Awesome action heroes always rise to the occasion and defy all odds to save the day. But, believe it or not, there’s a whole group of action heroes who do just the opposite. These disastrous action heroes are constantly overshadowed by their more talented counterparts, and they are notorious for causing chaos, blunders, and basically ruining the fun of any movie or show they grace. Whether they’re intentionally terrible, like Sam Larson from True Memoirs of an Assassin, or unintentionally dreadful, like Goku in the live-action Dragonball Evolution, these characters hold the prestigious title of the absolute worst action heroes in the history of film and television.
Some actors, like Vin Diesel and Tom Cruise, have managed to keep their careers afloat despite making some questionable choices. However, there are others who haven’t been as lucky. Chris O’Donnell’s cringe-worthy portrayal as Robin and Shia Labeouf’s awkward turn as Mutt Williams in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dealt significant blows to their action-packed careers.
What do you think about these characters? Who do you believe did the most atrocious job? Share your thoughts on the worst fictional action heroes and feel free to add your own picks to the list of disastrous champions.
1. Robin
Robin is a fictional character that appears in DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson, Robin was introduced as a younger counterpart to the superhero Batman. Together, Batman and Robin are known as the Dynamic Duo or the Caped Crusaders. The first Robin, named Dick Grayson, made his debut in Detective Comics #38. The intention behind Robin’s creation was to attract young readers, and it was a huge success. In fact, the sales of Batman-related comic books doubled thanks to Robin’s popularity. Robin also had his own solo feature in Star Spangled Comics #65-130. From 1940 to the early 1980s, Robin appeared regularly in Batman comics and other DC publications, until he eventually transitioned into the independent superhero known as Nightwing.
The second Robin, Jason Todd, was introduced in Batman #357. He also made regular appearances in Batman comics until 1988, when his character was tragically killed by the Joker in the storyline “A Death in the Family.”
Played By: Burt Ward, Joshua Adams, Alexander Martella, Burt Ward, Chris O’Donnell
Batman and Robin
2. Catwoman
Catwoman is a cool character from those American comic books published by DC Comics. She’s all tied up with the Batman franchise and has been around for a while. The guys who created her, Bob Kane and Bill Finger, got some inspiration from Kane’s cousin, Ruth Steel, and even actress Jean Harlow. The main Catwoman we all know and love, Selina Kyle, first pops up in Batman #1, where she’s called The Cat. She’s usually seen as a bad guy, always butting heads with Batman, but their relationship is way more complicated than that. When she first showed up, she was all about the whips and fancy crimes.
Played By: Adrienne Barbeau, Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Eartha Kitt, Courtney Thorne-Smith
Catwoman
3. Mutt Williams
Played By: Shia LaBeouf
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones franchise
4. Barb Wire
Barb Wire, a superhero, was introduced to the world through Comics Greatest World, an imprint of Dark Horse Comics. From 1994 to 1995, a regular series comprising of 9 issues was published, followed by a mini-series in 1996. Dark Horse Comics made an exciting announcement in March 2015, revealing their plans for a new series featuring our beloved heroine.
Played By: Pamela Anderson
Barb Wire
5. Agent 47
Agent 47, the badass protagonist of the Hitman franchise, is a fictional character brought to life by IO Interactive, a Danish company. The franchise is pretty popular and currently includes six video games and a couple of novels: Hitman: Damnation and Hitman: Enemy Within.
The game got so much love that it even got a film adaptation in 2007, thanks to Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Timothy Olyphant had the honor of playing Agent 47 in that flick.
But wait, there’s more! In 2013, Fox International Productions decided to give the Hitman story another go and planned to remake the film. They even changed the title to Hitman: Agent 47 for some extra spice. This time around, Rupert Friend was the lucky guy to take on the role of Agent 47.
Played By: Borislav Parvanov
Hitman