History AdaptationalBadass / LiveActionFilms

* Unlike in the comics where she was an old, paralyzed and blind psychic, Cassandra Webb in ''Film/MadameWeb2024'' is a paramedic. Once her precognitive powers kick in, [[spoiler:she's able to keep up with the much stronger and faster Ezekiel via her anticipating all his moves]]. {{Downplayed|Trope}}, however, in that the [[spoiler:Spider Tribe leader she seeks out in Peru]] seems confused she hasn't developed enhanced strength and agility like Ezekiel.

** ''Film/BladeTrinity'' did this in regards to [[ComicBook/TheTombOfDracula Marvel's Dracula]], who was vulnerable to sunlight and all the typical vampire weaknesses like crosses, holy water, garlic and the like. Here he is a Daywalker just like Blade himself and the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent typical weaknesses don't do anything]] and it takes [[spoiler:an artificial virus to actually kill him at the end]]. In all fairness, Dracula was a DaywalkingVampire too in [[Literature/{{Dracula}} the Bram Stoker novel]], something which Drake points out in the movie and being based on him, so this trope only applies to the Marvel version.

** ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars'' sees Godzilla as a [[OneManArmy One Kaiju Army]], with only [[spoiler:Monster X/Keiser Ghidorah and an upgrade Gigan giving him real trouble.]]

** Susan deserves her own special mention. Due to the StayInTheKitchen ValuesDissonance of the books Susan didn't get involved with in any of the battles like Peter and Edmund did and is too "tender hearted" to hurt anyone, she only uses her [[ArcherArchetype bow and arrow]] to fight once in ''Prince Caspian'' to startle a Telmarine who was going to drown Trumpkin by shooting an arrow at his helmet. In contrast to the films, ''especially'' the second one where Susan gets involved in the action alongside her brothers and racks up a large Telmarine body count with her own [[ImprobableAimingSkills incredible]] [[MasterArcher archery skills]], including at one point ''throwing one of her arrows'' into mook's torso to kill him. To a lesser extent Lucy gets this in ''Voyage of the Dawn Treader'' as she fights slavers who attack her, Edmund and Caspian in Doorn, unlike the book where she and the others got captured immediately.

* ''Film/LesMiserables2012'' gives this treatment to InspectorJavert as while Javert was ruthless in [[Literature/{{LesMiserables}} the book]], he was only really a threat to the [[SuperStrength superhuman]] Jean Valjean due to his position and posse of police officers at his command. This is seen in the chapter where [[DelicateAndSickly Fantine]] dies of shock thanks to Javert arresting Valjean at her sickbed, enraged Valjean easily breaks free of Javert’s grip and with verbal intimation makes the inspector [[PaperTiger retreat]] across the room in fear, allowing Valjean to make a promise to Fantine’s lifeless body before surrendering. In the same scene in the movie Javert duels Valjean [[SwordFight with a sword]], forcing the latter to flee the scene. This doubles for some versions of the [[Theatre/LesMiserables Musical]] where Valjean overpowers Javert during the confrontation like the book, whilst in the movie Javert is easily a match for Valjean.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}''

** Starscream was considerably more badass than almost all of his previous incarnations in the first live-action film, where he holds his own against Ironhide and Ratchet, easily destroys military aircraft, and is one of the few Decepticons to survive the movie. However, this was inverted in the sequels, to the point where he became one of the most pathetic of the Decepticons, although given that he was beaten up both by Optimus and Megatron, this is somewhat understandable.

* The [[Film/BloodAndChocolate2007 the film adaptation]] of ''Literature/BloodAndChocolate'' does this to Aiden. In the book he's not especially athletic or badass, although he does manage to [[spoiler:shoot two werewolves]] (the second time he [[spoiler:hits the wrong werewolf]] and he's freaking out). Here he was raised to be a tough survivalist by his ex-military dad and he's more of an ActionSurvivor, bordering on ActionHero, taking out multiple werewolves with guns, knives or even just a silver pendant and a long drop.

** In ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'', [[spoiler: Franchise/{{Superman}} qualifies, to the point that everyone else is pretty much an AdaptationalWimp by comparison. While neither Aquaman or Wonder Woman are supposed to be quite as strong as him, they are normally able to at least fight him toe to toe. In ''Justice League'', when he is resurrected and unaware of himself he easily overpowers both of them and Cyborg at the same time. He also handily tosses Steppenwolf around with little trouble, where in other adaptations any of the ComicBook/NewGods are able to stand up to or beat him. Similarly, while Superman is usually portrayed as being just slower than the Flash, in the movie he's as fast or even faster at times (though it should be noted that this Flash is much less experienced with his powers).]] [[note]][[spoiler:A possible explanation to this was that he was brought back to life with the use of [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning caused from Barry tapping into his Speed Force]] and a Mother Box to bring him back, granting him a broader use of his powers and allowing him to reach his maximum use of his potential.]][[/note]]

* Every time the Franchise/FantasticFour has been made into a film, ComicBook/DoctorDoom is shown with actual superpowers as opposed to a man wearing PoweredArmor. [[Film/TheFantasticFour The 1994 film]] depicted Doom as a {{cyborg}} and both ''Film/FantasticFourDuology'' and [[Film/FantasticFour2015 2015 reboot]] take after ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'' in showing Doom gaining powers from [[AdaptationOriginConnection the same accident that the Four did]].

* ''Franchise/{{Hellboy}}'':
** In the ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' comics, [[GasMaskMooks Kroenen]] was a third-rate EvilGenius. In ''Film/Hellboy2004'', he's a DualWielding, ClockworkCreature {{Ghostapo}} who's nigh-unkillable and serves as TheDragon to [[BigBad Rasputin]].

* Wilhelmina Murray and Alan Quatermain, the two central characters of ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'', get this in [[Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen the film adaptation]]. In the comic, Mina's major gimmick was that of a tough, reserved FemmeFatale with a mysterious DarkAndTroubledPast (with the fact that she was really [[Literature/{{Dracula}} Mina Harker]] left hidden from the reader at first), and Quatermain was a burnout ex-adventurer trying to kick his crippling opium addiction. In the film, Mina (who's called "Mina Harker" from the get-go) has vampiric abilities from her past encounter with The Count, and Quatermain is a badass GreatWhiteHunter played by Creator/SeanConnery.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comics, General Zod was one of Krypton's top military advisors, but often relied more on his planning skills than doing actual fighting. The character's film portrayals have helped make him a much bigger threat. ''Film/SupermanII'' portrayed Zod as a charismatic leader that took full advantage of the fact that the gained powers from Earth's yellow sun; as displayed in the film's fight scenes. It proved to be so successful that it was integrated into the comics and became a key factor in every subsequent adaptation that featured Zod, not to mention several other Kryptonian villains. There's also the aforementioned ''Man of Steel''.

* Pretty much every non-powered hero in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' becomes [[MadeOfIron a lot tougher]] and [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower a lot stronger]] in the movie version of ''Film/{{Watchmen}}''. The film also removes a lot of the deconstruction of super-heroes that intentionally made them seem a bit ridiculous.

** Quicksilver is one of the fastest characters in the Marvel comics universe, but he has limitations on just how fast, and is generally well under the speed of sound. In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', Hank mistakes him for a teleporter, and fans have noted that Peter's SuperSpeed and power set (he's capable of redirecting bullets with ease and shattering glass by vibrating his hands) are closer to Franchise/TheFlash, who explicitly has a speed advantage over Quicksilver in inter-company crossover stories. Even more so in ''Film/XMenApocalypse'' because he rescues ''all'' of Xavier's students from an explosion in only a ''fraction of a second''. Maximoff is one of the most powerful mutants in the whole X-Men film franchise.

*** This version of Franchise/{{Godzilla}} proves himself to be one of the most powerful ones yet; he [[spoiler:kills Ghidorah with the Nuclear Pulse (an ability that, [[Film/Godzilla2000 barring its use against Orga]], was originally only a sidearm at best), and in an epic case of SparedByTheAdaptation, survives the Oxygen Destroyer ([[Film/{{Gojira}} the weapon that killed the original Godzilla]]) and safely utilizes [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Burning Godzilla]] as a SuperMode (as opposed to it being a SuperpowerMeltdown that kills him) -- and keep in mind, these killed two different Godzillas in two different movie; this Godzilla survived ''both'' in the ''same movie'']].

*** King Ghidorah was a badass already, but this version is not only the largest version in any live-action film, but is capable of generating a cataclysmic storm simply by ''being awake'', casually lifting Godzilla all the way into the skies, [[spoiler:[[NoSell no-selling]] the Oxygen Destroyer]], and just straight-up beating Godzilla in a 1v1. In particular, he has an ''incredible'' HealingFactor to the point where [[spoiler:it takes being completely atomized to kill him]], and even then [[spoiler:his remains retain enough conciousness to become a menace come ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'']]. Also, whereas every Ghidorah since the original except the ''Rebirth'' incarnation has been TheDragon to someone else, this Ghidorah is [[BigBad the one giving the orders to other monsters]].

* The eponymous ''Film/{{Blade}}'' himself actually got this in his film portrayal. In the early comics Blade was initially more of a BadassNormal VampireHunter whose mom was bitten by a vampire giving him heightened senses, but in the film he's an outright {{Dhampyr}} who has all the pros of being a vampire and none of the cons. Thanks to the massive success of the movies, comic Blade was bitten by ComicBook/{{Morbius}} and thus [[CanonImmigrant gained]] all the [[HybridPower abilities]] he had on screen.

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''

** ''Film/XMenDarkPhoenix'': The D’bari in ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'' are a harmless LittleGreenMen-esque race who are [[WouldBeRudeToSayGenocide decimated]] along with their galaxy by [[SuperPoweredEvilSide Dark Phoenix]]. The SoleSurvivor of their species, Vuk, has a human disguise and some PoweredArmor, but besides that is a minor villain. In the movie, the D’bari are [[GalacticConqueror world conquering]] [[VoluntaryShapeshifter shape shifting]], [[{{Telepathy}} telepathic]] [[AliensAreBastards evil aliens]] who’s leader, a [[GenderFlip Gender Flipped]] Vuk, can take on the entire X-Men, overpower Magneto and even hold her own against Jean with her own PsychicPowers. It’s more than likely filmmakers [[CompositeCharacter combined]] the D’bari with the Skrulls who are generally that fearsome in the comics, but whom Fox didn’t have the rights to.
** ''Film/NewMutants'':
*** Dani Moonstar in the comics has [[MasterOfIllusion illusionary powers]] being able to create images that trick and scare opponents, but not actually hurt them. In the film [[spoiler: she’s a RealityWarper who can actually summon a Kaiju-sized demon bear and other horrors that can kill people and destroy an entire school]]. On the other hand Dani’s hand to hand combat and weapon handling skills are missing in the film.

** Dejah Thoris in the novels had a stronger will and spirit than your average DistressedDamsel, but was still a DistressedDamsel nonetheless. The film version keeps the book version's ProudWarriorRaceGirl attitude but adds the fighting skills to back it up, making her a full-on LadyOfWar.

** ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'': The book version of Fransisco Scaramanga has fairly good gun skills, but is basically an upper mid-tier thug who only ended up on Bond's radar through (good or bad, depending on your perspective) luck in assignment choices and execution. The film version is a genuinely terrifying assassin with ImprobableAimingSkills whose claim to be "The Deadliest Man In The World" is less hot air and more a fairly nuanced description of his capabilities.