Even when a movie character dies, there's still a chance the actors portraying them will return for more sequels. Franchises have found many creative ways to bring back beloved actors after their characters have been killed off. It's certainly not a new phenomenon, but the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in the MCU means it's being talked about more than ever.
There are many ways franchises can bring an actor back after their character's death. The simplest way is to revive the character, although this is much easier in science fiction and fantasy franchises, which can come up with creative ways to bring people back from the dead. In other cases, actors return to play completely different characters, whether the franchise offers any explanation for this or not.
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Robert Downey Jr. in the MCU
Avengers: Doomsday is already one of the MCU's most hyped films
While Robert Downey Jr. has built an impressive career outside of the MCU, especially with his Oscar win for Oppenheimer, he will probably always be most famous for his performances as Tony Stark. He has been the face of the franchise since 2008 Iron Man, and his character's sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame It seemed like the perfect goodbye.. However, this death was just the beginning of a new chapter for Downey Jr. in the MCU.
Certain casting decisions come under greater scrutiny in the MCU, and the debate over who should play Doctor Doom was one of them. For such an iconic comic book villain, the prevailing feeling was that the MCU needed someone special, but few people expected the shocking announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would return to the MCU to play the completely unrelated character. The announcement generated a lot of buzz, but it's still unclear how exactly this will play out in 2026. Avengers: Judgment Day.
9
Sigourney Weaver in avatar
Weaver plays Grace and Grace's Na'vi daughter
Sigourney Weaver plays Dr. Grace Augustine in the first avatar film. Grace is a brilliant scientist who has spent years studying Pandora and the Na'vi way of life. Like Jake, she comes to admire and respect the Na'vi on a much deeper level than most other humans. Grace is killed at the end of Avatar, and Jake is unable to transplant his consciousness into his avatar, but Weaver still returns Avatar: The Path of Water.
Although Grace dies, her avatar gives birth to a Na'vi daughter named Kiri, who is also played by Weaver.
Although Grace dies, her avatar gives birth to a Na'vi daughter named Kiri, who is also played by Weaver. James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver first worked together in Aliensthen they developed a creative understanding with each other, and Cameron stated that she wanted Weaver to indulge her inner child when playing young Kiri. Weaver is ready to return to Avatar: Fire and Ash in 2025.
8
Charles Gray in James Bond
Gray played Bond's ally and greatest enemy
THE James Bond the franchise has recycled many actors over the last 60 yearsbut most of these actors only occupy minor roles. Charles Gray stands out for playing Bond's most famous villain, Blofeld. Gray is not generally ranked among Blofeld's best actors. Donald Pleasence is probably the most iconic, while Telly Savalas also gives a strong performance in In Her Majesty's Secret Service. Gray is a bit underrated, however, as he brings a lot of mocking superiority to the role that makes Blofeld a repulsive bully.
Before playing Blofeld in Diamonds are forever, Gray played one of Bond's allies in You only live twicejust four years earlier. Bond meets fellow British agent Dikko Henderson in Japan, but as they are preparing for a conversation, Henderson is stabbed by an assassin through a paper wall. It's a brief scene, and fans of the James Bond the franchise may soon forget Gray's role before his most important role in Diamonds are forever.
7
Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator
Schwarzenegger goes from villain to hero
Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly suited for the role of the Terminator, so the franchise brought him back for the sequel, even though his character was destroyed by Sarah Connor in the first film. After playing one of science fiction's most chilling villains in The TerminatorSchwarzenegger plays one of science fiction's greatest heroes in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. For each sequence, Schwarzenegger reproduces a different copy of the same machine.
For each sequence, Schwarzenegger reproduces a different copy of the same machine.
The T-800 in Terminator 2 He's a much more complex character. Instead of being a ruthless killing machine, this reprogrammed version of the T-800 takes on some more human character traits, which helps sell his new role as a hero. He becomes a friend and a father figure, so his eventual self-sacrifice is extremely emotional, which shows how different Schwarzenegger's character is in James Cameron's sequel.
6
Keanu Reeves in The Matrix
The Matrix franchise seemed dead and buried for over a decade
The Wachowskis wanted to end the Headquarters franchise with 2003 Revolutions, but Lana was eventually convinced to revive the franchise without Lily in 2021 THE Matrix: Resurrections. The sequel had to face the considerable problem that both Neo and Trinity were killed at the end of Revolutions, but Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss returned. The sequel probably wouldn't have a chance to work without the franchise's two main stars.
The sequel had to face the considerable problem that both Neo and Trinity were killed at the end of Revolutions.
Instead of immediately being Neo once again, Reeves' character begins Matrix: Resurrections like an older version of Thomas Anderson, the version of himself that exists in the Matrix. Anderson has to embark on a journey of discovery, just as he did in the first film in the franchise. Neo and Trinity were resurrected by the Analystwho wanted to study Neo's powers as The One to maximize the Matrix's energy output.
5
Pat Roach in Indiana Jones
Pat Roach played different characters in three Indiana Jones films
Before he began acting, Pat Roach first made a name for himself as a professional wrestler in Great Britain. He often used his burly body to play enforcers and thugs, especially in Indiana Jones franchise. He plays two characters in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The first is a secondary character that Indy fights in Nepal. The second is the German mechanic who Indy later fights, although this character is crushed in the propeller of a grounded plane.
Although his character was brutally torn apart in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Roach returned to Temple of Doom. In the prequel, he plays the violent head of the guard who runs the mines. Once again, his character is killed in a fight with Indy, but once again, Roach returned to the franchise. His role as a member of the Gestapo should be much more important in The Last Crusade, but most of his scenes were cut.
4
James Caan in The Godfather
Caan returned for just one scene
Sonny's violent death is a major turning point in the The godfather, and his legacy shapes the sequel, even though the character is long gone. Sonny's death inspires Vito to end the gang war, and this facilitates Michael's return to America. James Caan gives a captivating performance as Sonny, so it's a joy to see him return The Godfather Part II, even though he only appears in one scene.
James Caan refused to return for the sequel unless he was paid the same amount he was paid The Godfather.
The flashback scene in The Godfather Part II it shows the Corleone family at peace, with Michael telling his brothers that he has enlisted to join the army. This underlines how far Michael has come in his journey and contrasts his reign over the family with the years when his father, Vito, was still in control. James Caan refused to return for the sequel unless he was paid the same amount he was paid The Godfather. Francis Ford Coppola considered this scene so important that it helped Caan get what he wanted.
3
Yayan Ruhian in the invasion
Gareth Evans didn't want to do an attack sequence without giving Ruhian a role
Yayan Ruhian is just one of the notable martial arts stars in The Attack: Redemption and its sequence. The cast also includes Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais. Since then, all three of these actors have had roles in major Hollywood productions, which underlines their international success. Attack films. Despite this global popularity, it appears that The attack 3 will never be done. Fans can expect a remake from Michael Bay and Patrick Hughes, although it would be a surprise if this remake matched the quality of the original.
Yayan Ruhian shows off his martial arts skills in The Attack: Redemption as Mad Dog, who serves as chief enforcer for crime lord Tama. Although he was killed by Rama and Andi after a brutal fight, Ruhian also has a role in the sequel. He plays the minor role of Prakoso, another gang killer. Ruhian also served as fight choreographer on both Attack filmsfeaturing the little-known Indonesian fighting style of pencak silat.
2
Ian McDiarmid in Star Wars
Somehow, Ian McDiarmid returned
Ian McDiarmid first played Emperor Palpatine in 1983 Return of the Jedi, and he developed the character in Star Wars prequel trilogy. Surprisingly, he returned to The Rise of Skywalker to conclude Disney's sequel trilogy. This ended up being one of the most controversial moves in the franchise, as Palpatine's return from death has no satisfactory explanation. The Rise of Skywalker holds a 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a steep drop compared to The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Another common criticism of Palpatine's return is that the idea seems to have no basis in the rest of the trilogy, as if it were a reflexive move to reconfigure part of Palpatine's world-building. The Last Jedi. While the decision to bring in Ian McDiarmid was controversial, he revives the character of Emperor Palpatine with the same menace as always and effectively replaces Snoke.
1
Hugh Keys-Byrne in Mad Max
One actor plays two iconic villains
THE Mad Max The franchise began in 1979, with Hugh Keays-Byrne playing the villain Toecutter. When George Miller revived the trilogy, he cast Keays-Byrne as the villain once again. In 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road, Keays-Byrne plays Immortan Joe, arguably the best Mad Max villain of all. Immortan Joe wears a mask that covers most of his face, so fans of the franchise may not even recognize the actor.
Toecutter is run over by a truck at the end of MadMax, and Immortan Joe dies at the hands of Furiosa. Keyays-Byrne is far from the only actor to have played two roles in Mad Max franchisealthough he is the best known. Bruce Spence, Josh Helman and Max Fairchild have roles in two films. Elsa Pataky and Lachy Hulme have dual roles in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga alone.