dumbledore we’ve all come to know and love, his new short-bearded version sparked great joy in us, and we can’t wait to see more.

Wesley Snipes and Mahershala Ali as Blade

We haven’t seen the popular Marvel character, Blade, since the late ’90s and early ’00s movies with actor Wesley Snipes. So it was about time that we got a refurbished version with the Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali helming the new movie. We have all the faith in Ali and MCU, and we’re counting down the days until this new movie hits the big screen.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Evan Peters as Pietro Maximoff

There was a slight bit of confusion when we got 2 different versions of Quicksilver on the big screen with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Evan Peters in Avengers: Age of Ultron and X-Men: Days of Future Past, respectively. Then again, you can never have too much of a good thing, so we welcome both versions and enjoy them both equally.

Carrie Fisher and Vivien Lyra Blair as Princess Leia

Princess Leia, portrayed by Carrie Fisher, had graced our screens for over 4 decades, and we can’t be more grateful for one of the most memorable female characters ever. You can only imagine fans’ excitement when they got a young and adorable version of Leia in the TV series, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The young Vivien Lyra Blair stole every single scene she was in and reminded all of us why we’ve always loved this princess so much.

Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka

One of the most eccentric movie characters of all time is easily Willy Wonka, the owner of the most mysterious and dangerous chocolate factory in all of the fiction. He first was brought to life by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971, followed by Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005. Now, however, the brilliant Timothée Chalamet is getting his turn at exploring Wonka’s dark background in depth in the upcoming Wonka.

Do you prefer any of these actors to their counterparts? And which of the upcoming movies are you looking forward to the most?