15 Actors Perfect for the Role of Booster Gold in the DCU

Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter), created by Dan Jurgens, is a time-tossed fame-chaser from the 25th century whose stolen future tech, AI companion Skeets, and history with teams like Justice League International make him one of DC’s most entertaining science-fiction superheroes. A planned DCU series centered on the character has been discussed alongside other Chapter One projects, spotlighting an origin that pulls from his birth in 25th-century Gotham City, a stint as a security guard at Metropolis’s Space Museum, a Legion Flight Ring, a force-field belt, and connections to time master Rip Hunter.

Quick disclaimer: this list is only valid if Kumail Nanjiani doesn’t end up being confirmed as Booster Gold as per earlier announcements. If that happens, the speculation ends and the focus turns to the show.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell portrayed Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, directed by Joseph Kosinski, and starred in ‘Hit Man’, directed and co-written by Richard Linklater. His filmography also includes the romantic comedy ‘Anyone But You’, directed by Will Gluck, and roles in ensemble projects such as ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’, also directed by Richard Linklater.

In DC lore, Michael Jon Carter is born in 25th-century Gotham City, later taking a job as a security guard at Metropolis’s Space Museum, where he steals advanced gear and a time sphere to build a superhero persona in the past. The hero’s toolkit includes a Legion Flight Ring, a durable force-field belt, energy projection, and Skeets, an AI with encyclopedic historical data, frequently placing Booster in stories that cross with Rip Hunter and Justice League International.

Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton led ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’, directed by Matthew Vaughn, and played Elton John in ‘Rocketman’, directed by Dexter Fletcher. On television, he headlined ‘Black Bird’, developed by Dennis Lehane, opposite Paul Walter Hauser, with the series focusing on a convicted drug dealer offered a deal to elicit a confession.

Booster Gold’s publishing history includes a self-titled solo series and prominent roles in event comics like ‘52’, where his timeline meddling, media savvy, and complicated partnership with Skeets are central. The character’s narratives often involve corporate sponsorships, image management, and time-loop paradoxes that pull in allies such as Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) and adversaries tied to the Time Masters.

Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt plays Peter Quill/Star-Lord in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, written and directed by James Gunn, and starred in ‘Jurassic World’, directed by Colin Trevorrow. Other credits include ‘The Tomorrow War’, directed by Chris McKay, and the television ensemble ‘Parks and Recreation’, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur.

Booster Gold’s power set is technology-driven rather than metahuman: flight from the ring, defensive shielding, boosters for strength, and onboard sensors routed through Skeets. The character’s early reputation as a publicity-minded hero is balanced by arcs showing high-stakes temporal stewardship under Rip Hunter, with Justice League International runs by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis expanding his team dynamics.

Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson stars as Jack Reacher in ‘Reacher’, developed for television from Lee Child’s novels, and performed voice and performance capture for Raphael in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, directed by Jonathan Liebesman. His credits also include ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, directed by Francis Lawrence, and a DC role as Hank Hall/Hawk on ‘Titans’.

Booster’s adventures frequently juxtapose flashy public heroics with missions that require preserving fixed points in time, pushing him into concealed, high-responsibility roles. Stories pair him with Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle for heist-like capers and with Rip Hunter for investigations across eras, while Skeets often provides analysis, tactical projection, and historical correction.

John Cena

John Cena appeared as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker in ‘The Suicide Squad’, written and directed by James Gunn, and leads the spinoff series ‘Peacemaker’, created by James Gunn. Film work includes ‘Bumblebee’, directed by Travis Knight, alongside roles in action-comedy projects that blend physicality with ensemble casts.

Within the DCU framework, a Booster Gold project can adapt elements from his origin—such as sports scandal backstory, museum employment, and the theft of a time sphere—to ground his transition from opportunist to protector. The presence of Skeets and the Time Masters enables episodic storytelling with self-contained historical missions and serialized temporal conspiracies.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery portrayed Billy Hargrove in ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers, and played Jason Scott/Red Ranger in ‘Power Rangers’, directed by Dean Israelite. His screen work spans genre film and ensemble television, adding experience with character arcs built around redemption and conflict.

Booster Gold’s Justice League International tenure introduced comedic interplay while establishing him as a capable field operative. Across solo titles and team books, he navigates paradoxes, celebrity endorsements, and the ethics of changing history, with key supporting figures like Skeets and recurring antagonists whose schemes threaten the timeline’s integrity.

Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth co-starred as Gale Hawthorne in ‘The Hunger Games’ films, directed across installments by Gary Ross and Francis Lawrence, and appeared in ‘The Last Song’, directed by Julie Anne Robinson. He is also slated to take over the role of Geralt of Rivia in ‘The Witcher’ on television, originally developed by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.

For adaptation, Booster’s arc can integrate elements from storylines where Rip Hunter mentors him into a “guardian of history,” contrasting public persona with secret duties. His equipment suite—flight, shields, energy blasters, and database-guided tactics—supports episodic set-pieces in different periods, while tie-ins with Blue Beetle and Justice League International broaden the DCU connective tissue.

Chris Pine

Chris Pine led ‘Star Trek’, directed by J.J. Abrams, and co-starred in ‘Wonder Woman’, directed by Patty Jenkins. He also headlined ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, showcasing ensemble adventure storytelling with comedic beats.

Booster Gold’s first appearance in comics established the foundation for his celebrity-hero branding, with later arcs reframing him as an indispensable time operative. The character’s blend of science-fiction gadgetry, sports-inflected origins, and relationships with DC mainstays like Batman and Blue Beetle offers crossover potential for both grounded detective plots and larger cosmic narratives.

Jensen Ackles

Jensen Ackles starred in ‘Supernatural’, created by Eric Kripke, and joined ‘The Boys’, developed by Eric Kripke, as Soldier Boy. His voice work includes animated DC projects such as ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’, adding experience with superhero properties in both live action and animation.

Booster’s chronology often intersects with crises—unraveling conspiracies in ‘52’, protecting keystone events, and confronting altered timelines. The character’s partnership with Skeets provides tactical commentary and humor while anchoring exposition for time-travel stakes, and Justice League International appearances reinforce his evolution from publicity seeker to mission-critical asset.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Aaron Taylor-Johnson headlined ‘Kick-Ass’, directed by Matthew Vaughn, portrayed Pietro Maximoff in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, directed by Joss Whedon, and appeared in ‘Nocturnal Animals’, directed by Tom Ford. He also leads ‘Kraven the Hunter’, directed by J.C. Chandor, expanding his portfolio of comic-book adaptations.

Booster Gold’s rogues and rivals span time-manipulating foes and corporate antagonists, with plots hinging on sponsorship deals, altered histories, and the responsibilities of temporal power. Frequent collaborations with Rip Hunter emphasize mission planning and restraint, while interactions with the Justice League place his expertise in broader DCU conflicts.

Jake Johnson

Jake Johnson voiced Peter B. Parker in ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, and starred in the ensemble sitcom ‘New Girl’, created by Elizabeth Meriwether. His credits include live-action and animated projects that mix comedy and action.

In comics, Booster navigates celebrity endorsements and media narratives, elements that can be dramatized alongside time-heist structures and cause-and-effect dilemmas. Skeets’s in-story role as a mobile archive aids exposition about the DCU’s history, while crossovers with Blue Beetle and Justice League International supply established team dynamics and recurring allies.

Jack Quaid

Jack Quaid stars as Hughie Campbell in ‘The Boys’, developed by Eric Kripke, and voices Clark Kent/Superman in ‘My Adventures with Superman’, produced by Warner Bros. Animation. His work spans live-action satire and animated superhero storytelling, collaborating with ensemble casts across formats.

Booster Gold’s narrative toolkit includes time spheres, museum-sourced tech, and mentorship under Rip Hunter, setting up episodic visits to pivotal DCU eras. Storylines often balance comedic setups with consequential time-stream decisions, using Skeets’s analysis and Justice League International ties to integrate cameos and crossover plots.

Sam Claflin

Sam Claflin portrayed Finnick Odair in ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, directed by Francis Lawrence, starred in ‘Me Before You’, directed by Thea Sharrock, and played Oswald Mosley in ‘Peaky Blinders’, created by Steven Knight. He also co-led ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’, developed by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

Booster Gold’s publication history positions him at the intersection of celebrity culture and temporal stewardship, enabling stories that move from corporate boardrooms to crisis-level battles. With Skeets as an ever-present tactical partner, Booster’s missions frequently reference established DC continuity, from Justice League International operations to investigations into timeline tampering.

Theo James

Theo James starred as Four in ‘Divergent’, directed by Neil Burger, appeared in ‘The White Lotus’, created by Mike White, and voiced Hector in the animated ‘Castlevania’ series on television. His body of work includes action, drama, and genre ensembles across film and TV.

Key Booster Gold arcs revolve around safeguarding “fixed points” in history while maintaining a public image, a contrast that supports serialized television plotting. The character’s equipment, AI support, and history with Rip Hunter and Justice League International supply a framework for mission-of-the-week storytelling with overarching temporal antagonists.

James Marsden

James Marsden portrayed Cyclops in ‘X-Men’, directed by Bryan Singer, co-starred in ‘Enchanted’, directed by Kevin Lima, and leads the live-action franchise ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, directed by Jeff Fowler. On television, he appears in ‘Westworld’, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.

Booster Gold’s blend of sci-fi tech, sponsorship-tinged superheroics, and time-travel investigations lends itself to a DCU series that can incorporate cameos and historical set pieces. Long-running associations with Skeets, Blue Beetle, and Rip Hunter, plus Justice League International connections, provide recurring allies and continuity hooks for season-length arcs.

Share your thoughts in the comments: who would you cast as Booster Gold in the DCU?