Marvel Officially Casts David Tennant as New Character

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David Tennant, known for his role in Doctor Who, is joining the cast of Spidey and His Amazing Friends for its fourth season! He’ll be voicing Captain Web-Beard, a fun and energetic pirate character – a role that perfectly suits Tennant’s playful voice acting style. This is a big moment for Tennant and his work with Marvel, as it makes him the first actor to play three different characters within the Marvel universe, specifically on Disney Junior.

David Tennant has a major role in the fourth season of Spidey and His Amazing Friends, specifically in the new “Water-Webs” storyline. He plays Captain Web-Beard, a famous pirate adventurer who’s been a part of the show’s history since the beginning. Though mentioned in earlier episodes through treasure maps and stories of his lost treasure, Captain Web-Beard finally makes a physical appearance in the episode “The Return of Web-Beard.” In this episode, he teams up with Team Spidey to save Jeff the Landshark. This fits perfectly with Season 4’s focus on water adventures and features the heroes wearing special pirate suits.

The character Captain Web-Beard actually has a surprising history! He was originally created almost ten years ago by the show’s producer, Harrison Wilcox, for the animated series The Ultimate Spider-Man. While a similar character, Web-Singer, has appeared in comics and the Spider-Verse movies, Web-Beard hasn’t been featured prominently – until now. David Tennant’s performance makes this long-awaited introduction especially fitting as part of the show’s 100th episode celebration.

Every Marvel Character Played By David Tennant

Kilgrave

David Tennant first appeared in the Marvel world in 2015, playing the frightening villain Kilgrave on the Netflix series Jessica Jones. His performance as the Purple Man set a new standard for psychological villains in superhero stories. Instead of trying to take over the world with brute force, Kilgrave controlled people with his voice, which became a powerful representation of trauma and obsession.

As a critic, I have to say David Tennant’s performance as Kilgrave is still the benchmark for how to portray a villain with real psychological depth. He didn’t play a mustache-twirling bad guy; instead, Tennant delivered a disturbingly believable portrait of a spoiled, self-absorbed man who actually thought his awful deeds were acts of love. His creepy obsession with Jessica Jones completely powered the first season, and the result was a character who was simultaneously captivating and utterly repulsive. It’s a truly unforgettable performance.

Kilgrave’s impact continued to be felt long after his character was gone. His abuse left Jessica with lasting trauma and haunting flashbacks. David Tennant’s portrayal of Kilgrave showcased his ability to play truly dark characters, and it remains a fan favorite performance.

Franklin

In 2024, David Tennant expanded his acting range by joining the animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. He provided the voice for Franklin, an alien dog and member of a superhero team called The Guard Dogs. This role demonstrated Tennant’s versatility, proving he can seamlessly move between intense, mature roles and lighthearted, family-oriented comedy while still maintaining his distinctive style.

Franklin’s storyline centered around him hypnotizing dogs and making them steal from their families. The actor David Tennant gave the character a noticeable Scottish accent, which the alien Franklin hilariously claimed he used just to sound impressive. This self-aware humor and Tennant’s energetic performance quickly made Franklin a fan favorite.

Tennant’s performance further established his reputation as a versatile actor. By voicing a character with nods to his iconic role in Doctor Who – even including a spaceship reminiscent of the TARDIS – he made the character more appealing to audiences. This role was important for Tennant, demonstrating his talent and potential within Marvel’s animated projects.

Captain Web-Beard 

David Tennant’s role as Captain Web-Beard perfectly demonstrates his range as a voice actor for Marvel characters. After playing roles that highlighted both fear and humor, he now brings pure excitement to this new character. Designed to spark the imagination of young children, Tennant approaches Captain Web-Beard with the same dedication he gives all his roles, fully embodying the pirate with a commanding, nautical voice that immediately captures the attention of the ‘Team Spidey’ heroes.

David’s work highlights just how expansive the Marvel universe has become, and demonstrates his impressive range as an actor. It’s rare for an actor to play three distinct characters—in live-action films, animated series, and children’s shows—all within the same franchise.

Does David Tennant Have a Future in the MCU?

Now that official photos have been released showing Krysten Ritter reprising her role as Jessica Jones in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, fans are revisiting David Tennant’s iconic portrayal of his Marvel character. Bringing back elements from the Defenders series into the main Marvel timeline feels significant, especially considering the final fate of Kilgrave.

With Jessica Jones potentially returning, the villain Kilgrave, also known as the Purple Man, could reappear as well. Although he seemingly died with a broken neck, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ways to bring him back. In the comics, Kilgrave has a healing ability that has allowed him to survive serious injuries. Another option is to portray him as a psychological haunting, similar to how Marvel has brought back other characters like Foggy Nelson from Daredevil. Even though Foggy appeared to die in Season 1, a trailer for Daredevil: Born Again showed he’ll return through flashbacks.

Bringing David Tennant back as Kilgrave would be a major creative win. His portrayal of the character is still considered one of the best in the Marvel universe, skillfully combining dramatic intensity with psychological horror and helping to pave the way for more mature storytelling. With Marvel now creating shows with more adult content, like the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again, the timing is perfect for a return of such a compelling and dangerous villain. Tennant himself has expressed interest in reprising the role if the story warrants it.

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2026-01-13 10:06