Summary
A loyal live-action adaptation ofDragon Ball Zis yet to see the light of day, but it is still hard not to hope for one while wondering who could perfectly play Vegeta in it. InDragon Ball Z’s opening arc itself, Vegeta is presented as the first main antagonist, who carries himself with immense pride and hopes to beat Goku to acquire the title of the strongest being in the entire universe. Although his rivalry with Goku continues throughout the series' runtime, Vegeta goes through a drastic catharsis that eventually turns him into a hero.
Whilemany characters driveDragon Ball Z’s narrative, Vegeta is often remembered as one of the most iconic ones from the series because of his incredible transformation. Owing to the layers in his moral compass and the depth of his character development inDragon Ball Z, casting him for a live-action adaptation would undoubtedly be challenging. However, a few actors might be able to pull the role off if given the opportunity.
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9Michael B. Jordan
Best Known For Black Panther, Creed, & Fruitvale Station
Ever since Michael B. Jordan played Killmonger in the firstBlack Panthermovie, many have speculated if he, as an avid anime viewer, drew inspiration fromDragon Ball Z’s Vegeta. Not only was his costume design reminiscent of Vegeta’s but he even carried himself with a pride and arrogance that reminded many of the Saiyan Prince. When asked about it, the actor also teased that the character might have been based on Vegeta, but also added that he and Ryan Coogler never talked about borrowing any elements from theDragon Ball Zcharacter.
Given how Michael B. Jordan did an incredible job of portraying an anti-hero like Killmonger andperfectly captured the balance between his hubris and vulenerability, it is hard not to see him as the perfect casting choice for Vegeta. Vegeta is known to have one of the best character developments inDragon Ball Z. He goes from being an egotistical Saiyan to becoming one of the most likable characters in the franchise. A talented actor like Michael B. Jordan could perfectly portray this transformation.
8Andrew Koji
Best Known For Bullet Train, Snake Eyes, & Warrior
In the originalDragon Ball Zanime, Vegeta is close to 5 feet 4 inches tall. Owing to this, bothMichael B. Jordan and Andrew Koji may be a little too tall to portray him in a live-action adaptation. However, since characters like Marvel’s Wolverine are also incredibly tall compared to their original counterparts, this change may not necessarily harm the live-action version. Since Vegeta is supposed to be a brilliant martial artist and fighter, an actor like Andrew Koji, who has a background in martial arts, would be a great fit for the role.
While his background as a stunt worker and martial arts would come in handy in capturing Vegeta’s physical prowess, his acting experience would help him portray Vegeta’s complex transformation.
Koji has also played several morally ambiguous characters in movies and shows, likeWarrior,Snake Eyes, andBullet Train, making him particularly well-suited to capturing Vegeta’s complex persona. While his background as a stunt worker and martial arts would come in handy in capturing Vegeta’s physical prowess, his acting experience would help him portray Vegeta’s complex transformation. These traits make him one of the best candidates for the role.
7Steven Yeun
Best Known For Beef, Crazy Rich Asians, & Minari
Steven Yeun was going to star in Marvel’sThunderbolts. Unfortunately, as updates have confirmed, he dropped out of the Marvel project due to scheduling issues. Following his exit from Marvel, Yeun could take another superhero-esque role by portraying Vegeta on the screen. While his long line of diverse roles inThe Walking Dead,Beef,Minari, andNopeprove his ability to handle a wide range of characters,his commanding screen presence could help him capture Vegeta’s warrior persona and larger-than-life personality.
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6Jason Statham
Best Known For The Meg, The Expendables, & Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Jason Statham already has a tough guy persona on the screen and a solid background in martial arts. These traits alone make him a worthy fit for the role. The actor also carries himself with the confidence and intensity one would expect from Vegeta in a live-action movie or TV show. Statham has also convincingly played non-action roles in films likeSnatchandThe Bank Job, which proves he would be able to portray the nuances in Vegeta’s ever-changing morality. However, since the actor is approaching 60,he would probably be a better fit to play Vegeta in aDragon Ball Superadaptation.
5Henry Golding
Best Known For The Gentlemen, Crazy Rich Asians, & Snake Eyes
AlthoughDragon Ball Z’s live-action adaptation still seems far from happening, Henry Goulding has often been fan-cast as Vegeta. This is not surprising since the actor has a history of portraying compelling antagonistic characters in movies likeSnake EyesandThe Gentlemen.The Malaysian English actor also brings a distinctive charisma and physicality to his action roles, which could translate well into portraying Vegeta’s initial ruthlessness towards Goku and his other enemies.
4Lewis Tan
Best Known For Wu Assassins, Mortal Kombat, & Shadow And Bone
Since Lewis Tan is over 6 feet tall, he may not even be the right fit to play Goku based on his massive stature, let alone Vegeta. However, the actor’s martial arts prowess and portrayal of characters like Cole Young (inMortal Kombat), Shatterstar (inDeadpool), and Lu Xin Lee (inWu Assassins) make it hard not to envision him as the Saiyan Prince. Tan is muscle-bound and shredded to the bone likeDragon BallZ’s characters, and, despite packing immense muscle, he does his own stunts,adopting different martial arts styles like Muay Thai, Kung Fu, and Ju-Jitsu.
Although he is best known for his roles in action movies and shows, he has worked in a diverse set of films and TV shows. With so much going in his favor, he could be a compelling choice for Vegeta. His stature may not align with the character’s, but some creative liberties can be ignored if the casting feels right.
3Iko Uwais
Best Known For The Expendables 4, The Raid: Redemption, & Mile 22
Indonesian martial artist turned actor Iko Uwaia not only has a solid foundation in martial arts and stuntwork but also seems to perfectly match Vegeta in terms of height and frame. He is around 5 feet 6 inches tall, and, as seen in Gareth Evans’Raidmovies, he can easily stand alone as one of the leads in a film. His incredible camera presence and ability to convey intensity and grit during action sequences would be essential for capturing Vegeta’s pride and fierce demeanor.His skills in Pencak Silat would also allow the live-action DBZ movie to have dynamic action sceneslike the original anime.
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2Daniel Radcliffe
Best Known For The Harry Potter Franchise, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, & Now Your See Me 2
Daniel Radcliffe may not have a background in martial arts, but when it comes to his appearance, he could easily rank among the top contenders for the role of Vegeta. Standing at around 5 feet 5 inches, theHarry Potterstar has often been fan-cast as Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine successor. While it seems unlikely he will be the next big-screen Wolverine, he could convincingly portray Vegeta in a live-actionDragon Ball Zadaptation. His morally grey roles in movies, likeHornsandNow You See Me 2, prove he has what it takes to capture the Saiyan Prince’s internal conflicts and evil tendencies.
1Joe Taslim
Best Known For Star Trek Beyond, The Raid: Redemption, & Mortal Kombat
Joe Taslim is another martial arts powerhouse who has taken on myriad roles on the big and small screens. Whilehis portrayal of his character’s strong sense of ambition inWarrioris reminiscent of Vegeta’s determination to be the best, his depiction of Sub-Zero’s dynamic with Scorpion inMortal Kombatreminds one of Vegeta’s relationship with Goku inDragon Ball Z. With so many subtle shades of Vegeta in his previous roles, Joe Taslim might be an ideal choice for bringing theDragon Ball Zcharacter to life in a live-action adaptation.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z follows Goku, who lives a peaceful life with his family until the arrival of Raditz, a mysterious warrior claiming to be Goku’s brother. This revelation unveils their true heritage as Saiyans, a formidable warrior race known for conquering planets.
