Young Justice is currently airing its fourth season, subtitled Phantoms. One of the most acclaimed animated shows on television, Young Justice has a loyal army of fans who have stuck around since its first season, which premiered all the way back in 2010.
The show's cast expanded with every new season, but its core cast of characters remains the same, returning to the spotlight with individual arcs in Phantoms. Fans love these heroes and would love to see live-action versions, and, because of how beloved these characters are, surely more than one A-lister would love to bring them to life.
Black Lightning - Sterling K. Brown
Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, arrives in season three, Outsider, playing a prominent role throughout the story. Recently divorced and dealing with the aftermath of his killing of a monster which turned out to be a young girl, Jefferson goes through a compelling journey throughout the season, eventually becoming the leader of the Justice League.
Black Lightning is one of the most underrated members of the Justice League, so it's high time he makes his big-screen debut. Acclaimed actor Sterling K. Brown would be the perfect choice to play the role, bringing plenty of gravitas to the already complex role.
Vandal Savage - Dave Bautista
Although Young Justice juggles multiple villains, Vandal Savage often acts as the mastermind of the series' landmark evil team, The Light, thus making him the de-facto main antagonist. Vandal is an immortal warrior and the architect of many of humanity's greatest civilizations, including Atlantis and Babylon.
With projects like Blade Runner 2049 and Army of the Dead, Dave Bautista proved himself the best and most versatile of the wrestlers-turned-actors by a considerable margin. A role like Savage would allow him to play a quiet and nuanced villain, the opposite of his previous comic book character.
Beast Boy - Rhenzy Feliz
Garfield Logan is the most prominent of Young Justice's supporting characters. He is the leader of the Outsiders, currently going through a deep depression after Superboy's death. His struggle with mental health is incredibly poignant and compelling, and one of the storylines Young Justice: Phantoms still needs to resolve.
Rhenzy Feliz rose to prominence playing Alex Wilder in Hulu's Runaways. Last year, he scored a major hit voicing Camilo Madrigal in Disney's juggernaut Encanto. The 24-year-old Feliz is the right age to play Gar, bringing the perfect mix of charm and inexperience to the role.
Rocket - Keke Palmer
Rocket was a familiar but underrated character in Young Justice for the first three seasons. Phantoms finally brings her to the forefront, giving her an arc of her own, which will place her in the middle of the New Gods' battle. It's an inspired choice for a character that spent far too long in the shadows.
Following her breakthrough role in Nickelodeon's True Jackson, VP Keke Palmer rose to prominence with roles in shows like Scream Queens and movies like Hustlers. Palmer is ready to become an A-lister, and a major franchise would help with that. Rocket is a layered character, a single mother balancing superhero life with caring for a son on the spectrum. The role would allow Palmer to flex her acting chops while adding a massive project to her resumé.
Zatanna - Simone Ashley
Like Rocket, Zatanna played a supporting role throughout the show's first three seasons. However, she left her mark thanks to her romance with Robin and her complex relationship with her father, Zatara, Doctor Fate's current host. Zatanna is also one of the most powerful characters in Young Justice, thanks to her considerable magical abilities.
Along with Nightwing, Zatanna is arguably the most crucial character to cast for a Young Justice adaptation, mainly because she has the most potential to cross over to other DC properties. Sex Education and Bridgerton breakout Simone Ashley is at the cusp of stardom, and a comic book role would elevate her to the A-list. She proved herself a gifted dramatic and comedic performer who could successfully bring Zatanna to life. Seh's tcefrep gnitsac!
Superboy - David Corenswet
Superboy is arguably the bravest character in Young Justice. His storyline takes him from a raging and inexperienced newborn clone into a bonafide leader and role model, leading to his sacrifice at the end of his arc in Phantoms. His romance with Miss Martian is also significant, helping him understand humanity better.
David Corenswet rose to prominence in two Ryan Murphy Netflix projects, The Politician and Hollywood. He is a popular fan-cast for a younger version of Superman in the DCEU, making him the only logical choice for the role of Superboy. His striking resemblance to Henry Cavill could also open the door for a team-up between Superboy and Superman should Warner ever bring Cavill back.
Miss Martian - Jenna Ortega
The group's mother, Miss Martian is one of the most likable characters in Young Justice. A loving and caring figure always willing to lend a hand, Miss M is also the most overpowered member of The Team. Like Beast Boy, she currently grieves Superboy's death, adding extra layers to her already complex characterization.
Few Hollywood starlets show as much promise as Jenna Ortega. After a star-making performance in Scream, Ortega will next lead Netflix's Wednesday. She would be a perfect choice to bring Miss M to life, embodying the character's warmth and strength with ease.
Aquaman - Dyllón Burnside
Young Justice created a new version of Aqualad, a young Black man named Kaldur'ahm. Kaldur was the stoic and ever-responsible leader of The Team, whose hard work eventually led to him becoming the leader of the Justice League. Kaldur is also one of the most significant LGBTQ+ figures in DC media, bringing some much-needed diversity to the story.
Pose breakout Dyllón Burnside would be a perfect choice to bring Kaldur to life. The actor proved his talent on the hit FX show, but he's missing that extra push to elevate him to the A-list. A live-action version of Young Justice would be the perfect chance to bring both Burnside and Kaldur to the mainstream.
Tigress - Lana Condor
Artemis Crock is the daughter of Sportsmaster and sister of Cheshire. However, she chose the opposite path, becoming a member of The Team under the alias Artemis, before adopting her current Tigress identity. Like Miss Martian, Artemis lost her love, Wally West, in the season two finale.
Born in Vietnam, Lana Condor is the perfect choice to portray the half-Vietnamese Artemis. Condor has experience with superhero roles, having played Jubilation Lee in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. However, Tigress is arguably Young Justice's female lead, finally giving Condor the spotlight she deserves.
Nightwing - Dylan O'Brien
Nightwing is Young Justice's best character. The Team's leader and Batman's former protegé, Nightwing is highly intelligent and an expert hand-to-hand combatant. He serves as a mentor to the Outsiders and is also one of the most respected figures within the show's world.
When fan-casting Nightwing, there's no other choice but Dylan O'Brien. The Teen Wolf breakout is perfect for the role, having the perfect combination of awkward charm and everyman quality to successfully bring Dick Grayson to life. At this point, if DC ever does do a live-action version of Nightwing, fans expect O'Brien to play the role. He is the best actor for the part.