Donnie Yen to Hugh Jackman: 20 legendary actors who reprised famous roles after many years

From Hugh Jackman and Donnie Yen to Harrison Ford and Keanu Reeves, here are 20 actors who reprised their most iconic roles, plus how much they were paid for their return. 

In the mercurial backdrop of the showbiz industry where content saturation is at an all-time high, films come and go with little time to shine. While notable exceptions do exist, the rule of thumb in Hollywood is that a film needs to make a big splash to be memorable. And while it can be difficult to guarantee the success of fresh new content at the box office, a tried-and-tested method of generating buzz is to evoke the unwavering charm of nostalgia. 

In Hollywood, nostalgia can look like many things. Movie reboots and television adaptations of popular franchises come to mind — think Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Spiderman, Superman, and Batman, Mean Girls, Charlie’s Angels, and The Addams Family among numerous others. No genre is exempt from this most cunning of tactics, with stories and plotlines retrieved from dusty shelves and revived to the general delight of longtime fans and viewers. But, while some reboots fully divorce themselves from their predecessors, other filmmakers opt to leverage the star power of their original cast members.  

The lure of repeated success can be difficult to resist. Time and time again, Hollywood’s brightest stars have found themselves drawn back to roles in franchises they have outgrown, tempted by promises of more success and a bigger paycheque. Most notable among actors who reprised their most iconic roles is Hugh Jackman, who embodied the unforgettable character of Wolverine for two decades before stepping away for a seven-year hiatus. However, Jackman isn’t the only actor to have shelved a role only to return years later. 

20 actors who reprised career-making roles after many years 

Hugh Jackman — The one and only Wolverine 

While it goes without saying that Henry Cavill’s brief cameo as ‘The Cavillrine’ in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) was not without its merits, let’s be real. Hugh Jackman is The Wolverine. And for good reason — the role has been synonymous with Jackman’s name since he first brandished his iconic adamantium claws 24 years ago for X-Men (2000). Despite finding success as what is considered the most popular character in the X-Men franchise, Jackman had spent much of the 2010s preparing himself — and his fans — for the day of his inevitable departure from the franchise. Leading up to Logan (2017), Jackman announced his imminent retirement from the role, with the film even seemingly lending credence to that by killing off the character, for good. 

At least, until Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool came along. Jackman’s return to the long-dead character comes seven years after he had officially relinquished his mantle as Wolverine, and Marvel fans went absolutely coconuts for it. Unlike the previous iterations of the character, 2024’s Wolverine allowed Jackman to slip back into the iconic mutant’s shoes without taking him too seriously. The result? A billion-dollar box office smash hit that bagged Jackman a payday of USD 20 million.

Robert Downey Jr — The lynchpin of the MCU 

Long regarded as the face of the MCU, Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man started out as a gambit for the superhero genre. Little did Marvel know that Downey’s sharp-witted billionaire playboy philanthropist with a heart of gold would go on to become a valuable lynchpin in their multi-billion-dollar franchise. With the demise of Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel lost their chief lead, with many fans soon decrying the dwindling quality of the franchise’s follow-up movies. 

That was, of course, until the San Diego Comic-Con 2024, when Marvel revealed that Downey Jr would return as Dr. Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, slated for release in 2026. While this doesn’t exactly count as a reprisal of an iconic role, Downey Jr’s return does aptly illustrate his importance to the franchise. And most importantly, the actor, who made USD 75 million apiece for Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame, is set to receive a paycheque of over USD 100 million for his return. 

Donnie Yen — Martial master Ip Man 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Donnie Yen (@donnieyenofficial)

One of the most successful Eastern actors to have made it big in Hollywood, Donnie Yen has held roles in popular franchises like Star Wars and John Wick. However, he is also a renowned martial artist and action director, both talents which contributed to his success in the role of popular Chinese martial artist Ip Man, a practitioner of Wing Chun who lived between 1893 and 1972. The first Ip Man movie premiered in 2008, earning USD 21.8 million against a USD 11.7 million budget. Following its success, three other movies were made and released, with Yen being paid USD 12.8 million to star in Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). 

Because Ip Man 4 had ended with the death of its titular character, fans had fully expected Yen to retire his on-screen Ip Man persona. Speaking to the South China Morning Post in 2019, Yen expressed his readiness to depart the popular Kung Fu franchise, saying, “People might view actors as filled with glory, but we, especially those of us who make action and kung-fu movies, have a very harsh life. Our bodies are filled with injuries and pain. I love each [of my] movies, but [I feel] I have already made [all the] breakthroughs [I can] in the kung-fu movie genre. For ‘Ip Man 4’ to be my swansong work, it’s a very good ending.” 

However, Yen appears to have changed his mind since. In an announcement by Mandarin Motion Pictures at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, it was revealed that Yen would be returning to the franchise for a fifth instalment to the Ip Man franchise, Ip Man 5. While there are no reports yet of what Yen will earn for reprising his role, a good assumption is that it will be a significant figure indeed. 

Harrison Ford — From Indiana Jones and Star Wars to Blade Runner 2049 

An undisputed legend among actors who reprised their most iconic roles, Harrison Ford has re-emerged in not just one, nor two, but three franchises after decades-long absences. Most notably, the actor reprised his role as the world’s most famous archaeologist Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), 15 years after his last appearance as the character in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). And that’s not even the first time that Ford has reprised his role as Indy after a decades-long sabbatical; the 2008 movie was released a full 19 years after Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Ford bagged a salary of USD 65 million for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and USD 25 million for Dial of Destiny. 

In 2015, Ford also made a stunning return to the Star Wars franchise by appearing in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Much to the delight of longtime fans, Ford reprised his career-making role of swashbuckling smuggler, scoundrel, and hero Han Solo a full 32 years since the release of Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi. He went on to briefly appear in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker in an uncredited role. For his reprisal, Ford reportedly pocketed a salary of USD 15 million, plus an additional USD 10 million depending on box office numbers. 

Amazingly, Ford also returned to a third iconic role after decades — that of Rick Deckard in the Blade Runner franchise. While the actor first appeared as Deckard in Blade Runner (1982), his reprisal of the role 35 years later for Blade Runner 2049 (2017) was met with much fan delight and fanfare, cementing his place as one of the of the greatest actors who reprised their most iconic roles. 

Mark Hamill — Return to Star Wars 

Like his co-star Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill returned to the Star Wars franchise to reprise his role as Luke Skywalker for Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. This comes 32 years after the actor last stepped into the character’s shoes in Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi in 1983. For his reprisal, Hamill earned USD 3 million, which is one of the biggest paydays ever received by an actor when one considers his appearance was less than five minutes long. Hamill went on to appear in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019); he also appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and likewise voiced Skywalker in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, and Star Wars: Forces of Destiny. 

Carrie Fischer — Princess Leia’s triumphant return 

As one of the most iconic actresses of the 1970s, Carrie Fischer first rose to prominence for portraying Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). Along with her co-stars Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, Fischer returned to the franchise to reprise her role in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), for which she was reportedly paid USD 1 to 3 million. She once again reprised her role in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017). While Fischer sadly passed away in 2016, director J.J. Abrams decided to incorporate unused footage shot of the actress into Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), thus giving her a posthumous credit for the film.  

Charlie Cox — Daredevil comes to the MCU 

While Marvel’s Daredevil has also been portrayed by Ben Affleck on the big screen, it is Charlie Cox’s television rendition that has best resonated with fans of the blind superhero and martial artist. First aired between 2015 to 2018, the three-season series received favourable reviews, with season one garnering a 99 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Season two received an 81 percent fresh rating, and season three received a 97 percent fresh rating. 

Rumours swirled that Cox would return to the screen as Daredevil. In 2021, Cox finally made his MCU movie debut when he appeared in Spider Man: No Way Home, portraying Daredevil’s alter ego, attorney Matt Murdock. He later appeared in the Disney+ series She Hulk: Attorney at Law in 2022. As of August 2023, a rebooted solo series Daredevil: Born Again has been greenlit by Disney+, and is slated for a 2025 release. 

Michael Keaton — From Batman to Beetlejuice 

Actor Michael Keaton first played the iconic Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). Since then, he has been succeeded by numerous other actors in portraying the masked vigilante, from Ben Affleck and Christian Bale to Robert Pattinson alike. The actor’s return to the role comes three decades later in The Flash (2023), for which he was paid USD 2 million.  

2024 marks the year Keaton returns to yet another iconic role he has held — Beetlejuice. The actor first stepped into the role for Beetlejuice (1988), and now returns to the dark fantasy comedy horror franchise for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) as the titular character. He now stars alongside fellow returning co-star Winona Ryder, plus newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Defoe, and others. Keaton is rumoured to have earned USD 10 million for his return to the Beetlejuice franchise.  

Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield — Spider Man, Spider Men 

In 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home broke the internet by bringing together three beloved generations of Spider-Men: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland. For Maguire, the movie was his first time stepping into the shoes of Peter Parker in almost two decades, given his last Spider Man movie, Spider-Man 3 was released in 2007. Garfield, who had appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) likewise returned to the role after a decade away. For reprising their roles, the two actors reportedly made USD 1 million each. 

Jamie Lee Curtis — A very freaky Friday, plus Halloween

One of the most iconic actresses of our time with numerous compelling performances to her name, Jamie Lee Curtis has also made triumphant returns to more than one popular franchise. The actress first starred as Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978), and reprised her role in Halloween II (1981), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), and Halloween: Resurrection (2002). Following the release of the Resurrection, Curtis took a break from the franchise but returned some 16 years later for Halloween (2018). She later starred in Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022), reportedly earning USD 5 million each for the final three movies. 

Curtis also starred in Freaky Friday (2003) alongside Lindsay Lohan. Two decades later, a sequel, Freakier Friday, was greenlit and scheduled for a 2025 release, with both Curtis and Lohan set to reprise their roles. 

Keanu Reeves — Back to The Matrix 

A mainstay of 90s pop culture, Keanu Reeves’ appearance as Neo in The Matrix (1999) earned him widespread critical acclaim, fame, and fortune. The actor later reprised the role of Neo for The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003), before taking a break from the franchise to work on other projects — Constantine (2005), the John Wick movies, and beyond. In 2021, 18 years after he last stepped into Neo’s shoes, Reeves reprised his role for The Matrix Resurrections, a role which netted him a salary of between USD 12 – USD 14 million. Additionally, Reeves will also be reprising his role as John Constantine for the Constantine movie franchise, with the long-awaited sequel currently reported as being in production. 

Al Pacino — The Godfather 

Al Pacino is widely regarded as one of the forefathers of the mafia and mobster genre of movies, with credits in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974). While the first two movies proved incredibly popular, 16 long years would pass before the actor reprised his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III (1990). Pacino reportedly bagged a USD 5 million payday for Part III, an increase from his USD 35,000 earnings for The Godfather and USD 500,000 for The Godfather Part II. 

Laura Dern — Jurassic World

Actress Laura Dern first appeared as Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park (1993). Three decades later, Dern returned to the world of dinosaurs and drama, reprising her role in the franchise for Jurassic World Dominion (2022). For her appearance in the 2022 film, Dern was reportedly paid USD 2 million. 

Renée Zellweger — Bridget Jones finally gets her happy ending 

Renée Zellweger first appeared as the titular character of Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), marking one of the most iconic and memorable performances in the romantic comedy genre. Alongside actor Colin Firth who portrays her on-screen beau Mark Darcy, Zellweger later reprised her role for Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), before taking a 12-year-long sabbatical from portraying the hapless, hilarious, and yet heartfelt British journalist. 

In 2016, Zellweger again reprised her role for Bridget Jones’s Baby, a movie that notably also featured the return of its earliest cast members including Firth as well as Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, James Callis, and others. Notably, while the actress had intentionally gained weight for the role in 2001 and 2004, the 2016 iteration of the movie saw Zellweger maintaining a petite figure. 

Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving, and Cate Blanchett — Return to Middle Earth 

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy was first released from 2001 to 2003, garnering global success that allowed it to define the fantasy genre of the early 2000s. With a massive ensemble cast of extraordinary actors, it stands to reason that many among them went on to further grow their careers. Case in point: Orlando Bloom landed a lead role in Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, while Ian McKellen continued to carve out a place in the X-Men franchise as beleaguered anti-hero Magneto. 

Close to a decade later, Jackson reunited several actors from the first go-round for a prequel trilogy: The Hobbit. Notably, the actors from The Lord of the Rings who reprised their roles for The Hobbit include Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, and Cate Blanchett as Galadriel. 

Adam Sandler — Happy Gilmore set to return 

Comedian Adam Sandler first appeared in Happy Gilmore in 1996, portraying the titular character — an aspiring hockey player who joins the PGA tour in the hopes of making some money to save his grandmother’s house. The movie is widely regarded as one of the best golf movies of all time, banking on Sandler’s comedic timing to hilarious effect and earning the actor a USD 2 million paycheque. Twenty-eight years later, Sandler is now set to reprise his role as Happy Gilmore for Happy Gilmore 2 alongside fellow returning castmates Christopher McDonald and Julie Bowen. While no release date has been announced for Happy Gilmore 2, it is expected to make a splash.

(Main image: themoviedb.org, Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios; featured image: themoviedb.com)

This story first appeared here.