Artist Re-Imagines Avengers Cast As If The Movies Released In The 90's
If we could step back in time, these 90's megastars would be perfect.
The 90s gave us a lot of unforgettable pop culture, but Marvel’s biggest heroes were still waiting for their big-screen moment. That makes this fan-made reimagining especially fun, because it asks a simple question: who would have played the Avengers if those movies had arrived a decade earlier?
A digital artist from Turkey known as Mat took that idea and ran with it, pairing today’s MCU icons with some of the biggest movie and TV stars of the 1990s. The result is a nostalgic mashup that feels both wildly familiar and completely different.
And once you start comparing the two casts, it is hard to stop.
90's Cast
Denzel Washington as Black Panther, David Duchovny as The Hulk, Alicia Silverstone as Scarlet Witch, and Ben Stiller as Ant-Man.
houseofmatToday's Cast
Fandom art is no small deal, either. It's wildly popular, and Mat's concept has been incredibly well-received, too! In an interview with Bored Panda, Mat said:
I started “houseofmat” on Instagram in 2016, and my specific artworks, such as “90's Avengers,” helped me to grow. This series gained a lot of attention and began to trend. As noted by James Clear, author and productivity expert, "Creativity thrives on constraints, and re-imagining familiar characters can spark new ideas and connections." Stan Lee’s official website even published my artwork. That was an unforgettable moment for me. @houseofmat now has 66.5k followers.
Marvel90's Cast
Eddie Murphy as Falcon, Tom Cruise as Iron Man, and Brad Pitt as Thor.
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Today's Cast
At 31 years old, Mat has been drawing for most of his life, but being a professional artist was not always in the cards, or so he thought. He told BP:
I studied Tourism and Hotel Management. I wanted to return to the art side, so I decided to study Graphic Design for a master's degree.It was upon graduation with his well-earned, fancy degree that Mat found his place in art:
I usually work on superheroes, comics, games, and cartoon characters as a concept illustrator. My purpose is to create unfinished artworks to leave a footprint in the art world.
Marvel
90's Cast
Dolph Lundgren as Vision, Leonardo DiCaprio as Captain America, Johnny Depp as Hawkeye, Cuba Gooding Jr. as War Machine, and Sandra Bullock as Wasp.
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Today's Cast
As far as this specific series is concerned, Mat says he was inspired by his childhood. He was born in 1987, making the 90's a particularly memorable era for him. And his favorite superhero? Why, Iron Man, of course: "Because he is a role model that shows a 'human' can deal with other superheroes and villains. He’s got no superpowers. He has my complete respect."
Marvel
90's Cast
Michael J. Fox as Spider-Man, Sharon Stone as Pepper Potts, Brendan Fraser as Star-Lord, and Keanu Reeves as Doctor Strange.
houseofmat
Today's Cast
Mat's artistic toolbox includes Photoshop, Illustrator, and tablet applications for drawing and editing. He also explained that each piece takes, on average, four hours to complete, but that's not a precedent. In fact, it can vary greatly: "It depends on the details. Some artworks need more attention and detail. The longest artwork took seven hours."
Marvel
The 90s version of the MCU looks surprisingly convincing.
Today's MCU Cast
As Avengers sees its doors close, Mat's popularity continues to rise. It certainly leaves us excited for the future.
Marvel
That said, with the final installments of the Avengers movies, will this be the end of Mat's fun work? Nope! Mat told Bored Panda that he still has a lot of ideas:
I hope they like my Avengers series. I have a lot of plans this year. I’m waiting a little bit for new artworks because I do not want to spoil anything about Endgame. I also have lots of ideas about the 90s. Thanks to all of my followers for their support.
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And the fan reactions are part of the fun.
And what say the fans?
Pretty much everyone agrees the art is stellar, but the casting has certainly created a flush of variety. Some disagreements, sure, but a lot of enthusiasm and jokes, too!
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Personally, I couldn't co-sign enough on Brad Pitt as Thor and Keanu Reeves as Doctor Strange, but these bonus suggestions for Thanos and Deadpool are pretty spot-on, too!
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Naturally, everyone loves Keanu Reeves, so anything he's added to is going to be popular. However, it's no surprise that not everyone today is on board the Tom Cruise train.
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It is a nostalgia trip that works a little too well.
So, what do you think? Would you be down to travel through time and see these actors and actresses in The Avengers? Sound off in the comments!
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Before you scroll past, see how Kaley Cuoco handled a tense set moment with an A-list actress who overlooked her on “Charmed.”
