There was a time when the most highly acclaimed actor you could get to star in a movie based on a Marvel comic was Dolph Lundgren*. But now, as both the budgets and the respectability of "comic book movies" have increased, it's become standard practice for Academy Award winners and nominees to appear in them.
Currently, four out of the 20 Oscar nominees in the acting categories will be in a Marvel Comics film in the next two years. Best Actress nominees Natalie Portman and Jennifer Lawrence will appear in "Thor" and "X-Men: First Class" respectively this summer. And Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner, who are both up for Best Supporting Actor, will soon join "The Avengers" for a summer 2012 release. That doesn't even count Christian Bale, who will also soon be suiting up as DC Comics' Batman for a third time in "The Dark Knight Rises."
Take a look at Natalie Portman as the human love interest for the fallen Norse god in the exclusive new trailer for "Thor." Then keep reading to see why these award-worthy actors are choosing to take part in this new batch of big-screen adaptations.
