This past weekend saw the release of Marvel's The Avengers (or Avengers Assemble, if you live outside the States), the culmination of five movies worth of film continuity as Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and S.H.I.E.L.D. came together to overcome a threat that no single hero can defeat. I won't say much about it, except that IT IS AWESOME! IT IS THE MOST AMAZING SUPERHERO FILM I'VE EVER SEEN! IT IS SO DAMN GOOD! JOSS WHEDON MAY BE AN ATHEIST BUT HE HAS CONFIRMED MY BELIEF IN A JUST AND LOVING GOD! IT IS WONDERFUL! AAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Anyway, the Avengers came out and it was great and made all of the money in the world, but at the end of it all the question comes up: Now what? Marvel showed that comic book style, genre-mashing continuity can work on the big screen; what are they gonna do next? What are the next characters to make it to the big screen? Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2 are all in development, while Ant-Man has been worked on for years by writer/director/my favorite British person ever, Edgar Wright, but what of new heroes and new villains? Well, I have some ideas. Here now is my list of the next ten Marvel characters who deserve their own movies:
Admittedly, the Sub-Mariner is a tough sell. He's a dude who has Spock-ears, winged heels, and regularly wears nothing but a green speedo. However, he's still a big part of the Marvel Universe. First appearing way the hell back when in 1939, Prince Namor of Atlantis inititally clashed with the surface world and its protector, the android Human Torch. However, when the prince learned of these big bad guys called Nazis who threatened both the topsiders and his own kingdom, he teamed with the Torch and Captain America to fight them off. He has since ranged from villain to anti-hero to just plain hero in his 70-year tenure in the Marvel U.
Since we've already seen Cap's story on screen Namor free, it'd take a bit of rewriting to put the Sub-Mariner in WW2. Say, maybe, have him fight the Japanese in the Pacific, go into hiding under the sea, and reemerge in the modern world to save it or conquer it in the name of Atlantis. And have him wear pants. Shirt optional.
Thor has thus far been the biggest example of magic in Marvel's Cinematic Universe, but Doctor Strange could give the God of Thunder a run for his money. Since first appearing in 1963, the Sorceror Supreme has been the go-to guru of magic and voodoo. The good doctor has been an on-again, off-again member of various Avengers and Avenger spin-offs (most notably, the Defenders), but never quite found solid footing as a solo hero.
As far as a movie, I'd go with a horror-fantasy type story. Tone down the costume, and Strange could be convincing as a demon fighter, maybe have Baron Mordo or the dreaded Dormammu as a villain. Then have Strange move on and team up with the similarly magic Thor or have him clash with the science-minded Iron Man. The possibilities are endless.
At around the same time as David Carradine showed that white men could do kung fu, the Living Weapon was jumping and kicking his way through the Marvel U. In an origin story similar to another certain Iron-based hero, the young Danny Rand was a wealthy heir before he discovered his destiny; however, whereas Tony Stark found heroism through science, Danny found it through a hidden magical city in Tibet where he learned martial arts and killed a dragon. Since then, Iron Fist has been a part of the Marvel Universe, a classic member of the Heroes for Hire and, of course, occasionally with the Avengers.
While the story of a rich kid who learns what's important is attractive, I'd instead go with a story more akin to, well, Kung Fu; a spiritual hero whose goal is to bring peace to a world rife with violence and despair. Or do a whole movie of his training in the mystical city of K'un-L'un and have him emerge blinking into a crossover movie. Or, even have him team up with another hero, which brings me to number 7...
Luke Cage, a.k.a. Carl Lucas, a.k.a. Power Man, a.k.a. a dude who wore a disco shirt and a tiara as his costume, started out his career in 1972, when blaxploitation was a popular trend in movies. Subsequently, when flamboyant costumes and the catchphrase "Sweet Christmas!" went out of style, Cage became a more thuggish, gangsta-esque character. Nowadays, he's just a big-time hero, married with a kid and a card-carrying member of the Avengers.
A Luke Cage movie would be tough to do; keeping the hero in his urban roots without being patronizing or pandering would be a tough trick to pull off. What would probably work best would be a redemption story, with Cage as a criminal who loses everything, gets the chance to make it right, and does so. Or just put him next to his old pal Iron Fist and watch the sparks fly.
Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner was one of the best parts of the Avengers; alternatively a world-weary survivor and a weirdly upbeat scientist, Banner and his absolutely smashing alter-ego left a difinitive impression on audiences. As no more Hulk movies are in the works, it'd be a shame if the Jade Giant was left out in the cold. I'd suggest making a honest-to-god sequel to 08's The Incredible Hulk and pick up on the plot threads there, like Samuel Sterns becoming the super-psychic Leader, or bringing back Tim Roth as the abominable Emil Blonsky. Just don't leave Mark Ruffalo to do nothing; it might make him angry.
Moony the Loony is one of Marvel's weirder heroes, but that weirdness makes him an utterly unique and compelling character. His origin story is as follows: mercenary Marc Spector is betrayed, beaten, and left for dead by his partner near a pyramid in Egypt. He is saved by Khonshu, the Egyptian God of the Moon, who resurrects him on the condition that he fight evil in Khonshu's name. Spector agrees and returns to the States, using his mercenary profits and Batman-esque weaponry to fight crime as the Moon Knight.
What makes Moony really interesting is the fact that he's absolutely bananas. He's still capable of being a hero, but the guilt of all the people he's killed as a mercenary manifests itself in Spector's multiple personalities (plus there's the fact that he takes orders from an Egyptian moon god). Moony's story could be one of redemption, with the voices in his head providing enough levity to keep audiences from noticing that he's kind of a Batman rip-off.
One-Eyed Eagle has been a background presence in Marvel's movies, and while he does get more screen time in Avengers, he's deserving of his own movie, if only to see if Marvel will do a movie where the main character says "Motherf*cker" (they won't).
As far as a story, I'd adapt Jonathan Hickman's "Secret Warriors" to the big screen, with Fury and a small team of unknown superheroes waging a private war against a revitalized HYDRA. Part of this is because I love the comic, but part of it is because it really shows off the character of Nick Fury: a no-nonsense, absolutely brilliant espionage agent and mastermind who knows unequivocally what needs to be done to protect the free world and will do it, even if it's an unpopular decision. That's the character I know and that's the character I want everyone else to know.
Two reasons: One, because Fox got it wrong, and Two, because Wolverine is on EVERY team in Marvel Comics. That's his real mutant power. Need I say more?
This one should be obvious. Two hot young actors playing badass master assassins/espionage agents who look awesome in the Avengers and are hinted at having awesome spy stories and possible romance subplots happening offscreen? Why don't these two have a movie yet?! Get on the stick, Marvel!
Phil Coulson is the glue that holds the Marvel Cinematic Universe together. He's capable of being intelligent, funny, and even badass a few times (particularly in the Avengers). And despite all of this, we know so little about him. The people at Marvel created a really interesting guy; a character who is both an everyman walking amongst legends and an excellent administrator who knows how to manipulate them. Coulson is a great, fun character, and I'd love to see him carry his own movie.
Well, that's my list. If you've got any other ideas, post them here. Take care, go see The Avengers, and I'll see you next time. Until then,
