Laurence Fishburne’s work as Morpheus in The Matrix trilogy would itself be enough to make him an icon of genre entertainment even without his other notable performances in beloved science fiction, fantasy, and horror projects. But while he’s also been part of several onscreen superhero stories, his roles in these projects have not taken full advantage of his talents, which is especially unfortunate given Fishburne’s personal enthusiasm for the genre. The award-winning actor is a self-described comic fan, having often publicly spoken about his passion for Marvel specifically, which dates back to his childhood.
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Fishburne previously explained to ComicBook how he became an avid reader of Marvel Comics at the age of six, specifically appreciating how the franchise represented the city of New York, where he grew up, and the inclusion of realistic, relatable themes and social commentary amidst the fantastical stories. In that interview, Fishburne also reiterated his interest in playing new characters in the MCU even though he’s already a part of the franchise, indicating that he may not be entirely satisfied with the acting work he’s already done in comic book adaptations, though he also expressed admiration for the casting of most existing Marvel films.
Laurence Fishburne’s Marvel Roles Haven’t Been as Strong as He Deserves
Fishburne’s first Marvel project was the 2008 film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, in which he voiced the titular character, also known as Norrin Radd, while Doug Jones performed the Surfer’s physical role. The Fantastic Four comic was at the height of its popularity during Fishburne’s 1960s childhood, and the storyline the film is based on, which introduced both the Surfer and his villainous master, Galactus, is one of the most revered in comics history, which likely influenced a fan like Fishburne to take the role. Unfortunately, while some opinions on the 2005 Fantastic Four film have softened over time, the sequel continues to be panned, though Fishburne’s performance is often cited as one of its more significant redeeming qualities.
After portraying Daily Planet editor Perry White in the DC Extended Universe films Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Fishburne joined the MCU in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. He portrayed Bill Foster, a colleague of scientist Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) who had also covertly worked as a size-changing superhero for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., during which time he used the code name “Goliath,” like his comics counterpart. After growing estranged from Hank, Bill became an adoptive father to Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen,) the daughter of another of Bill and Hank’s colleagues whose parents were both killed in an experiment that left her with superpowers, chronic pain, and limited time to live. While Ava initially worked as an assassin for S.H.I.E.L.D. in exchange for a containment suit that stabilized her condition and the promise of an eventual cure, when she and Bill realized the agency, which was still largely controlled by the Nazi organization Hydra at the time, had no intention of making good on that promise, they went rogue and turned to crime to facilitate Bill’s efforts to cure her.
Although desperate to save Ava, Bill also served as her conscience, with his influence keeping her from ever crossing the line into true villainy. Fishburne returned to voice alternate universe variants of Bill in the second and third seasons of the animated MCU spin-off series What If…? and standalone Marvel comedy series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. But while the projects Fishburne’s played the role in have all received at least modestly positive reviews, Bill has yet to gain much popularity from the MCU fan base. It’s possible this could change with future stories, and the character’s chances of reappearing would presumably be at their highest at the current moment, while Ava is serving as a member of the Thunderbolts/New Avengers. But there’s been no indication of whether such a return appearance will actually come to be, and again, some of Fishburne’s own comments imply that he may prefer to take on a different role.
Fishburne Could Return in the MCU’s Next Era
Fishburne specifically expressed interest in playing Charles Xavier in the MCU’s X-Men reboot film, noting that Charles is one of the characters he thinks he would currently be an appropriate age for. But it was announced this summer that younger actor Christopher Abbott will actually be the one to portray the mutant teacher in director Jake Schreier’s 2028X-Men film. In the past, many actors who have played more than one character in the MCU have had one part where their appearance is recognizable, with the others being characters that are not human or whose appearances are otherwise unique, with the actors either solely providing their voices or portraying them physically but disguised through motion capture and visual effects and/or by elaborate costumes and makeup. An increasing number of actors have also played multiple human characters, but in most cases this has involved them having brief background parts in earlier projects before being cast for larger roles in later ones.
Many fans have speculated that next year’s Avengers: Secret Wars will make some significant changes to the existing MCU continuity. If this is the case and Ava continues to appear in the franchise it’s possible her personal history could be altered, freeing Fishburne to play a different, recognizable character without creating confusion about Bill. Whatever the case, it will be a shame if Fishburne never gets a more memorable onscreen Marvel role, whether that means returning as Bill or the Surfer for more fleshed-out storylines, or by taking on a new character entirely.
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