10 Movies With Race-Swapped Characters That Still Conquered the Box Office

Hollywood is no stranger to race-swapping characters in major franchises, and we’ll show you how this was already happening even in the ’90s. Most recently, one of the most talked-about examples is actor Paapa Essiedu portraying the white character Snape in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series.

It’s hard to predict when this will be a success for a movie or franchise. The highly criticized portrayal of Snow White by Hispanic American actress Rachel Zegler reportedly saw Disney lose millions of dollars. Disney has repeatedly done this, including with 2023’s The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan & Wendy. While many famous characters have been race-swapped to the point of controversy, there have been exceptions that still resulted in profitable box office performances.

1 Nick Fury in The Avengers (2012)

Samuel L. Jackson portrayed Nick Fury in 2012’s The Avengers. The character was originally envisioned in classic Marvel comics as a white, cigar-smoking Army veteran. Jackson’s portrayal of Fury was a huge hit with fans, and he continued to reprise the role in many of the biggest MCU films that went on to dominate the box office. In Marvel’s Ultimates comic continuity, Nick Fury was race-swapped as a direct tribute to Samuel L. Jackson.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for The Avengers.

• Budget: $220M
• Box Office: $1.5B (via BoxOfficeMojo)

The Avengers is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.

2 Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The Thor films reimagined the Norse god Heimdall, changing the character from traditionally white to being portrayed by industry veteran Idris Elba. Although the casting initially drew backlash, Elba’s take on the watchful protector became a hit with fans. Ragnarok earned a massive haul at the box office, and Elba played the role in many other major films featuring the character.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Thor: Ragnarok.

• Budget: $180M
• Box Office: $855M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Thor: Ragnarok is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.

3 Arthur Curry in Aquaman (2018)

Arthur Curry was originally depicted as a blond, Caucasian DC superhero, but the DCEU cast Jason Momoa, an actor of Native Hawaiian descent, as Aquaman. Director James Wan reinvented the character from the ground up, blending Polynesian cultural influences with Momoa’s rugged surfer aesthetic. Aquaman went on to become one of the most profitable films of the DCEU era.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Aquaman.

• Budget: $200M (via Forbes)
• Box Office: $1.1B (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Aquaman is streaming on HBO Max in the U.S.

4 High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. (2023)

The role of the High Evolutionary was played by Chukwudi Iwuji in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In the comics, the character was originally depicted as a white human scientist who later becomes a godlike being. However, Iwuji, a Nigerian-British actor, brought a sense of theatricality to the villainous role in what is arguably the best film in the trilogy. The movie became a smash hit and served as a strong conclusion to the series.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

• Budget: $250M
• Box Office: $845M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.

5 The Mandarin in Iron Man 3 (2013)

Sir Ben Kingsley controversially portrayed the comic villain the Mandarin in a massive bait-and-switch role. Director Shane Black avoided the racist stereotypes associated with the character in the comics and reimagined the Mandarin as a hired British actor within the film. Although the plot twist left many fans disappointed, that did not stop the movie from earning over a billion dollars at the box office.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Iron Man 3.

• Budget: $200M
• Box Office: $1.2B (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Iron Man 3 is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.

6 Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

DC’s Bane was originally established in the comics as a character of Hispanic heritage who grew up in a Caribbean nation. However, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises reimagined Bane as an ambiguous, hulking figure played by the legendary British actor Tom Hardy. Needless to say, Hardy excelled in the role, and the epic conclusion to The Dark Knight trilogy conquered the box office.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for The Dark Knight Rises.

• Budget: $250M
• Box Office: $1B (via BoxOfficeMojo)

The Dark Knight Rises is streaming on HBO Max in the U.S.

7 Agent J in Men in Black (1997)

Will Smith starred as Agent J in Men in Black, a character originally depicted as a white man in the comic book series by Lowell Cunningham. However, Smith’s performance in the role helped cement the film’s legendary status and elevated his own star power, leading to a highly successful franchise that earned millions at the box office. The sci-fi film also became known for Will Smith’s chemistry with Tommy Lee Jones.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Men in Black.

• Budget: $90M
• Box Office: $589M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Men in Black is available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV in the U.S.

8 Perry White in Man of Steel (2013)

Laurence Fishburne played the iconic Perry White, a character from Superman lore who has been established since the 1940s. Originally portrayed as a white character known for being gruff and demanding as the editor of the Daily Planet, Perry White was successfully reimagined by Zack Snyder’s casting choice. Fishburne’s authoritative and commanding presence suited the editor-in-chief role well, giving the character a fresh new dimension.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Man of Steel.

• Budget: $225M
• Box Office: $670M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Man of Steel is streaming on HBO Max in the U.S.

9 Tony Mendez in Argo (2012)

Ben Affleck’s turn as actor and director in Argo involved race-swapping the role of CIA operative Tony Mendez. In real life, Mendez was of Mexican-American heritage, and the film depicts him orchestrating a daring rescue mission during the Iran hostage crisis. Despite criticism from the Latino community over the lack of authentic representation, the movie’s gripping narrative helped it achieve major success at both the awards circuit and the box office.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for Argo.

• Budget: $44.5M
• Box Office: $232M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

Argo is available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV in the U.S.

10 Selina Kyle in The Batman (2022)

Zoë Kravitz played Catwoman, also known as Selina Kyle, in Matt Reeves’s The Batman, a character traditionally portrayed as a white woman in classic Batman comics. Kravitz delivered a powerful performance and quickly won over fans with a highly comic-accurate portrayal of Selina Kyle’s origins. The antihero’s chemistry with Batman was one of the film’s strong points, and the movie went on to become a major success.

Below are the budget and box office numbers for The Batman.

• Budget: $200M
• Box Office: $772M (via BoxOfficeMojo)

The Batman is streaming on HBO Max in the U.S.

Here is a summary of the movies discussed.

RoleMovieIMDb
(as of June 18, 2023)Rotten Tomatoes
(as of June 18, 2023)

Nick Fury	The Avengers (2012)	8.0/10	91%
Heimdall	Thor: Ragnarok (2017)	7.9/10	93%
Arthur Curry	Aquaman (2018)	6.8/10	66%
High Evolutionary	Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. (2023)	7.9/10	82%
The Mandarin	Iron Man 3 (2013)	7.1/10	79%
Bane	The Dark Knight Rises (2012)	8.4/10	87%
Agent J	Men in Black (1997)	7.3/10	91%
Perry White	Man of Steel (2013)	7.1/10	56%
Tony Mendez	Argo (2012)	7.7/10	96%
Selina Kyle	The Batman (2022)	7.8/10	85%

From what we’ve seen, race-swapping the protagonist of a highly successful and established franchise or film is often seen as a risky move. By contrast, changing the race of a secondary or supporting character has more often coincided with box office success in major franchises.

What role didn’t you expect to be race-swapped? Let us know in the comments.