Casting Denzel Washington In The MCU: The Best Characters He Could Play

Denzel Washington hasn’t joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, but with growing interest in him appearing, here are some of the best characters that the iconic actor could inhabit. Throughout the years of Marvel Studios’ dominance, they’ve managed to bring some of the biggest actors in the world aboard the MCU. One of the most notable stars to avoid superhero movies altogether at this point is Denzel Washington. The legendary actor is open to joining the MCU, though, leaving audiences to wonder about which Marvel roles best fit his talents.

Through the combination of his commercial movies and award-winning performances, Denzel is one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. That is what makes it quite surprising that he’s avoided the superhero movie genre for this long and that he’s never even spoken to Marvel about a potential role. Since Denzel is open to joining the MCU in some capacity, it might only be a matter of time before Kevin Feige finds the perfect role for him. Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan has even stated that he has ideas for who Denzel should play in the MCU. With retirement possibly on the horizon, the clock is ticking for him to join the mega-franchise.

MCU Phase 4 has continued to add high-profile stars to various projects, such as Ethan Hawke in Moon Knight, Christian Bale in Thor: Love and Thunder, Olivia Colman in Secret Invasion, and Delroy Lindo in Blade. Denzel could be the biggest new addition to the MCU’s ensemble as long as Feige presents him with the right role. So which Marvel characters could they possibly discuss? Here are some of the best roles for Denzel Washington to play in the MCU.

Magneto

Magneto is easily the biggest role that Denzel Washington could play in the MCU moving forward. He’s long been considered a fan-favorite choice to play the role as part of the MCU’s expected X-Men reboot. He’d follow Sir Ian McKellan and Michael Fassbender as actors to play the metal-manipulating mutant, making Denzel’s Magneto the first live-action iteration of the character to be Black. In addition to being one of the best actors of his generation and having everything it takes to be a terrifying villain, Denzel has long been thought of for the iconic X-Men role due to Malcolm X. He starred as the Civil Rights activist in Spike Lee’s movie, and Malcolm X is commonly thought to be the inspiration for Magneto. While that isn’t entirely true, the comparisons would make Denzel a bit of a meta-casting on Marvel’s part, especially if the MCU’s mutants lean more into the political metaphor of their comic roots. This would require a long-time commitment from him, though, which he might not be fully on board for at this stage in his career.

Adam Brashear a.k.a. Blue Marvel

If Denzel Washington wants to play a potentially major MCU hero, he’d also be a perfect fit for Adam Brashear—also known as Blue Marvel. Brashear is a Korean War veteran and super-genius who developed superpowers after being exposed to high levels of anti-matter. Blue Marvel uses his powers, which are tied to the Negative Zone, to become a powerful Marvel hero. He served as a member of the Avengers for some time before joining Captain Marvel’s Ultimates team. Denzel is the perfect age to play the older superhero, and he could be intrigued to explore parts of Adam’s backstory. When his identity as Blue Marvel was first revealed to the public in the comic’s universe, the racist response from Americans in the 1960s pushed Adam to the background. It is probably too late to get Denzel as Adam Brashear in The Marvels, but he could be introduced in any number of upcoming MCU projects, such as Fantastic Four. Blue Marvel is also a role that could occupy a lot of Denzel’s time, but the MCU could take it slow and use the character as long as he is interested.

Mephisto

Going back to the villain side of the MCU, Denzel Washington would also be an intriguing choice to play Mephisto. The devilish villain has been at the forefront of Phase 4 speculation thanks to WandaVision, but Marvel has yet to actually introduce the character. Mephisto would give Denzel an opportunity to fully lean into playing an unlikeable and terrifying antagonist. He’s confessed in the past that he loves how fun it is to be the villain of a movie. He relished the opportunity in Training Day and could dial up the evil with his take on Mephisto. This could also be a single appearance role for Denzel in the MCU, which might work better for his career plans, but still ensure Mephisto gets a major actor to play him whenever he debuts.

Related: Marvel’s Halloween Special Is Perfect To Introduce Mephisto To The MCU

Dracula

There is also the opportunity for Denzel Washington to play Dracula in the MCU. Interestingly enough, there has been plenty of speculation that Denzel’s Training Day co-star Ethan Hawke could play this role in Moon Knight. That is unconfirmed at this point, with theories also suggesting Hawke might be the Sun King. If that is so, then Denzel could still be the MCU’s Dracula. He’d easily fit into the role of a power-hungry vampire who leads his own nation of the undead. The nearly immortal villain would also give Denzel a role that could appear in various projects, such as opposite Mahershal Ali in Blade. It would be quite exciting to see Denzel’s Dracula in any capacity, but having him as the villain of Ali’s solo film could be a great place for his introduction. If that isn’t possible, Dracula could be the main villain of a team-up movie like Midnight Sons featuring Blade and other supernatural characters.

Hannibal King

Instead of playing a Blade villain potentially, Denzel Washington’s MCU role could also wind up being Hannibal King. The character is an ally to Eric Brooks in the comics and a fellow vampire after being turned by Deacon Frost. This would present Denzel with the opportunity of being a potential mentor to Mahershala Ali’s Blade. While this could change up the dynamic between Hannibal and Blade as readers know it to be in the comics, the potential of Denzel Washington filling that type of role might be too great for Marvel to pass up. This could also be a single appearance for Denzel in the MCU, while still giving him the chance to be part of Marvel’s next potentially massive franchise. Ryan Reynolds previously played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity, so Denzel Washington would present the MCU with a very different way of bringing the character to life.

Achebe

Back on the villain front, Denzel Washington’s MCU future could also be tied to the Black Panther franchise. It would be understandable if Michael B. Jordan’s ideas for him to join the MCU rest with the series he is most familiar with, and Denzel would be an excellent choice to play the maniacal foe Achebe. He is more of a psychological and tactical villain than one built on physical strength or superpowers. Achebe once devised a plan that lured T’Challa out of Wakanda and became its ruler in his short absence. Over time, the character becomes a bit more unhinged and even began talking with a hand puppet. The latter might not factor into the MCU’s Achebe, but it is easy to imagine Denzel as the menacing foe in Black Panther 3.

Bashenga

Sticking with the Black Panther franchise, it could also be quite fitting for Denzel Washington to join the MCU as the first Black Panther, Bashenga. The original ruler of Wakanda was featured in Black Panther‘s opening explanation of the title’s history. The reason for Denzel to play Bashenga is tied to his real-life relationship with the late Chadwick Boseman. Denzel helped pay for Boseman’s schooling as an actor, and the late MCU star once admitted that there “is no Black Panther without Denzel.” Since the Black Panther mantle wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Bashenga, it would only make sense for Denzel to play him in some fashion. How Denzel’s Bashenga could factor into Black Panther 3 or another MCU project is unclear, but the potential for it to honor Boseman’s legacy, even more, is quite clear.

About The Author

Cooper Hood
(5624 Articles Published)

Cooper Hood is a news and feature writer for Screen Rant. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn’t until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. When he isn’t writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.

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