Evolution of the movie (and TV) superhero
From George Reeves' 'Superman' in tights to Chris Evans' hunky 'Captain America'
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Photos: Shirtless studs
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Related slideshows
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Shirtless for America
Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers, who starts off 2011's "Captain America: The First Avenger" as a puny weakling declared 4-F by the army. A dose of Super Soldier serum fixes him right up. (Marvel Entertainment) Back to slideshow navigation -
Crazy!
Ryan Gosling bares his chest in 2011's "Crazy, Stupid Love," playing a friend who teaches Steve Carell's character how to date after divorce. (Warner Bros.) Back to slideshow navigation -
Conan the Pec-tarian
Jason Momoa, who plays Dothraki horselord Khal Drogo in HBO's "Game of Thrones" series, stars in the 2011 remake of "Conan the Barbarian." Arnold Schwarzenegger played the role back in 1982, but this version is in 3D. (Lionsgate) Back to slideshow navigation -
Godlike muscles
Chris Hemsworth plays Norse god sent to Earth as a superhero in 2011's "Thor." Perhaps he's just not used to earth clothing. () Back to slideshow navigation -
Taking on the Predators
Adrien Brody isn't the first name that comes to mind when you think of hulky actors, but the Oscar-winner bulked up to play a mercenary in "Predators." Taking a tip from Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original film, he smeared his body with mud to confuse the Predators' heat vision. (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Prince of Purr-sia
In 2010's "Prince of Persia," Jake Gyllenhaal's toned figure brought the heat to the desert. (Walt Disney Pictures) Back to slideshow navigation -
More than a pretty Face
To play Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Bradley Cooper brought out his A game for 2010's "A-Team." (Doug Curran / 20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Right on the Mark
Holbrooke, played by Mark Wahlberg, was happily willing to give Tina Fey and Steve Carell the shirt off his back in 2010's "Date Night." (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Hunky like the wolf
In "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," released in 2009, Taylor Lautner's ripped pecs made werewolf Jacob a force to reckon with. (Summit Entertainment) Back to slideshow navigation -
Traveling with their pack
Lautner wasn't the only shirtless stud in Forks, Wash. Werewolves Paul, Embry and Sam, played by Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Chaske Spencer, showed off their washboard abs in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." (Summit Entertainment) Back to slideshow navigation -
Love at first bite
Vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) wasn't shirtless as often as Jacob and the wolf pack in "New Moon," but he did offer up an occasional glimpse of his sparkly skin. (Summit Entertainment) Back to slideshow navigation -
Great Scot!
Gerard Butler almost put audiences in cardiac arrest with his sculpted torso in "Law Abiding Citizen" in 2009. (Overture Films) Back to slideshow navigation -
On closer inspection
Audiences didn't mind investigating the famed detective's anatomy when Robert Downey Jr. played the lead in 2009's "Sherlock Homes." (Warner Bros. Pictures) Back to slideshow navigation -
Putting the man in adamantium
With Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the claws weren't the only thing that audiences were looking forward to seeing in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Golden boy
Thanks to Matthew McConaughey's six pack, his character Ben "Finn" Finnegan in 2008's "Fool's Gold" made audiences rush in. (Warner Bros. Pictures) Back to slideshow navigation -
Double-oh-heaven
Daniel Craig as James Bond in 2006's "Casino Royale" left audience members shaken and stirred. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
A body to die for
He may have been a scumbag, but it was easy to see why the ladies fell for John Tucker, played by Jesse Metcalfe, in 2006's, "John Tucker Must Die." (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Ain't nothing but a G-string
In 2006's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," viewers saw a lot of Sacha Baron Cohen's character Borat -- perhaps too much. (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Nacho, nacho man
Jack Black showed his stuff as Nacho, a priest-turned-wrestler, in 2006's "Nacho Libre." (Paramount Pictures) Back to slideshow navigation -
Scared shirtless
Not even the paranormal stopped Ryan Reynolds from walking around half-naked as haunted homeowner George Lutz in "The Amityville Horror," released in 2005. (MGM) Back to slideshow navigation -
Quite a thrilla
Will Smith was "ab"-solutely fabulous when he played legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in 2001's "Ali." (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
Killer body
Cold-blooded murderer Patrick Bateman, portrayed by Christian Bale in 2000's "American Psycho," was a fan of staying tan. (Lion's Gate Films) Back to slideshow navigation -
No shoes? No shirt? No problem!
As Tyler Durden, Brad Pitt made having a terrific build the first rule of 1999's "Fight Club." (20th Century Fox) Back to slideshow navigation -
Shirts or skins?
Denzel Washington's muscular biceps played with hearts when he portrayed Jake Shuttlesworth in "He Got Game," released in 1998. (Buena Vista Pictures ) Back to slideshow navigation -
Damme he's fine
Jean-Claude Van Damme was indeed the Muscles from Brussels in "No Retreat, No Surrender (aka Karate Tiger)" in 1986. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
Ripped Republican
Bodybuilding paid off for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played the lead in "Conan the Destroyer," released in 1984. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
Leaving us breathless
Richard Gere as Michel played a thief who stole hearts with his terrific body in 1983's "Breathless." (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
The Italian stallion
Sylvester Stallone caught more than the eye of the tiger in as the never-say-die boxer in "Rocky III," released in 1976. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
Hunk o' Love
After seeing the King's physique in 1963's "Fun in Acapulco," Elvis Presley fans were even more smitten with their man. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
As the Romans do
Marlon Brando's barely-there costume as Mark Antony in 1953's "Julius Caesar" made viewers want to go on a Roman holiday. (Everett Collection) Back to slideshow navigation -
Wild thing
Audience members heard the call of the wild watching Johnny Weissmuller in 1932's "Tarzan." (Everett Collection ) Back to slideshow navigation
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