Superhero movies might be the all the rage lately, but they can fall flat without a compelling villain. Audiences don't want one-dimensional baddies who only show up to twist their mustaches and laugh maniacally. They want villains with depth and presence; with conviction and motivations that are so moving that their evil ways might even seem justified. They want villains that can be just as empathetic and iconic as the heroes they work to destroy —and none of this can be achieved without putting the right actor in the right role.

Supervillains seem to come and go so quickly in modern superhero movies and only a few leave a lasting impression. For this list, we've put together quite the A-list of villains and actors to see how well they fit their roles. New or old, good or bad, sometimes these casting decisions just make or break it all.

Some actors go on to play villain roles that make their career, and others are skyrocketed into forgotten obscurity. Sometimes all it takes is one performance to pull a flailing film together or inadvertently help tear it down.

Of course, it is worth noting that these successes and failures aren't totally on the shoulders of the actors. Clever writing and talented direction is at the heart of any movie, so it's only fair to acknowledge that sometimes performances can only be as good as the material. With that said, writing and direction can't always save a poorly cast actor.

Here are 10 Supervillain Casting Decisions That Hurt Their Movies (And 15 That Saved Them).

HURT — Jesse Eisenberg As Lex Luthor (Batman v Superman)

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in Batman V Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is criticized for many reasons, but this is one of the most glaring. Surely it sounded like a great idea on paper — a modern interpretation of Lex Luthor based on the young, new-money corporate magnates of the tech industry. Jesse Eisenberg sounded fitting too, given his portrayal of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. It's too bad the casting helped sour the film.

Eisenberg's performance was widely criticized for being distinctly unlike Lex Luthor. His delivery and mannerisms were so eccentric and over-the-top that he became distracting, with his performance feeling more suited for the Riddler or the Joker than Superman's archnemesis.

SAVED — Tom Hardy As Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)

tom-hardy-as-bane

The Dark Knight Rises couldn't hope to top its predecessor, The Dark Knight. Thankfully, the film's villain comes as close to Heath Ledger's Joker as it possibly can.

Without Tom Hardy, this movie could have been noticeably more mediocre.

Sure, this Bane isn't exactly accurate to the comics, but Tom Hardy's oddball voice and showman personality make the movie a blast to watch. Like Ledger, Hardy manages to steal the show. His imposing physical presence makes him a formidable villain, but his charm and enthusiasm make him memorable.

Rises isn't the best Batman movie, but Bane is easily one of the best Batman movie villains.

HURT — Topher Grace As Venom (Spider-Man 3)

Fans were eager to see Venom make his appearance in Spider-Man 3, and who better to play him than Eric Forman?

There's nothing particularly wrong with Topher Grace's performance, so much as he simply doesn't fit the role. Eddie Brock is a brooding, angry, edgy character and Venom is all of those things dialed up to eleven.

Grace isn't any of those things, nor is he physically intimidating. His adorable nerd reputation from his role on That '70s Show doesn't help.

There are worse villains in the Spider-Man films, but this casting decision remains a bit of a head-scratcher.

SAVED — Tom Hiddleston As Loki (Thor)

Promotional image of Loki kneeling over his throne

The Marvel Cinematic Universe struggles with creating memorable antagonists. However, Loki won fans over instantly — and with good reason.

Tom Hiddleston's casting as the god of mischief seems like a stroke of genius. He's great in The Avengers and especially charismatic in the second and third Thor films, but his performance in the original Thor takes the cake.

Loki manages to both intimidate and charm audiences while Hiddleston sympathetically conveys his conflicted villainy.

Sometimes we root for Loki, whether he's on the side of good or not, and that's the mark of a great villain. Without Hiddleston, this MCU villain could have ended up like all the rest.

HURT — Jared Leto As Joker (Suicide Squad)

Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad

Over-hyped and somehow totally unengaging, Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker seemed ridiculous from the get-go.

From his controversial gags on the Suicide Squad set to his supposedly mind-blowing scenes mostly cut from the film, all that's left is Leto trying way too hard to be a "unique" Joker in a film that doesn't actually need him in it.

Jared Leto is a talented actor, but nothing about this seems to work. Perhaps the writing and direction is also at fault, but the folks at DC seem more concerned with Joker prequels and spin-offs rather than improving the Joker they have.

SAVED — Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger (Black Panther)

Black Panther is so good that it certainly doesn't need saving, but Killmonger is such a fantastic character that it's hard to leave him off this list. The MCU has so few remarkable villains, that any step above "just fine" seems to be worth a mention.

Michael B. Jordan delivers a fantastic performance as T'Challa's vengeful American cousin Eric Killmonger, and is aided by excellent writing and dialogue.

This is an especially great piece of casting, as Jordan and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler have a history of successful collaboration. Thanks to this casting decision, Killmonger will go down as one of the MCU's greatest supervillains.

HURT — Jamie Fox As Electro (The Amazing Spider-Man)

Spider Man Casting Jamie Foxx

It's not fair to put this all on Jamie Foxx. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is so poorly put together that his performance is only a by-product of the film's shoddy writing. With that said, Jamie Foxx is acting like he's in a comedy sketch rather than a superhero movie.

He starts the film as this socially-inept geek stereotype, complete with giant glasses, a combover, and a habit of talking to himself. By the end, he's this overly-intense pun-spewing cartoon of a character that only sounds sillier as the stakes get higher. It's cringeworthy from start to finish, and none of it seems in line with Foxx's typical charisma.

SAVED — Michelle Pffeifer as Catwoman (Batman Returns)

Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman in Batman Returns

Tim Burton's Batman franchise got wilder with each entry, with Batman Returns being especially Burton-esque. The movie's gothic yet campy sensibilities were dialed up several notches, but Michelle Pffeifer charismatically embraces it all as Catwoman.

Her scenes are either silly or disturbing, but Pffeifer manages to deliver such a great performance that she feels like an authentic Catwoman even underneath it all.

She's wild, dangerous, and often the first name that comes to mind when anybody mentions the character.

HURT — Mickey Rourke As Whiplash (Iron Man 2)

Iron Man 2 is one of the lesser MCU films and its primary antagonist doesn't help.

Rourke famously had a bad time on-set and didn't like the straightforward revenge plot he had to act out. He regrets working with Marvel Studios, and claims his best work was cut from the film. Unfortunately, his work in the film isn't that great.

While Whiplash is definitely a shallow, revenge-driven character, Rourke seems to sleepwalk through most of the movie. He's unenthusiastic, bland, and even if he's right about the way his role was reduced, his time on-screen doesn't make us want more.

SAVED — Kurt Russell as Ego (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn't as appreciated as the original, it brings a much better villain to the MCU. Kurt Russell plays Ego, a god-like Celestial and living planet that also happens to be Star-Lord's father.

Russell seems fatherly and charming for the most of the film, and is intimidating enough when his villainous ways are revealed.

He's not the best villain in the franchise, but he's a nice step-up from Ronan the Accuser.

Also, Kurt Russell could easily pass for Chris Pratt's actual father. This is some spot-on casting.

HURT — Marion Cotillard As Talia al Ghul (The Dark Knight Rises)

The Dark Knight Rises - Marion Cotillard & Morgan Freeman

Marion Cotillard is very talented, but she certainly isn't Talia al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises.

She plays the daughter of Ra's al Ghul, doubling as a Wayne Enterprises executive named Miranda Tate. Her character is forgettable — perhaps by design, as Tate is cheaply revealed to be Talia, the villain behind it all, at the end of the film.

Not only is Cotillard not doing anything different from her usual, but she only seems to exist in the film as setup for this especially lame twist.

This is a case of Christopher Nolan casting one of his frequent collaborators without fleshing out the role she was meant for. Seriously, Cotillard deserves better.

SAVED — Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin (Spider-Man)

Spider Man Casting Willem Dafoe

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man might be a precursor to the superhero movies we love today, but it isn't the gold standard anymore.

The main thing that anchors the movie are its great performances — specifically Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn.

Even without the costume, Dafoe is genuinely terrifying.

He's manic in all the right ways, but still sympathetic on some level. He also looks like an actual goblin, which is a compliment in this case.

Osborn will go down as one of the best villains ever, and it might be impossible for the MCU Spider-Man movies to surpass him.

SAVED — Michael Shannon as General Zod (Man of Steel)

As divisive as Man of Steel is, General Zod is rarely mentioned as one of the film's issues. Michael Shannon has an imposing presence and looks pretty amazing in costume.

Shannon is animated, intense, and works as a great foil to Henry Cavill's early-days Superman.

This was supposed to be the foundation for a profitable new Superman franchise, so casting Shannon as Zod was a great choice. The guy tends to play the heel and always makes for a formidable antagonist in any genre.

Who better for Superman to fight than Michael Shannon in scary space armor?

HURT — Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze (Batman & Robin)

Recasting Mr. Freeze would not have saved Batman & Robin. It wouldn't even make it a middling movie. It only would have made things a bit more bearable.

It's already distracting to see the world's brawniest action star in the role of a scrawny, methodical scientist, and the over-acting and constant flurry of ice pun only make matters worse. Arnold Schwarzenegger's version of Freeze is so horrendous that it has single-handedly destroyed the villain's mainstream appeal.

Mr. Freeze has depth and nuance that Arnold and this film totally lack. This was the wrong choice.

SAVED — Michael Keaton As Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming

Toomes looks at an Iron Man helmet in Spider-Man: Homecoming

Michael Keaton makes this inherently silly villain compelling and terrifying.

Keaton's charisma makes the Vulture seem justified in his rage against "the man" and Tony Stark.

Adrian Toomes never feels evil for evil's own sake — he's a guy trying to make a living after the world screwed him over.

His dynamic with his team is fun yet commanding, and his acting opposite Tom Holland is imposing. Just go back and watch the scene where he drives Spidey to the school prom. It's an unexpectedly chilling scene.

Michael Keaton helps make Spider-Man: Homecoming truly memorable.

HURT — David Thewlis As Ares (Wonder Woman)

This guy is the god of war? This polite and pleasant man? Professor Lupin? Are you sure?

Wonder Woman's main villain is absent for most of the movie, aside from Diana's constant reminder to everyone she meets that she must stop Ares once and for all. She thinks Ares is disguised as General Ludendorff, played by actor Danny Huston. Really, though, Ares is David Thewlis, who has been anything but intimidating for the film's duration.

Thewlis is a fine actor, but even covered in fire and spiky CGI armor, he's not exactly the scariest villain. It doesn't help that his big reveal can be predicted from a mile away.

SAVED —  Margot Robbie As Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad)

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn smiling. in Suicide Squad

While the DCEU is filled with bizarre casting choices, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn seems like a stroke of genius. She looks like the character has leapt from comic pages, and is the shining star of Suicide Squad.

Robbie's Harley is snarky, tough as nails, and enthusiastically insane — everything Harley should be.

Her performance has become so iconic so quickly that it has become one of the most popular interpretations of the character. Suicide Squad may end up in bargain bins, but "Daddy's Little Monster" shirts seem more popular than ever. Robbie must be doing something right.

HURT — Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa (Power Rangers 2017)

Power Rangers - Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks)

As a reboot of the campy TV show, 2017's Power Rangers is a grounded and gritty reimagining of the teens with attitude. The Rangers became multi-dimensional characters with distinct personalities, Angel Grove became a depressing working-class town, and Rita Repulsa stayed exactly the same.

The campy evil moon witch — even with a drastic dose of edginess — is still a campy evil moon witch. Elizabeth Banks' performance is so over-the-top that she feels like she belongs in a different movie, or on the TV show itself.

It's commendable to see her so invested in the role, but she sticks a bit too close to the source material.

SAVED — Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin (Daredevil)

Vincent D'Onofrio does some amazing work on Netflix's Daredevil as Wilson Fisk, but fans shouldn't forget how great the late Michael Clarke Duncan was in the same role.

2003's Daredevil isn't great, but Duncan has so much fun hamming it up as the Kingpin of crime that it becomes a guilty pleasure.

Not only is his charismatic performance a joy to watch, but it's surprisingly comic-accurate.

Duncan plays it calm and classy for most of the movie — except when Kingpin gets mad. That's when Duncan turns into a violent, screaming monster. The nuanced Kingpin of the television series is great, but Michael Clarke Duncan is Daredevil's one saving grace.

SAVED — Andy Serkis As Ulysses Klaue (Black Panther)

Ulysses Klaue talking in Black Panther

Two entries from Black Panther, you ask? The MCU has very few standout villains, so Klaue definitely makes the list.

Andy Serkis first shows up as Ulysses Klaue in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but little did anybody know that he would be one of the most charismatic bad guys in the franchise only a few years later. Klaue is arrogant, fun-loving, and hilarious.

It's not long until his character says goodbye, but Serkis leaves a lasting impression.

This is also one of the rare instances where Andy Serkis appears as himself, and not in motion-capture gear. He seems to naturally fit the part, and hopefully he returns to it in the future.