Casting Nova For The MCU: 10 Actors We Think Would Be Perfect

Marvel has just started early pre-production work on a Nova project for the MCU, but details – including the cast – are still a ways out. Making casting more interesting is that there are two popular versions of Nova, the space-fairing member of the Nova Corps. Richard Rider is the earlier version, the last surviving member of the Nova Corps in Marvel Comics. He’s eventually succeeded by Sam Alexander, a much younger hero who mixes space-fairing adventures with time on Earth.

The Nova Corps and their home planet of Xandar were introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy, but Xandar was destroyed off-screen in Avengers: Infinity War. Given that, the Richard Rider lone survivor version seems to make the most sense for Nova’s MCU debut. Perhaps later, he’ll be followed up by the younger Sam Alexander, who can carry on the Nova Force.

10
Robert Pattinson Has Experience And Would Probably Appreciate The Challenge

At one point, Robert Pattinson was best known for his role as Edward in Twilight. Since then, he has played a variety of roles, showing off the wide range of his acting abilities. Most recently, he has played Bruce Wayne in The Batman. Aside from larger projects, Pattinson has also earned critical acclaim from independent movies like The Lighthouse and Good Time.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Nova would be a slightly different character than Pattinson has played before, which also is why he might be interested in it. Pattinson seems to like to challenge himself as an actor, so going from the dark and broody Bruce Wayne to a more standard superhero could be a nice change of pace. He already has the experience of playing a superhero thanks to The Batman, so even if the role would be different, he has still proven he can convincingly play a hero in a major franchise.

9
Channing Tatum Could Be A Lighter Take On The Character

Channing Tatum originally made a name for himself with the dance movie Step Up. Since then, he has starred in a variety of action movies, usually with a more comedic tone, such as 21 Jump Street and GI Joe: Retaliation. He has also been in more critically acclaimed films such as Foxcatcher and The Hateful Eight. Most recently, Tatum capped off his Magic Mike series with Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Channing Tatum seems perfectly suited to the tongue-in-cheek tone that many MCU projects like to employ. He has great comedic timing and experience balancing jokes with action. Tatum can also act in more dramatic roles, allowing him to shift tones if Nova ends up being serious or if he crosses over into less-comedic Marvel projects. Tatum has also proven himself up to the physical task of playing a superhero and would likely have no trouble with the fight choreography. Some versions of Nova have also been cocky and arrogant, which Tatum has proven he can play in a comedic way.

8
Andrew Garfield Deserves A Second Shot At Playing A Superhero

Andrew Garfield’s first major role was in The Social Network, where he played the more sympathetic lead opposite Jesse Eisenberg’s abrasive Mark Zuckerberg. Garfield would then go on to land the role of Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man where he would continue to prove how good he is at playing likable characters. Garfield recently reprised his Spider-Man role in Spider-Man: No Way Home and was considered one of the highlights of the movie.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

The positive reception to Garfield’s return as Spider-Man showed that he still has what it takes to play a great superhero. Since Nova has been portrayed as a relatable hero in the comics, similar to Spider-Man, it seems like an easy choice to slot Garfield into the role. The main obstacle would likely be the fact that Garfield has appeared in the MCU before as a different character, but since his Peter Parker is from a different universe, it shouldn’t be an issue. Other actors have also played multiple MCU roles, so there is precedent for it.

7
Logan Lerman Can Be Relatable, But Also Have Some Rough Edges

Logan Lerman started his career when he was just eight years old in The Patriot. He would continue acting through his teens, starring alongside Captain Marvel star Brie Larson in the movie Hoot. Lerman has starred in action movies from the much-maligned Percy Jackson series to the more critically acclaimed Fury. Lerman recently starred in the crime drama series Hunters, where he played slightly against type as a more jaded character than he has played in the past.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Lerman has plenty of experience playing characters that the audience can insert themselves into. This makes him a good protagonist for a project like Nova, where viewers will likely have to learn a lot about the Nova Corps and the responsibility of its members. Lerman has also proven in Hunters that he can bring a bit of an edge to characters, so he could likely also make the shift to a more arrogant Nova if the MCU goes that way.

6
Justice Smith Is Great At Playing Relatable Characters

Justice Smith’s first major blockbuster was Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. He followed this up with the starring role in Detective Pikachu. After reprising his Jurassic World role, he also more recently starred in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. This gives Smith quite a bit of experience in roles that are action-oriented and involve a lot of special effects. Smith often plays characters who are more mild-mannered and down-to-earth than those around him.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Smith would be perfect if Marvel decides to lean into the more relatable version of Nova. His role in Detective Pikachu especially proved how adept he was at introducing the audience to a fantastic world through the lens of a protagonist they could see themselves in. Smith’s role as a sorcerer in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves also proved that he can convincingly perform action sequences that will be supplemented by CGI in post-production, which will be important for Nova’s cosmic power set.

5
Regé-Jean Page Can Be A Very Noble Hero

Regé-Jean Page got his start in TV roles on shows such as Roots, eventually landing a more regular role on For The People. Page gained a good amount of attention for his short-lived stint on Brigerton as the Duke of Hastings. He also had a role in The Gray Man, an action film led by MCU star Chris Evans. Most recently, Page appeared in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves where he played a noble paladin.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Regé-Jean Page is good at playing a charismatic character who can charm the audience. He also proved in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves that he could balance action and comedy in a style similar to the MCU’s typical tone. Page’s Dungeons & Dragons character would also be a good template for Nova if Marvel wants a more noble and aspirational version of the character. Page’s career also seems to be in the right place for him to be scooped up by the MCU. He has had some notable successes but is still not a major star.

4
John Boyega Would Bring Intensity To The Role

John Boyega’s first big role was in the sci-fi horror comedy Attack the Block where Boyega played an unlikely hero who saves his neighborhood from aliens. Boyega would go on to gain major prominence for his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its subsequent sequels. Boyega was also in Pacific Rim Uprising, giving him more experience with an action franchise. Boyega most recently starred in They Cloned Tyrone, going back to smaller-scale projects following his tenure in Star Wars.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Boyega’s role as Finn in Star Wars proved he could be a relatable action star. Both as Finn and in Attack the Block, Boyega does a great job conveying emotion in action scenes, meaning he could bring a very intense and expressive Nova to the MCU. While Boyega has proven he is well-suited to this type of role, he may be hesitant to work with Disney again following his disappointment with Finn’s treatment in Star Wars. However, if Marvel can convince him to return, Boyega would be a great addition to the MCU.

3
Dylan O’Brien Could Be An Energetic And Comedic Nova

Dylan O’Brien’s first major role was his long-running stint on Teen Wolf where he played Stiles Stilinski. O’Brien would go on to headline The Maze Runner and its sequels, giving him experience in a larger action franchise. O’Brien also starred in a lower-budget action film, Love and Monsters, which showed off both his comedic and dramatic acting skills. More recently O’Brien has taken on smaller projects like the Sundance film Ponyboi.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Dylan O’Brien perfectly captures the kind of high-strung anxiety that would likely come with being a superhero. Having a superhero who seems stressed out about his new powers and responsibilities would be a great way to make Nova more relatable. O’Brien’s comedic timing is also perfect for delivering MCU-style quips. His talent for giving his characters a lot of heart would also make him capable of carrying more emotional scenes, giving him a good balance of the types of qualities the MCU usually requires.

2
Caleb McLaughlin Would Fit Well With The Young Avengers

Caleb McLaughlin is best known for his role as Lucas on Stranger Things. The show has given McLaughlin a good amount of experience working on an effects-heavy project and has helped associate him with nerd culture thanks to his character’s interests in things like D&D and comic books. Most recently, McLaughlin appeared in The Book of Clarence as Dirty Zeke.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

There are two prominent Novas in Marvel Comics. McLaughlin would be perfect if Marvel decides to go with the younger version, Sam Alexander. Alexander is a legacy hero who took up the mantle of Nova and has worked alongside the Young Avengers. McLaughlin has experience working in an ensemble cast of young actors thanks to Stranger Things, making him well-suited for the upcoming Young Avengers MCU project if Marvel wants a younger Nova.

1
Finn Wolfhard Looks Perfect For Sam Alexander

Finn Wolfhard is likely best known for his role in Stranger Things as Mike Wheeler. He has also starred in It and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and had some voice roles in projects like The Addams Family and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. He will be reprising his Ghostbusters role this year in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire along with the MCU’s Ant-Man, Paul Rudd.

Why He’d Make A Great Nova…

Finn Wolfhard would be great for the Sam Alexander version of Nova for many of the same reasons as Caleb McLaughlin. Wolfhard also has a bit more experience in other big action franchises, thanks to his Ghostbusters role. Wolfhard also looks very similar to how Sam Alexander is typically depicted in Marvel Comics, which could give him an edge. However, Wolfhard has also been in a lot of projects, and Marvel might want someone for Nova who hasn’t been in as many big projects.