If Matthew Lillard wasn’t already considered a horror icon, his slate of upcoming horror projects would only help cement that status, as he’s reprising both his breakout role of Stu Machen in Scream 7, as well as his antagonistic role of William Afton in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (which will feature a Scream-tastic reunion with Skeet Ulrich). Not to mention Mike Flanagan’s Carrie TV show. But despite all his spooky successes, Lillard also wants to make his mark in live-action superhero fare.
He’ll first be capitalizing on action-packed comic book adaptations when he arrives in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, although fans have yet to learn who he’ll actually be playing for his MCU debut. Appearing at Los Angeles Comic-Con across the last weekend in September, Lillard confirmed that he won’t be seen wearing any lycra, indicating he won’t be donning superhero costuming. He also made it clear that he’s both willing and eager to reteam with his Scooby-Doo director James Gunn for a role in the DCU. Here’s how he put it (via Screenrant):
I’ve wanted to be in [DC]. If anyone’s curious, if you run into James Gunn, tell him I’m available. James Gunn wrote Scooby-Doo 1 and 2. He’s one of my dear friends. I keep waiting for that invitation; I don’t know if it’s lost in the mail.
Indeed, if not for James Gunn, Matthew Lillard's career might have turned out completely differently, seeing as how those two movies secured him as the voice of Shaggy Rogers in dozens and dozens of animated shows, movies and video games. That was more than 20 years ago, though, so it seems to me like it's time for Gunn to slot Lillard into another role that he'll get to continue with for the next couple of decades.
Lillard thinks his talents are best encased in projects that go big, as opposed to run of the mill procedural shows, and I'm in full agreement on that one. The actor continued, making sure to ward off further speculation that he may be playing someone with powers in the MCU.
For me, playing a superhero — not that I”m playing a superhero — to be in that world, the stakes are really high, and I like really high stakes. I’m not really the guy you hire for an office drama.
Given how animated Matthew Lillard has been throughout his career, I think there's one clear and perfect choice for how he should be utilized within the DCU, assuming James Gunn is willing to stretch the fabric of his fictional universe.
I Think Matthew Lillard Would Be Absolutely Perfect As Plastic Man
With both the live-action and animated version of mystery-solving pseudo-stoner Shaggy, as well as with Scream's Stu and many other roles, Lillard's sense of humor and comedic timing are very often on display, even in projects that arent' outwardly comedies. His talents for bringing levity to any given scene are undeniable, so it would be a crime to affix him to any of DC's more humorless characters.
As such, I'm all in on Matthew Lillard for Plastic Man, who has long been one of comics' most humorous (and surprisingly powerful) superheroes, thanks in part to the hero's malleable body that can morph into just about any shape conceivable. Prior to the acid-based accident that resulted in his abilities, Patrick "Eel" O'Brien was a two-bit criminal on a downward spiral, but he shifted over to heroism to use his elasticity to help humanity, albeit with some unavoidable groaners.
Check Out Some Of My Favorite Plastic Man Runs
- DC Finest: Plastic Man: The Origin of Plastic Man by Jack Cole (1940s-1950s) - Purchase for $25.49 (Currently 36% off)
- Plastic Man: Rubber Banded - The Deluxe Edition by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (2003-2006) - Read on Kindle or purchase for $35.54 with Amazon Prime discount
- Plastic Man by Gail Simone and Adriana Melo (2018) - Purchase for $22.60
- Plastic Man No More! by Christopher Cantwell and Alex Lins (2024) - Purchase hardcover collection for $20.14 (Currently 19% off)
LIllard would fill those shoes so perfectly, as he'd easily be able to pull off a layered performance as someone who uses his humor and Justice League inclusion to distract from the more haunted family man hiding within. Even if the DCU wouldn't opt for a more serious tone to the character, I think we can all agree Lillard would have zero trouble taking the wackiness to a full 100%.
If Mike Flanagan's Clayface can bring "pure fucking horror" into DC's live-action fare, then I don't think it's too out there to think that we could get a full-blown comedy as well, with Plastic Man as my ideal choice for the genre. So if someone could just magically smoosh together my wishes with Matthew Lillard's then it would probably save the world. Or at least result in a cool movie or something.
