When it comes to casting for comic book movies, there are always going to be some controversial choices.

However, sometimes the most unexpected casting decisions can turn out to be the best ones.

David Maisel, who is credited with the idea of a Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently spoke about one such decision that worked beautifully – Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man.

Maisel revealed that his board thought he was crazy to put the future of the company in the hands of an addict.

He helped them understand how great Downey Jr. was for the role and that they had confidence he would stay clean.

Back in the 1980s, when RDJ was a major star, he was also addicted to heroin, but after a series of public arrests and incarcerations, he got his life straightened out, largely thanks to Mel Gibson.

Downey Jr.’s story is inspirational, and his casting as Tony Stark was magical, leading the Avengers to box office supremacy.

This got us thinking about other controversial casting decisions that were frowned upon but paid off in major ways.

Here are ten such casting choices:

1.

Anne Hathaway (Catwoman)
Christopher Nolan’s choice to cast the queen of Disney movies as Selina Kyle was met with confusion and skepticism.

However, Hathaway surprised everyone with her convincing portrayal of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.

2.

Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
The casting of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool was initially met with skepticism due to his previous portrayal of the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

However, he silenced his critics with his hilarious and expletive-filled performance in the Deadpool movies.

3.

Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man)
Tobey Maguire’s casting as Spider-Man was controversial due to his lack of experience as a lead in an action movie.

However, he proved his naysayers wrong and won over audiences with his captivating performance.

4.

Chris Pratt (Star Lord)
Chris Pratt was not a well-known name when he was cast as Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy.

However, he proved to be the perfect choice for the role, and the movie changed his life forever.

5.

Chris Evans (Captain America)
Chris Evans’ previous portrayal of Johnny Blaze in Fantastic Four led some fans to question his casting as Captain America.

However, his performance as Steve Rogers was so perfect that no one should ever recast the role.

6.

Michael Keaton (Batman)
Tim Burton’s decision to cast Michael Keaton as Batman was met with confusion and skepticism due to his previous roles in comedies.

However, Keaton proved to be an excellent choice for the role, and he was even asked to play the character again over 30 years later.

7.

Tilda Swinton (The Ancient One)
Tilda Swinton’s casting as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange was met with controversy due to the character’s ethnicity and gender in the comics.

However, Swinton gave an outstanding performance that won over audiences.

8.

Christopher Reeve (Superman)
Christopher Reeve’s casting as Superman was initially met with criticism due to his height and build.

However, Reeve’s performance was so perfect that he remains the most iconic actor to portray the character.

9.

Ben Affleck (Batman)
When Zack Snyder released the first image of Ben Affleck as Batman, many fans were skeptical.

However, Affleck proved to be an excellent choice for the role, and fans are now begging him to direct his own Batman movie.

10.

Heath Ledger (The Joker)
Heath Ledger’s casting as The Joker in The Dark Knight was met with outrage from fans who thought he was too pretty to play the character.

However, Ledger’s performance went on to win an Oscar and is widely regarded as one of the best performances in movie history.

Controversial casting decisions can be risky, but when they pay off, they can lead to some of the most memorable performances in movie history.

These ten actors and actresses may have been unexpected choices for their roles, but they all proved their critics wrong and delivered unforgettable performances that will be remembered for years to come.