At long last, Kevin Feige and the executives at Marvel Studios have confirmed that the iconic comic book superhero known as Nova will be ing the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point in the near future. While the details surrounding the character's first appearance are yet unknown, fans are excited to see one of their favorite heroes finally make his live-action debut.
When transitioning a character from comic book to screen, the process of picking the perfect actor is a harrowing and often very stressful task, since the choice of actor must perfectly encapsulate everything fans love about the character. Some fans on Reddit have chimed in with their choices of actors that could accomplish this daunting objective.
Nick Robinson
Nova is one of several Marvel characters originally introduced as a high school-age kid whose superhuman abilities elevate their young lives to places undreamt of. Redditor potrap has an actor in mind who they think could bring this aspect of the character to life, writing that they would like to see "Nick Robinson for the original high school portrayal."
Though he is actually in his late twenties, Nick Robinson is most well known for his portrayals of high school students, most notably in 2018's Love, Simon and its television spinoff Love, Victor. While he has yet to break into the major action film scene, Robinson certainly has the acting chops to bring a beloved young superhero to life.
Zac Efron
Reddit matty_nice believes that starting with a young adult version of Nova is the best way to introduce the character to general audiences. "I want Richard Rider to start off as a younger guy," they write, "[Zac] Efron is charming enough, decent enough acting-wise, and would really bring in a certain audience."
Efron certainly has a sizable following of fans, stretching from his High School Musical days all the way to the present, where he has engaged in a variety of genre films that have shown off his range as an actor. While his portrayal of Nova would no doubt be slightly older than most, his youthful energy could ground the character with a sense of inexperience that is part of what makes him so endearing in the comics.
Dylan O'Brien
"I can see Dylan O'Brien as Richard [Rider]," suggests Redditor cbekel3618 while commenting on a thread devoted to just such a discussion, "Basically, [he is] someone who can pull off the character's likability... while also handling the more dramatic moments."
Dylan O'Brien is one actor who fans seem to offer up for the MCU at every possible opportunity. Teen Wolf star has yet to appear in a major comic book movie role yet.
Grant Gustin
Some actors have proven their merit as superheroes in the past, leading fans to petition for them to receive new and exciting roles within the comic book movie realm. Such is the case with Grant Gustin, aslanthemelon's choice for Nova. "So I know he's already tied up with DC stuff," they write, "but I actually think Grant Gustin would make a great Richard Rider."
Grant Gustin has spent the last eight years bringing one of DC's most famous and beloved characters to life on The Flash. Hailed by many as the best live-action version of the character possible, many are hoping to see him leap over to Marvel Studios to take a stab at one of their characters as well. If he does so, Nova would be a perfect choice, with the character's personality and power set bearing some resemblance to those of the Flash without being too similar to the Scarlet Speedster.
Marcel Ruiz
Though Richard Rider is the alter-ego of Nova with whom comics readers are most familiar, msalazar2011 believes they've found a great actor to portray Sam Alexander, the version of Nova from more recent comics. "Personally, I would love to see Marcel Ruiz play Nova," they write, explaining the importance of casting a Latino actor in the role as a 'key component of [the] character's background.'"
Ruiz could be a great choice if the MCU is looking to set up the New Warriors team in the near future, as the 18-year-old actor would get the opportunity to grow into the role as time es. The young actor's work in several notable dramas, such as Breakthrough and Snowfall, has proven that he has the chops to bring to life even the most tragic moment of Sam Alexander's life.
Steven Strait
After being prompted to provide their own choice of actor to portray Richard Rider's Nova for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Expanse" should get the role.
Though Strait isn't the most well-known actor, he could fall in the exact level of fame that Marvel Studios would be looking for when it comes to hiring an actor to bring Nova to life, as he still has the freedom to craft the character without audiences projecting his previous work onto him themselves. Strait is an actor with potential that can be explored further with a role as monumental as Richard Rider.
Liam Hemsworth
When asked about potential actors to take on the role of Richard Rider, Reddit Capwulf took a strong stance, citing their belief that "anyone other than Liam Hemsworth would be a missed opportunity." The likely refers to the fact that, should he be cast in the role, Liam Hemsworth would likely have the opportunity to share the screen with his brother, Chris, who portrays Thor in the MCU.
Aside from his relation to one of the MCU's biggest players, Hemsworth has proven his reliability as an action star on a number of occasions, including in the Quibi series Most Dangerous Game, one of the few original series from the doomed streaming service to be rescued by another streamer. The actor seems like an inevitability for the MCU, especially given his family's work with the franchise already.
Jensen Ackles
After pitching that the MCU create a spinoff series starring the New Warriors team from the comics, Redditor enterlion offered an intriguing choice of actors to play Richard Rider. "I wouldn't mind Jensen Ackles from Supernatural playing him," they write, believing that an actor of his talents would do the character justice.
Ackles has been a frequent subject of fan casting for lovers of the MCU and could make a perfect fit for Nova, as both the actor and character The Boys, where he will portray the superhero of Soldier Boy, giving fans the opportunity to see how the actor handles a superhero role.
Taron Egerton
In an MCU fan cast that spanned the spectrum of the ancillary characters in Nova's comics history, Reddit Kingsman's Taron Egerton be given a shot at bringing the iconic superhero to life for the big screen.
Though commonly cast as the MCU's Wolverine, Egerton could fill out any number of superhero roles within Marvel's expanded universe. The actor has an energy that would lend itself well to iconic roles such as Nova, which could easily cause him to become a leader in the MCU moving forward, should he finally find his way into the franchise.
Xolo Maridueña
On the possibility of Sam Alexander's Nova ing the MCU rather than Richard Rider, one Reddit by the handle of Cobra Kai," they reason, "he can definitely pull off Sam [Alexander]."
After a promising turn as Miguel Diaz in Cobra Kai, Xolo Maridueña seems poised for his next big role, which could shoot him to superstardom. The Sam Alexander version of Nova seems written perfectly for Maridueña's talents, offering a perfect relationship between actor and role.
