7 Actors Who May Voice Invincible’s Final Villain

Spoilers for “Invincible” season 3 to comply with.

Robert Kirkman first labored with Steven Yeun when the latter performed Glenn on “The Strolling Lifeless” (a sequence based mostly on Kirkman’s long-running zombie comedian). Then, when Prime Video turned Kirkman’s superhero comedian guide “Invincible” into an animated present, Yeun bought the sequence’ main position.

The solid of “Invincible” has since included a handful of different “Strolling Lifeless” alums. The most recent of them got here the top of season 3 when Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who performed the baseball bat-wielding apocalypse warlord Negan, arrived because the Viltrumite warrior Conquest. (“The Boys” is not the one superhero present on the market with Mr. Morgan in its solid.)

Conquest is without doubt one of the oldest, strongest, and most monstrous Viltrumites. Within the season 3 finale, “I Thought You’d By no means Shut Up,” Conquest offers Invincible the battle of his life. However there’s one Viltrumite on the market who leaves even Conquest trembling in his boots: the chief of the empire, Grand Regent Thragg.

Primarily based on the place the “Invincible” cartoon is relative to the comedian, Thragg will probably be debuting in season 4. That season will in all probability adapt the “Viltrumite Battle” arc. However who will voice the Regent? Earlier than season 3, many had speculated that Morgan would play Thragg, not Conquest. That is clearly off the desk now, however there’s nonetheless loads of nice actors the present may name on for its final villain. 

Kirkman lately confirmed to Selection that Thragg has been solid, however stopped wanting saying who the actor is. So, let’s pull out our pondering caps and brainstorm who it may very well be.

Patrick Seitz is a prolific voice actor; his aggressive performing model and regal voice means he is typically typecast as both violent brutes or smug villains. Thragg is each. Seitz performs in English anime dubs and native American productions. His most well-known voiceover roles are in all probability the vengeful vampire Dio Brando in “JoJo’s Weird Journey” and Scorpion within the “Mortal Kombat” sequence. I am additionally a fan of his work because the jolly however bloodthirsty Viking Thorkell the Tall in “Vinland Saga.”

Dio, Scorpion, and Thorkell all act and communicate as proudly as they battle, the identical method that Thragg does. As a lot because the Grand Regent savors battle, he is artful, not a raging beast like Conquest. Seitz’s highly effective voice is intimidating; he does not have to yell or growl to carry your consideration and get your coronary heart pumping worry via your veins. It is the precise timbre an emperor like Thragg ought to have.

I do know that “Invincible” normally prefers to get celeb voice actors for its main characters (versus skilled voice actors like Seitz), which makes this alternative a little bit of an extended shot. However ever since I learn Seitz instructed as Thragg, I have not been in a position to cease excited about how it might match like a glove.

The Viltrumites are near Kryptonians. No warmth imaginative and prescient or weak spot to inexperienced glowing rocks a la Kryptonite, however they’re flying, super-strong aliens who look suspiciously human. Omni-Man was clearly designed within the vein of Superman, guaranteeing that audiences could be extra-surprised when he turned out to be a conqueror.

So, for the chief of the Viltrumites, why not a former Superman actor? One of the best decide there would for sure be Henry Cavill, who performed Superman in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Metal,” “Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice,” and “Justice League” (each cuts). In fact, Cavill’s days sporting the cape are behind him as David Corenswet is withdrawing in James Gunn’s “Superman.” 

Once more, “Invincible” likes to get celeb voice actors, and Cavill matches that mould. I all the time discovered he was a bit too smug for Superman, however that very same high quality would make him good for Thragg. Understand that his greatest efficiency to this point was as a foul man; August Walker aka John Lark in “Mission: Inconceivable –  Fallout.” As Thragg, Cavill may both have an effect on an American accent or let his pure British accent unfastened. Talking of which …

Scottish actor Graham McTavish has an extended resume in terms of each onscreen and voiceover roles. His most up-to-date acclaimed half, although, was as Vlad Dracula Țepeș in Netflix’s “Castlevania” animated sequence. Lord of Wallachia and the vampires, the “Castlevania” Dracula splits the variations between the monstrous and romantic interpretations of the character. He as soon as fell for a human lady, Lisa, however her brutal homicide made him need to burn the human world down.

As Dracula, McTavish buries his brogue with a cavernous and aristocratic British accent. He is scary and but seductive, the precise method any good Dracula ought to sound. If a vampire has that voice, you’d undoubtedly let him chunk open your neck! Now, Thragg doesn’t should be alluring like that; he is a stern and imperious chief. However “Castlevania” Dracula isn’t just a predator within the night time like most others; he is a warlord that leads a military the scale of the one he commanded as Vlad the Impaler, solely this military is crammed with the undead and monsters.

There is a aspect to Dracula that is romantic, positive, however more often than not he is a merciless and commanding king with a brief mood. McTavish’s deep voice signifies that any time Dracula is indignant, whether or not he is whispering or yelling, he sounds terrifying sufficient to freeze you in place. That’s how the Grand Regent ought to sound.

British actor Jason Isaacs is without doubt one of the biggest and most prolific heels in trendy Hollywood. It goes again to his position in “The Patriot” as Colonel William Tavington, an completely ruthless British military officer through the Revolutionary Battle. Tavington is evil and pleased with it; it is uncommon for anybody to carry out a smug grin in addition to Issacs’ does.

Isaacs has acted a lot since “The Patriot,” however his most well-known roles are usually reduce from the identical fabric as Tavington. Such is the case in each live-action, like Lucius Malfoy within the “Harry Potter” movies, and in animation, like Admiral Zhao in “Avatar: The Final Airbender.” Isaacs’ villains are typically not solely vile and hateful, but in addition snobs; whether or not the Demise Eaters or the Fireplace Nation, his antagonists are normally a part of a bunch whose members believes themselves superior to others. The Viltrumites, a galaxy-spanning empire of eugenicist Supermen, completely slot in with that.

The foremost distinction, although, is that Isaacs’ villains are sometimes middle-management: Tavington, Malfoy, and Zhao had been all simply cogs in a bigger machine. As Thragg, nevertheless, Isaacs would lastly play the most important fish within the pond himself.

Not each actor on “Invincible” additionally appeared on “The Strolling Lifeless,” after all. However figuring out Kirkman likes to solid from his earlier present may be helpful for figuring out the place to look. Living proof: After Yeun and Morgan, there’s nonetheless loads of room for a 3rd Viltrumite voiced by a “Strolling Lifeless” alum.

Of the “Strolling Lifeless” solid members who (a) match Thragg and (b) aren’t already enjoying one other character, the plain decide is Ryan Hurst. Hurst joined “The Strolling Lifeless” in season 9 as Beta, a frontrunner of the Whisperers (dwelling people that put on zombie skins to mix in). Beta is without doubt one of the most memorable of the human villains in “The Strolling Lifeless” subsequent to Negan and the Governor (David Morrissesy). How would Hurst take to voice appearing, although? Primarily based on his efficiency as Thor within the online game “God of Battle: Ragnarök,” extraordinarily properly.

For many who solely know Thor as a Marvel superhero, Hurst’s God of Thunder is an entire different beast. This Thor is the one from the unique Norse myths; a savage, drunken warrior who Vikings fought and bled within the picture of. Hurst sounds about 10 years older than he’s (48 years outdated), however that solely enhances his efficiency as an ageless God like Thor. He appears like a warrior made stronger by age, not weaker.

Hurst’s roaring efficiency as Thor had made him a preferred decide for Conquest, however with that out of the way in which, he may simply as simply pull off Thragg.

Hurst is not the one “Strolling Lifeless” actor who may match because the Grand Regent.

The primary star of “The Strolling Lifeless” was Andrew Lincoln, who performed sequence’ protagonist Sheriff Rick Grimes. Shot throughout a theft, Rick falls right into a coma proper earlier than the lifeless begin rising, and he wakes up a lot later right into a world turned upside-down. Lincoln has but to indicate up on “Invincible” — maybe Kirkman is saving his earlier sequence’ hero to play the best villain of his subsequent one?

Understand that whereas he is been enjoying Rick Grimes (Southern accent included) for a decade and a half, Lincoln shouldn’t be actually a Georgian good ol’ boy. He is English: born in London, raised in Yorkshire, then Tub, and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Artwork. That training served him properly as his efficiency was constantly among the best components of “The Strolling Lifeless.” A British accent is Hollywood code for “unhealthy man,” so Lincoln may use his regular voice as Thragg.

Lincoln shouldn’t be normally an apparent alternative for a villain, and his voiceover expertise is admittedly restricted. (He is performed Rick as a DLC character in “Fortnite” and “Name of Obligation.”) However the irony of him going from Rick to Thragg may be too good to go up. That form of meta textual content undoubtedly appeared prefer it influenced Kirkman’s alternative of Morgan as Conquest (i.e. Glenn paying again Negan by bashing his head in), so it’d occur once more.

Morgan being fancast as Thragg, solely to truly play Conquest, exhibits how he may’ve match both position. The identical may very well be stated for a lot of different fan picks for these two characters, particularly Ron Perlman. Mr. Perlman had been a preferred decide for Conquest, however his deep and stern voice would make for a chilling Thragg.

Perlman, who splits himself between live-action appearing and voiceover, tends to play gruffer characters when he is bodily on display screen. These vary from each heroic, just like the paranormal investigator Hellboy, to evil, like biker gang chief Clay Morrow in “Sons of Anarchy.” That made many suppose he ought to play the older Conquest with a ferocious growl.

However that is just one aspect of Perlman. Actually, his most memorable villain roles are usually the calmer ones. Take Slade in “Teen Titans” — the present reimagined Deathstroke from a ferocious mercenary to a creepy grasp planner who hid within the shadows and by no means raised his voice. Taking an curiosity in Robin, after which the brand new Titan recruit Terra, Perlman’s Slade voice was just like the purr of a lion eyeing prey.

Perlman used an analogous voice because the Lich in “Journey Time,” a darkish wizard and the dwelling embodiment of a nuclear apocalypse. The one distinction is that, in contrast to Slade, the Lich would generally let unfastened an evil snicker so scary and highly effective you’d really feel like even the display screen could not maintain it again from you. The quieter {that a} Perlman villain whispers, the extra sinister he sounds, and you’ll’t hear even a hint of compassion.

There isn’t any query Perlman may have pulled off Conquest on par with Morgan, however I believe his deep and easy voice could be even higher for Thragg. If there’s anybody on this checklist with a voice to match the facility of J.Okay. Simmons as Thragg’s rival Nolan, it is Perlman.

“Invincible” is streaming on Prime Video. Season 4 is predicted to debut early in 2026.